South Yorkshire teachers among those honoured by Theresa May

Prime Minister Theresa May hosted a teachers reception at 10 Downing Street.

The reception was to thank teachers for their hard work and to meet those who do so much for the education of children across the UK. The Prime Minister took time to speak to teachers from all regions, before she delivered a short speech thanking them for all their work. — Prime Minister Theresa May hosted a teachers reception at 10 Downing Street. The reception was to thank teachers for their hard work and to meet those who do so much for the education of children across the UK. The Prime Minister took time to speak to teachers from all regions, before she delivered a short speech thanking them for all their work.

One hundred teachers from schools across the country, including Lucie Pond, a teacher at Hungerhill School, Doncaster, and Dirk Pittard of St Wilfrid’s Academy, Doncaster, attended the reception at Number 10.

The PM and Education chief paid tribute to the hard work and dedication of the profession which, alongside the government’s bold reforms, have helped to raise standards – with 1.9 million more children now in good or outstanding schools than in 2010.

There are 15,500 more teachers than in 2010 and the quality of new entrants into the teaching profession is at an all-time high, with almost a fifth of new teachers starting this year holding a first-class degree.

Prime Minister Theresa May said: “We know that the success of every young person, in whatever they go on to do in life, is shaped by the education they receive at school.

“That’s why I was delighted to welcome over a hundred teachers from across the country to Downing Street to celebrate their achievements and to thank them for the vital work they do day-in and day-out.

“Teachers are key to making Britain the great meritocracy it can and should be, and I am committed to working with them so that every child has the best possible start in life.”

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said today’s generation of teachers were a highly talented group of individuals who were hard working and added: Whenever I ask people about what they most remember from school, they always talk about the teacher who inspired them. There are no great schools without great teachers and the reception today is a small recognition of the incredible dedication and hard work we see day in, day out, across the teaching profession.”