A TALENTED teacher has been shortlisted for a prestigious award after injecting a sense of fun and hands-on learning into the classroom.

West Oxford Community School teacher Carrie Slee has become a regional finalist for the primary school Teacher of the Year award after revolutionising lessons and extra-curricular activities for her Year Six class.

Miss Slee’s commitment to her work has seen her set up the school’s first after-school animation club as well as establishing and coaching a girls’ lunchtime football class.

Her practical approach to lessons means pupils are often given interactive activities such as constructing models to improve learning rather than being taught from a blackboard.

Since Miss Slee was appointed the school’s science co-ordinator the number of pupils achieving Level Four in maths, the expected level for the age group, jumped from 82 per cent in 2007 to 100 per cent last year.

Headteacher Julie St Claire Hoare said: “There is never a moment when pupils can feel bored or under challenged in Carrie’s lessons.

“Carrie is the first to try things out in her classroom and decide if it’s working and if it engages her children and makes them enthusiastic about learning.

Parents have told us that instead of nagging the children to do their homework it is now the other way around!”

The 28-year-old was nominated for the award by her 11-year-old pupil Chantelle Mack, who said: “She makes lessons fun and enjoyable and wicked.”

Her teaching assistant Dorraine Brown-John said: “The children can’t wait to get to Miss Slee’s lessons as they are learning in a fun and inventive way.”

Miss Slee who used to teach at Mill Lane Community Primary in Chinnor, said: “I had no idea the children had been discussing nominating me.

“The job is just so much fun.

“It’s great seeing the children challenging themselves and if they enjoy the lesson I enjoy the lesson as well because their behaviour is good and they get a lot more out of it.”

Among initiatives Miss Slee has started since she joined West Oxford Primary is an after-school animation club.

The club, which started in 2007, saw six pupils make a five-minute Wallace and Gromit style plasticine animation of an alien interacting with everyday human objects.

The video was shot using a blue-screen at a music studio in Iffley Road.

Since pupils were shown the end results she has been inundated with requests to join.

In 2008 she gave up some of her Easter holidays to run an Easter school programme for the county council and this year is tutoring a local authority scheme to help pupils with their reading and writing.

She has also started a Tuesday afternoon girls’ football class, and is keen to set up matches with other schools.

She is also organising a science investigation week.

Miss Slee will be inspected at work by judges from the Teaching Awards in April and the final award ceremony for the south east region will take place at Canterbury Cathedral Lodge on Tuesday, June 2.

cwalker@oxfordmail.co.uk