Prestigious teaching award for Sr. Hannah
Headteacher Sister Hannah Dwyer, described as "an educational force of nature", is a Silver Teaching Award Winner in the category: The Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Recently retired, Sister Hannah's outstanding career spans over 35 years, 23 of those as a Headteacher. She took on the role of Head at Larmenier R.C. Infants' School in Hammersmith in 1991, In 2002, Sr. Hannah she merged the school with Sacred Heart R.C. Junior School.
This was a huge challenge that included the task of raising £7 million to fund a new building. The new school has been a great success and has gone from strength to strength.
Dominic McGonigal, Chair of Governors at Larmenier & Sacred Heart said: "The first thing I noticed about Sr. Hannah is her deep interest in the children. From the moment they arrive in Nursery or Reception, right through the school and beyond. In fact, we have a constant stream of former pupils coming back to the school because Sr. Hannah inspired them 10, 20 or even 30 years ago. I am so pleased that her dedication and constant striving for excellence has been recognised by the Pearson Teaching Awards."
Selected from over 20,000 nominations received by the Pearson Teaching Awards in 2014, Sr. Hannah was one of just 55 recipients of the award which was presented to her in a surprise assembly on 'Thank a Teacher Day', 16 May 201 by Bishop John Sherrington, Auxiliary Bishop and Chairman of the Westminster Diocese Education Service.
During the ceremony, Bishop Sherrington spoke about Sr. Hannah's influence on her pupils: "Sr. Hannah's strong sense of her personal vocation has led her to give years of dedicated service. In her 35 years of teaching, she has instilled in her pupils the importance of discovering their own unique sense of purpose and doing all they can to live that vocation.
"Sr. Hannah, through her years of dedication and vocation to teaching and learning and to Catholic leadership, has enabled thousands of children to develop their God-given gifts and become the people God wishes them to be. It is a wonderful achievement that, through Catholic education, so many seeds are sown which bear fruit in the future. I also wish to acknowledge Sr. Hannah's important contribution to the work of the Westminster Education Commission which has oversight for strategy in the diocese."
The Pearson Teaching Awards are an annual celebration of exceptional teachers and teaching, founded in 1999 by Lord Puttnam. They recognise the life-changing impact of an inspirational teacher on the lives of the young people they teach.
Sr. Hannah will now join fellow Silver Award winners at the UK final of the Teaching Awards at London's Guildhall on 26th October, where 10 Silver Award winners will receive a Gold Award. The ceremony will be filmed and broadcast by the BBC.