A PENRYN woman who has just won a national teaching award and with it £25,000 for her school, has dedicated the achievement to her colleagues.

Gill Harries, a music teacher at Penryn College, received her National Award for Leadership within a School at a ceremony in London attended by such luminaries as Lord Attenborough and Sir Trevor McDonald.

Mrs Harries, who is also an Advanced Skills Teacher and leads an extensive Initial Teacher Training partnership with three establishments at the college, said: "I am a representative of those I work for."

Mrs Harries has taught at Penryn College for the last 12 years where she has helped build up a vibrant music department almost from scratch and which now has over 100 pupils learning an instrument. She believes the key to her achievements is her unquenchable desire to teach which she says was inherited from an aunt. She said: "As a child I had a great aunt as a music teacher who had the belief that you can achieve anything."

She said: "I am lucky to enjoy what I do. I think my enthusiasm is the main thing."

The same attitude has trickled down through her and into her students, both children and trainee teachers alike. One student teacher said: "I would not still be in the profession were it not for her calm support during challenging times. She gets the best out of you and tells you that you will succeed."

One year 11 pupil added: "She's totally mad, but she helps you feel there's nothing you can't do."

Mrs Harries was one of 3,000 nominations across ten categories looked at by 270 judges nation-wide. Chief executive of the Teaching Awards, David Hanson, said: "It is a rigorous process."

He said of the nominees: "One of the common factors is they all have something in common with great leaders. They have the ability to motivate others in their subject and school."

Mr Hanson spoke glowingly of Mrs Harries. He said: " She got other people to be successful through her teacher training. She went beyond her subject in the way her work affects others."

The Teaching Awards, chaired by Lord Puttnam, were established in 1998 to recognise, highlight and celebrate teaching at a time when morale in the profession was low.