A teacher has been nominated for an “inspirational teacher of the year” award after her work at training colleagues was recognised by OFSTED.

Hazel Dorrington has been nominated for the prestigious award which is organised by the Times Education Supplement.

Hazel is the Strategic Manager at SCITTELS (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training in East London Schools) at Colegrave Primary School in Stratford where she is responsible for the training of over sixty new teachers each year.

Hazel grew up in Newham and after more than a decade of teaching primary school children in the borough she moved into training teachers so that she could have a greater impact on even more children.

She was nominated by one of her colleagues after she led SCITTELS to their second consecutive Outstanding award from Ofsted in February 2014.

SCITTELS is the only teacher training provider in east London that has been graded as Outstanding by Ofsted, and this is especially difficult under the new, more challenging Ofsted framework.

Hazel said: “I feel very honoured to have been nominated for this award. As far as I see it, I am only doing my job. The children of east London deserve the very best teachers in order to ensure they have the best start in life.

“If it wasn’t for the fact that my teachers believed in me, along with the support of my family, friends and colleagues over the years, I wouldn’t be where I am today, being nominated for this award. I only hope I continue to inspire my trainee teachers to go on and inspire generations of children to come.”

Mahmuda Khatun, one of SCITTELS’ current trainees, who contributed to Hazel’s nomination said: “I truly believe Hazel should be awarded the ‘inspirational teacher of the year’ award. Not only is she an amazing leader, but her training sessions have by far been some of the best sessions we have been privileged to have attended.”

There are still spaces available for primary teacher training with SCITTELS for September 2014. To find out more or to book a space at a SCITTELS teaching information event, email julia.mckinley@colegrave.newham.sch.uk