Business teacher up for National Teaching Award - 21/10/10

Published: 21 October, 2010

Plymouth College Economics and Business Studies teacher, Jonathan Shields, travels to London next week for the National Teaching Awards. Jonathan, from Linkinhorne, was invited to the national finals after winning the South West Secondary School Teacher Award in June.

Also Head of Sixth Form and International Baccalaureate Diploma Co-ordinator, Jonathan is best known for being the driving force behind the school's phenomenal success in business competitions.  Since joining the school ten years ago he has steered pupils to victory in nine national and 53 regional competitions including the top spots in Young Enterprise, Make Your Mark and Student Investor in the last 12 months alone.

Jonathan can also be credited for the school's impressive results in public examinations.  He has seen his students take the top mark in the country in Edexcel's Economics and Business Studies A level no less than six times.  They have also clinched the GCSE and Diploma in Financial Studies accolades twice each with the number coming in the top twenty for all three hitting the 40 mark.

A renowned commentator on financial literacy among young people, Jonathan has been interviewed on the subject by the media on a number of occasions and last year was commissioned to co-author a text book, teacher's guide and CD ROM for the new GCSE Business Studies syllabus.

In 2009 he was awarded the Enterprise South West award for his overall contribution to enterprise education in a secondary school, and in May he was given an Outstanding Achievement award by Devon Young Enterprise in recognition of his work as link teacher with 2009 national winners, Affinity.

Jonathan was nominated for the teaching award by a group of his students who said: "What's great about Mr Shields is that his door is always open and his support doesn't just stop at the end of the school day.  He works many extra hours helping with projects and taking us to events all over the country.  His passion for the subject really motivates everyone in the class and we all have the greatest respect for him."

"Whilst I am thrilled to have won the South West award and to be going to the national finals, recognition must also go to the team of staff and students at Plymouth College", said Jonathan.  "Their motivation, determination and care has been inspiring and my contribution is just one small part of the range of opportunities the College provides".

The National Teaching Awards are being presented by Lenny Henry and are being broadcast on BBC 2 on Sunday 31^st October at 6 p.m.