Press Release
Award-winning teacher Anne Gough is so good at her job that families have relocated from other parts of the country so their children can be taught by her.
Anne, who teaches at the Royal School for the Deaf and Communication Disorders in Stanley Road, Cheadle, Cheshire, has been named Special Needs Teacher of the Year in the North West Teaching Awards for her work with children who have complex learning and communication difficulties. Watch BBC North West news clip here. Watch Channel M news clip here and read the Manchester Evening News article here.
The judges said: “Anne Gough’s reputation precedes her. Families have even relocated from other parts of the country after hearing of the excellent work she does with children who have communication problems.
“Colleagues and parents describe her as “a truly amazing human-being” who has devoted her career and life to children with special needs. Within her department, she wears a multitude of hats including teacher, senior manager, departmental manager and mentor. Her tutor from university said Anne was one of the best teachers of the deaf she had ever trained, in a 30-year career.
“Parents also love her approach and the way she has changed the lives of families. One described how the whole family had relocated from the South of England so their child could attend the school, and another said: “She is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. She has the most amazing initiative and intuition; she just knows what to do.””
Anne has dedicated the past 13 years of her career to the charity’s Sensory Support Unit, where she manages a team of ten learning support assistants. The Department teaches students who have a combination of hearing, visual and learning disabilities including autism.
Anne, 48, lives in Bramhall and has two sons James, 23, and Jason, 21, with husband Nick. She said: “When I found out that my colleague Lauren Haynes, an NQT, had nominated me, I could have killed her! I am still in shock after winning but it’s wonderful. It feels a bit strange because what we do doesn’t work unless you have a strong team so this is in no way just about me. I spend time with children and parents if they want to come here and it’s nice of them to say I’m part of the reason they decide to move but if the leadership of the school wasn’t so progressive we couldn’t do the work we do.
“I feel like I have the best job on the planet. If a child has been told they won’t be able to walk and you can provide a walking frame, or that they won’t be able to communicate and you can help them tell their parents what they want at home, that is the best feeling possible.”
Hilary Ward, Headteacher at the Royal School for the Deaf and Communication Disorders, said: “In one’s lifetime, you may be very privileged to work with someone who is outstanding, and Anne is one of those people. It’s a pity we can’t clone her.
“Her work, particularly for deaf-blind children, is nationally recognised and families have moved house so that they can be closer to the school. Anne has very high expectations for her pupils and works tirelessly to think of innovative and exciting ways to help them make progress. Anne champions for the rights of pupils with complex needs in the wider community and has written and delivered training for teachers in the region and nationally.”
Angela Sutton, 43, and husband Trevor Smith, 48, themselves both teachers, moved from their home in Kinston-upon-Thames in Surrey so their son Elliot Smith, six, could start at the school last September.
Angela said: “He was in a signing support deaf unit at a mainstream school but we realised he needed to be in a more specialist place. We visited a few schools and were all set to sign up for one in the South East where we lived when we came to visit. When we looked around and met Anne and saw what went on we realised it was no contest, we had to move to Manchester.
“We were impressed by the whole school but it is true to say that when we met Anne we thought she was amazing and wanted her to teach Elliot. The way she was with other students and with Elliot was fantastic. We loved where we lived so it has been a bit change but we have never regretted it for a single moment because Elliot loves it so much.”
Anne will now go through to the national finals of the Teaching Awards in October.
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