TWO Craven teachers beat off stiff competition from colleagues in the North of England to be presented with awards for excellence in their professions.

Giggleswick School teacher David Fox and headteacher of Threshfield Primary School Helen Jarvis were honoured at The Teaching Awards in Sheffield.

A third teacher, Pamela Hall, just missed out but was specially commended for her work at Threshfield School.

The Teaching Awards celebrate the vital role that teachers play in the community and highlight excellence and encourage best practice.

Mr Fox, 59, was presented with the Lloyds TSB Award for Lifetime Achievement. He started his teaching career in 1964 and for the last 32 years has worked at Giggleswick School. He was head of geography for 28 years and is currently senior master, head of careers and a teacher of geography.

He is described as a "passionate geographer" who has conveyed his love of the subject to generations of pupils. "He is one of the most creative and complete teachers I have known in my career," said headteacher Tony Millard.

Mr Fox has also achieved recognition in other areas, including directing the school's musical productions, organising expeditions to Australia, coaching the cricket and rugby teams, and heading up the careers department.

However, it has been as a house master, a position he has held for 18 years, that his gifts as a listener and counsellor have earned him the trust and friendship of generations of pupils.

Mr Fox, who lives at The Mains, Giggleswick, said: "I'm absolutely flabbergasted and staggered. I think it's such a good thing for the teaching profession that teachers are being recognised for the work they do. I've taught with so many people who could have won this award - I was just the one who struck lucky. I regard this as an award for the whole school and team."

Meanwhile, Mrs Jarvis, who has been teaching for 25 years and has been headteacher of Threshfield Primary School for eight years, was presented with The Leadership Trust Award.

She scooped the award after being instrumental in the complete transformation of the school building, increasing the number of children on the role from 54 to 105, and helping the school gain the Charter Mark award.

The children were of the opinion, though, that Mrs Jarvis deserved the award because she "made the school a happy one".

Mrs Jarvis said: "It has all been very exciting and the awards ceremony was just like the Oscars."

Mrs Hall, who has been teaching at Threshfield for 10 years, was nominated in The Guardian Award for Teacher of the Year category.

Mrs Jarvis said: "Pamela has taught every age group in the school. She is a first class teacher and we were upset she did not get the award."

The winning teachers received £3,500 for their schools, while the commended teachers picked up £500. All winning teachers will go forward to The Teaching Awards 2000 to be held at the end of October.

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