Michael Butcher, of Pembrokeshire College, picked up a top honour at the Pearson Teaching Awards, a ceremony celebrating the crème de la crème of the UK teaching profession. Michael Butcher was one of just 10 teachers from across the country to win a prestigious gold Plato Award in front of an audience of hundreds at the Guildhall in London.

Michael was nominated for the accolade by pupils, parents and colleagues from Pembrokeshire College. The ceremony will be broadcast on BBC2 on October 30, at 6 pm, in the show Britain’s Classroom Heroes, where viewers will be able to find out more about the inspirational work behind Michael’s award win.

Michael is based at the Pembrokeshire College’s equine centre and works primarily with learners who have a wide variety of physical and learning disabilities. Success rates for his courses are amongst the highest in the college at 95 per cent, with attendance also at 95 per cent.

Back in 2012, Mike - as he is known to his colleagues - helped introduce show-jumping as a new discipline in Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA UK). After years of planning, show-jumping is now delivered at over 11 centres across the whole of the UK. Mike recently encouraged an MS sufferer to take up riding again, and help her eventually go on to qualify in a regional dressage competition to compete at National level. At the RDA UK National Championships, she was placed seventh out of forty riders.

Hosted by the actor and comedian Hugh Dennis, star of ‘Outnumbered’ and ‘Mock the Week’, the ceremony also saw awards handed out across categories such as Excellence in Special Needs Education and Lifetime Achievement.

The Pearson Teaching Awards is an annual celebration of exceptional teachers and teaching. Founded in 1999 by Lord Puttnam, they recognise the life-changing impact of an inspirational teacher on the lives of the young people they teach.

Hugh Dennis, host of this year’s BBC Britain’s Classroom Heroes, said: “I am genuinely proud and honoured to be hosting this year’s ceremony. The inspiration and support of my fantastic teachers got me to where I am today, and it’s great to be able to join in and celebrate other teachers’ incredible achievements as well.”

Rod Bristow, president of Pearson UK, said: “A huge congratulations to the 2016 Teaching Award winners. Pearson is so proud to sponsor this celebration - great teaching makes the biggest difference to a child’s education and it’s incredibly important that we take this moment each year to recognise that.”

Parents and students alike can recognise the teachers who are making a difference by visiting www.pearsonteachingawards.com/ to thank a teacher. Doing so means they will be in with a chance of winning at next year’s ceremony.