AN inspirational primary school teacher has been nominated for a Community Pride Award.

Year 3 teacher Andy Daniel, 39, has taught at Ralph Butterfield Primary School in Haxby since 1999.

He had previously spent a year teaching at Hob Moor School in York after first qualifying as a teacher.

He has been nominated in the Teacher Of The Year category of the awards, which seek to acknowledge the city’s unsung heroes.

Nominating Mr Daniel, one Haxby parent said: “Mr Daniel is fun, energetic, motivational and builds the confidence of his pupils through his committed, caring and enthusiastic approach.

“My seven-year-old son has gone from being immensely resistant to going to school last year to a happy, confident child eager to go on to the next exciting project with Mr Daniel.

“Recently they were ‘evacuated’ to Goathland via the North Yorkshire Moors Railway to experience life in the Second World War and an abiding memory was Mr Daniel dressed in shorts and tank top shouting ‘I need my teddy... I can’t go without him!’

“After a recent assembly of wartime singing and dancing, the head teacher said she wanted to be in Mr Daniel’s class and asked for volunteers to swap with her.”

The parent said Mr Daniel had given up his own time to provide a fun club for children who needed extra help with their work and “goes above and beyond to make a rigid curriculum exciting and accessible”.

Mr Daniel said: “I feel extremely proud and humbled that I have been nominated for a Community Pride Award and the fact that it comes from a parent and child is very special.

“I am very lucky to have a job where I have the opportunity to teach such motivated and enthusiastic learners Ralph Butterfield is a great school and I love teaching there.”

The Community Pride Awards are held in partnership with City of York Council. The principal sponsor is Benenden Health.

To make a nomination visit yorkpress.co.uk/pride