TEACHERS in York are keen to encourage others to take up the profession in the city after it was voted the best place to live in Britain.

York was named Best Place to Live in The Sunday Times because of factors including its cultural offering and community, but teachers at the Ebor Teaching Schools Alliance are keen that their profession is not forgotten.

Robert Wilkinson Primary Academy, and Manor CE Academy, are the two York schools run by the teaching schools alliance in the city and the teaching school's director, Sarah Clarke, moved to York last year from London. She said: “Staff, pupils and parents are thrilled that York has won this accolade.

“Everyone is very proud of living here. York has a community feel and people are welcoming and warm. The lifestyle is great, there’s fantastic countryside and culture as well as excellent connections to other parts of the country. York is an amazing place live and work.

“York has so much more to offer than just its famous tourist attractions. This a real place where people want to work and live and there are so many professional opportunities to support that. We’re really proud to work with and train teachers in the best place to live in the UK.”

The Principal of Manor CE Academy, Simon Barber, said: “York is a historic city, small enough to know well, large enough to attract a wide range of museums, arts centres and eateries.

“This infrastructure has attracted a great mix of families and young people who then populate the schools and colleges and make teaching in York an exciting and professionally invigorating experience.“

The director of postgraduate initial teacher training at York St John University, Keither Parker, said: “York is a vibrant city with so much history and culture and a lively social scene, but it is also small enough to feel like you are part of a local community.

“I work in partnership with schools and alliances, like Ebor TSA, and we are committed to working together to train and develop teachers and leaders of the future. So many of our trainees want to stay and teach in York, and the surrounding areas, to the benefit of our children and young people. “

Megan Taaffe, a current Ebor trainee teacher said: “Teaching in York is fantastic because it’s a community full of conscientious, bright young people. It is a beautiful area with many good and outstanding schools and truly inspiring staff.”

Ebor TSA is currently recruiting for its secondary school direct programme for people interested in training to teach from September 2018.