INSPIRATIONAL teachers from across the region could scoop prizes worth thousands of pounds when the national education "Oscars" get underway.

Several teachers from the North-East and North Yorkshire will be attending the finals of the annual BT Teaching Awards in London on Sunday October 27.

Award categories include The BT Award for Teacher of the Year, the Guardian Award for Outstanding New Teacher and The Leadership Trust Award for School Leadership.

The glamorous ceremony will be hosted by television presenter Carol Smillie of Changing Rooms fame and will be attended by a host of celebrities, including distinguished actor Art Malik and singer Mica Paris.

The celebrities will present the awards to teachers who have touched the lives of parents, students and fellow staff throughout their careers. The nominations are made by the general public.

Christopher Lewis, who has been head of Thirsk Secondary School in North Yorkshire for 16 years, won an award in the northern region for school leadership in a primary school.

He was praised for his dynamism, vision and great drive but chastised for one flaw - being able to take praise graciously.

Other regional winners who will go through to next week's final include:

North Yorkshire - Teresa Pridmore of Boroughbridge High School, in York, who was awarded regional Teaching Assistant of the Year; Sue Uffindall, a Lifetime Achievement Award for 30 years at Ripon College, Ripon.

North-East - Riosin McVeigh of Wolsingham School and Community College, Weardale, The Guardian Award for Outstanding New Teacher; Maureen Stephenson of St Mary's RC First School, Newcastle, who won BT Award for Teacher of the Year in a primary school; Joan Lister of Ashfield Nursery School, Newcastle who won a Lifetime Achievement Award; Neil Parker, Heighington CE Primary School, Newton Aycliffe, who won The Leadership Trust Award for School Leadership in Primary School.

Each of the ten winners in the final will receive a £13,000 cash grant from The Teaching Awards Trust and £10,000 worth of IT equipment for their schools.

The regional winners each received a £2,000 cash grant for their schools plus £1,000 worth of IT equipment.