THE deputy headteacher of a school which was burnt to the ground three years ago was honoured with a national technology award yesterday.

Murphy Crescent School, in Bishop Auckland, for children with learning difficulties, was completely destroyed in the blaze.

Thanks to the dedication of teachers, such as Helen Crawford, the school has risen from the ashes to provide education and support from a temporary building in the grounds of Bishop Barrington Comprehensive.

Yesterday, Helen received a top technology award from Lord David Puttnam at a ceremony in London.

The awards were given by the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency for information and communication technology in practice.

Helen was named joint winner of the special educational needs primary category.

Helen used her imagination to set up an interactive room which provides a safe environment to engage the children. The school caters for pupils aged two to 19, with profound and complex learning difficulties.

She said: "There's a big push for teachers to be plugged in and logged on, but it's really important for teachers not to lose their practical bent."

She shared the title withKathryn Beckby, ICT advisor for Redcar and Cleveland local education authority.

Kathryn is responsible for supporting 56 primary schools in Redcar and Cleveland, and offers courses for teachers.

She said: "Teachers are the ones who need to know if a piece of software is going to support them, rather than just sitting on a shelf."