AN outstanding teacher who provided help and support for her students following the death of two of their fellow pupils has been rewarded for her efforts.

Students at Pershore High School Technology College have been hit twice by trauma in the past year when 17-year-old Ben Woodcock and 18-year-old Sophie McGorrigan both died of cancer.

Deputy head Phil Hanson said Rachel Coton, the school's head of sixth form, provided invaluable support for their grieving colleagues.

Her efforts were recognised at The Teaching Awards 2006 West Midlands ceremony, at Ironbridge Gorge Museum yesterday, when Mrs Coton was awarded a distinction in The Guardian Teaching Awards for Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School.

Mrs Coton has been with the school since 1999 and was head of history before taking over the sixth form in 2004.

David Butler, from Kidder-minster's Baxter College, received a distinction in the same category.

Mr Hanson said the school was delighted that Mrs Coton had won. He added: "We're not in the slightest surprised as she's a fabulous lady and a superb head of sixth form and she deserves it completely.

"She's been a fantastic support to our students through what has been a tough time."

The awards ceremony was attended by local dignitaries and education professionals, as well as pupils from the finalists' schools.

Liz Quinn, Stourport-on-Severn High School's headteacher, gained a distinction in the Royal Air Force Teaching Award for Head-teacher of the Year in a Secondary School.

Baxter College teacher Catherine Lawson-Broadhead also picked up a distinction in the Teaching Award for Enterprise, while Gareth Webb, of Lickhill Middle School, Stourport-on-Severn, took a distinction in the Training and Development Agency for Schools' Teaching Award for Outstanding New Teacher.

Caroline Evans, Teaching Awards' chief executive, said: "This year the number and quality of nominations for the teaching awards was higher than ever before and every single finalist deserves enormous credit for having reached as far as this stage of the process."

Diane Bloomer, of St Luke's CE First School, Redditch, won the BT Teaching Award for Teacher of the Year in a Primary School.

Anthony Morris, of Ross-on-Wye's John Kyrle High School, picked up the Ted Wragg Teaching Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Both of them will now attend the National Teaching Awards ceremony on Sunday, October 15, to learn if they have been successful in winning national titles.