SCHOOLTEACHER Kenny Ball adds that extra something to make his maths lessons interesting - chocolate.



And his offbeat methods were given the seal of approval when he scooped a top teaching award.

Mr Ball was one of seven teaching staff from Greater Manchester schools to have their work recognised by the BT North West Teaching Awards - education''s equivalent of the Oscars.

Kenny, a teacher for 27 years, was named Secondary School Teacher of the Year. He says he is determined to help youngsters have fun and develop enthusiasm for maths.

He reckons chocolate is an ideal teaching aid and broken bars give his pupils a tasty way to get to grips with fractions.

"It''s my job to try and make maths fun," said Mr Ball, aged 51, who teaches at the Byrchall High School in Wigan.

Mr Ball, who was nominated for the award by a former pupil, says he was "gob-smacked" to be announced as the winner at the ceremony, which was attended by Schools Standards Minister David Milliband.

He told the Manchester Evening News: "Teaching changes all the time and I like the career because of that challenge."

The BT Award for Teacher of the Year in a Primary School was presented to Wendy Nunns, from Blackrod Primary in Bolton.

Mother-of-two Ms Nunns says she always tries to make her lessons special.

When the youngsters had to make a natural sculpture she took them to Grizedale Forest in the Lake District and when they had to make puppets for their technology classes she insisted they go on to perform a puppet show for younger children in the school.

Andrew Povey, head of religious education at William Beamont Community School in Warrington, was recognised with the Guardian Award for Outstanding New Teacher. And Mr Povey, 24, who began teaching just 18 months ago, says there''s nothing he would rather do.

"I have friends who talk about being bored at work and I can''t understand that because I love my job so much," he said.

Joint winner of the BP Award for Science was Jane Attwood, from Rose Bridge High School in Wigan.

Jane, who as a child made her brother and sister sit tests so she could play at being the teacher, has developed many of her lessons to boost literacy as well as sciencewith some lessons even including poetry.

Ann Wood was presented with the Award for School Leadership in a Primary School four years after taking over as headteacher at Broomwod Primary School in Altrincham.

Mick Brett, from Salford''s behaviour support unit, was given the North West Award for School and Community Involvement for his organisation of exchange visits between pupils from schools in Salford and South Africa.

Barbara Bates, from Oakgrove School, in Stockport, was named as the North West''s Teaching Assistant of the Year for her work with children with special needs.

The winners were awarded £3000 for their school and will compete in the national finals in October.

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