PE teacher whose clubs “sell faster than Taylor Swift tickets” nominated to be Teacher of the Year

Mr Smail who has been teaching at Bishop Gilpin CofE Primary School in Wimbledon for more than 10 years has been nominated to be Teacher of the Year by multiple students at his school who describe him as “the best teacher in the world.”

Mr Smail is known for his incredible PE classes and after school club, including a PE class for parents. Since he joined the school more than 80% of students have represented the school in sporting events covering 12 different sports, this includes the tag rugby team who recently competed in the London Youth games. He has also supported several students to go on to play sports professionally.

One parent who nominated Mr Smail called Natasha Rawdon-Rego said: “For over four years, my daughter has thrived in his Sports sessions and PE classes. We've witnessed a remarkable boost in her confidence and skills across various sports, including cross country, netball, fitness, and dodgeball. Mr. Smail masterfully combines competition, structure, fun, and teamwork, making his PE lessons incredibly popular among children.”

Mr Smail has not only transformed the sports department at his school he is also credited for getting his students through lockdown by creating online PE lessons for the kids and funny videos.

Parent Harriet Sykes said: “He made the most hilarious lockdown videos to cheer up the school and get the kids dancing. My children weren't yet at the school at that time but all our neighbours showed them to us and it pretty much went viral in our community!”

Mr Smail is also known for his musical talents and is the drummer in the school’s teacher band known as “The BGs.”

“What I love is how Mr Smail makes every child feel valued and heard, finding ways for each one to feel like an integral part of the team. He goes above and beyond in his duties and dedicates countless hours beyond the school day to the school community.” added Natasha.

Mr Smail is one of many teachers who has been nominated for Collection Pot’s Teacher of the Year 2024 competition.

This competition aims to celebrate the exceptional dedication of teachers, teaching assistants, support staff, and headteachers in schools across the nation.

Collection Pot has £1500 in prizes to give away benefiting not only the winning teacher, but also their school and the student who nominated them.

The winning nomination will receive:

• For the school a £1,000 donation to your PTA

• For the teacher £250 in a Collection Pot

  For the parent a £250 Visit Britain Gift Card

The national winner will be named on July 5.