A Wiltshire headteacher is in the running to be named the best in the country.
Dan Crossman, headteacher at Marlborough St Mary’s School, will be heading to London in November to attend the ‘Oscars’ of the teaching profession.
Mr Crossman is in the running for a Gold Award in the Headteacher of the Year category at The Pearson National Teaching Awards, which will take place on November 29.
This comes after this paper reported that Mr Crossman had scooped a Silver Award in June after being chosen from thousands of nominees.
At the time, Mr Crossman was described by colleagues and parents as a “remarkable” teacher.
The school’s deputy head Russell Goodman said: “Dan is a remarkable headteacher, he has relentless dedication to ensuring every child receives the support they need, whilst leading with compassion, warmth and kindness.
“Dan never gives up, no matter how impossible the challenge may seem - his ‘no shrugged shoulders’ rule exemplifies his commitment to advocating for every child and staff member, and particularly for the most disadvantaged and SEND learners.”
Mr Crossman took on the role of headteacher at Marlborough St Mary’s, a primary school that scooped a positive Ofsted report in 2025, four years ago.
Since then, he has “revolutionised” the school’s curriculum, which has resulted in its “best-ever results.”
New initiatives introduced in those years include establishing an on-site Forest School, adopting the Danish Hygge approach to early years and building a sensory circuit.
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Marlborough St Mary’s has also improved its provision for disadvantaged and SEND learners and has two complex needs resource bases where children benefit from a bespoke curriculum, including horse riding, outdoor learning and weekly maths cafes.
The 2025 awards ceremony will be held at The Brewery in Central London and will be hosted by BBC presenter, Gaby Roslin.
Mary Palmer, CEO of the Teaching Awards Trust, said: “Every educator deserves acknowledgement for the exceptional impact they have in both their classrooms and the wider community, every day.
“Our annual Teaching Awards offers the opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the incredible work of our educators, those who not only provide young people with knowledge, but also with values and life lessons that shape who they become.
“We congratulate all of this year’s winners and wish them the very best ahead of the UK ceremony.”
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