A TEACHER from a village school in West Devon is in the running for one of the prestigious 'Plato' awards for excellence in teaching, after lifting the South West regional title.

Jeanette Neale, of Highampton Primary School, was presented with the award for school and community involvement at a ceremony at Powderham Castle near Exeter on Monday.

She is now in with a chance of national success at the UK awards later this year — and has scooped £2,000 for the 43-pupil school, plus £1,000 worth of IT equipment.

Charles Dumpleton, vice-chair of governors, who nominated Jeanette for the award, paid tribute to an 'enthusiastic and dedicated teacher' and said she did much to make the school the hub of the community.

'When the school needed to raise money, she threw a dinner for 30 people — at her own home. In her spare time she has established the school website, plus one for the parish,' he said.

He described Jeanette's rapport with her class as being 'second to none', being frequently invited to class birthday parties and attending school performances.

'It's hardly surprising that when she organised an evening for parents with a performance from her pupils, expecting about 30 people to turn up, over 100 people did,' he said.

Mrs Neale said she had no idea she would receive the award. 'Everyone who was there had done really well. You knew you were shortlisted but they don't even tell you how many — it's all shrouded in secrecy.'

She said it was lovely to receive the award but she could not have won it without the support of the children, parents, staff and everyone in the community.

'It might have my name on it, but it really is a two-way thing,' she said.

And she had 'no idea' how the judges would decide on the national award winner in October.

'There are schools with 1,200 pupils and us with 43 — I don't know how they can choose,' she said.

Headteacher Jill Bevis said: 'We were all delighted for her and felt it was a very fitting tribute to all the work she has done for the school — it's wonderful to have that kind of public recognition.'

She said the community award was particularly relevant to a small, rural school like Highampton — especially during the last year when the village was at the centre of the foot and mouth crisis in Devon.

She said Mrs Neale had had to move out of her farm home and stay with relatives for a time in order to continue teaching, but kept her own problems 'under wraps' and showed day-to-day enthusiasm and commitment to the children, staff and community in general.