DEDICATED Alan Jackson is keeping his fingers crossed for national success in the finals of the teaching profession's "Oscars".

Mr Jackson, from Bolton, won £2,000 for St Paul's CE School in Astley Bridge after being crowned Most Outstanding New Teacher in the BT-sponsored National Teaching Awards.

Mr Jackson, aged 28, will now travel to London's Theatre Royal on Sunday, October 28, for the national finals. He could scoop the school a further £15,000.

Mr Jackson, who has taught Year Six at the primary school in Newnham Street for two years, said: "It is quite a big honour and I am looking forward to the day. I am very happy with what I have got at the moment so we will wait and see.

"I have received a lot of help from colleagues, parents, kids and governors. They have been really good and really pushed for me so I would like to say a big thankyou to all of them."

Regional judges praised the popular teacher in June for his contribution to school life. He runs a Saturday morning booster class and the school computer club in his spare time -- helping pupils design the school website.

Mr Jackson even trains parents in information technology.

And according to his pupils, he is definitely well worth the award, sponsored this year by the Guardian newspaper.

One pupil told judges in a letter: "When he is on playground duty he plays games with us like shark tig and hopscotch. I think he should have an award because he tries really hard to look after 32 kids plus trying to teach them at the same time. He is the most caring teacher in the world."