ROOKIE teacher Clare Halsall is becoming a small screen star in a bid to sum up what makes a good maths class.

Her success in the classroom led to the mature student earning a starring role in a teacher training video to be sent to colleges throughout the country.

This week a professional film crew turned up to video Clare, aged 33, teaching classes at Mount St Joseph's School in Farnworth.

The video featuring her work and the verdict of her pupils will be used to help trainee teachers learn the kind of standards they should be aiming for in maths lessons.

The mum-of-two from Sharples only decided to become a teacher after helping out at the schools her children attended- including St John the Evangelist in Bromley Cross.

She studied for an Open University degree in maths and computing before starting her teacher training at Edghill College, Ormskirk.

Tutors were so impressed with her work at Mount St Josephs, recently praised for its maths teaching by Ofsted, they nominated for her for a Government initiative to spread good practice.

She said modestly: "This project landed on my tutor's desk just before he came to observe me in the school and grade my work.

"He decided I would be the right person for the video. But I have to say I would not have done so well without the excellent support from the school and my mentor."

Deputy head of maths, Cath Hodgson, was assigned as Clare's mentor throughout her time at the Catholic secondary but soon the trainee teacher will move to another school to complete her training.

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