BOLTON'S Christopher Wormald has chalked up top marks to be in the running for a national "teacher of the year" award.

Mr Wormald, head of music at Smithills School, has been nominated by a former pupil, Kaye Masters.

His noteworthy contribution to the music department has got him short listed in the North West Disney Channel Teacher of the Year contest, and if he is successful in the region, he will be put in for the overall national award.

The regional winner will be filmed by The Disney Channel and presented with a £2,000 bursary for school funds.

If he is successful, Mr Wormald intends to put the money towards funding the senior band to ensure the entire school benefits from their work.

Kaye explained why she nominated Mr Wormald.

"Before his arrival, Smithills had little musical activity, but within weeks of his appointment we had a brass ensemble, a choir and the beginnings of what we have today - three award-winning concert, brass and dance bands.

"The brass band has been National Youth Brass Band Champions of Great Britain on three occasions."

The choirs and bands rehearse with Mr Wormald every holiday, each evening and on Sunday afternoons. In addition, he organises fund raising events and sponsorship to ensure no pupil has to contribute financially to the band. For a recent tour of Norway, Mr Wormald and the school governors raised £18,500 to fly the brass band to Stavanger.

This is the second time The Disney Channel has organised the competition and throughout 1997 a series of programmes profiling teachers will be shown. The national Teacher of the Year will be announced in the autumn.

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