A CHRISTCHURCH teacher described as a "legend" by his colleagues and pupils will be travelling to London this Sunday to see if he's won the equivalent of the teaching Oscars.

Mick Rothwell, who teaches sport at the Grange School, is already a category winner in the prestigious 2005 Teaching Awards and will join 130 other finalists at the glittering televised event at the Theatre Royal.

He won the DfES Innovation Unit Award for Lifetime Achievement in the South of England at an earlier heat.

Mick has been at the Grange for the past 35 years and has dedicated all his professional life to the school.

Instrumental in the school's recent successful bid for Sports College status, he has also spearheaded student leadership, where pupils visit primary schools to coach the younger children in a variety of sports.

"Mick really is a role model," said a spokesman from the teaching awards.

The former head of Rossmore Community College in Poole, Kate Shaw, is another finalist on Sunday.

She moved on from the Herbert Avenue secondary during the summer and is now at a school in Reading.

First published: October 13