Mrs Gundi Shaw

Teaching Awards 2007 Winner

The Award for Special Needs Teacher of the Year

Children who attend Gundi Shaw’s centre for autism make huge strides in their learning.

Her unique and brilliant talent for creating the right balance between presenting challenges and making pupils feel safe and secure and in control of their world, means that those who could not read now read and those who could not talk now talk.

Her centre is at the heart of Woodford Valley school and the integration of her pupils into the mainstream life regarded in a wholly positive light. Pupils from mainstream train as buddies to work alongside her pupils and these often develop into friendships beyond school. Mainstream pupils also attend Gundi’s Makaton lessons so they can sign through acts of worship and on other occasions.

She does everything possible to make her children’s education rich and stimulating, using the Salisbury Chamber Orchestra for weekly music therapy and giving pupils access to horseriding, trampolining and swimming.

Her pupils make exceptional progress and every step is celebrated along the way. Parents are always well-informed about their development. Her enthusiasm has transformed pupils’ lives – one blind girl for example had gone from being withdrawn and reluctant to having a real thirst for learning; every learning style is catered for. Her lessons are always engaging and her pupils access them with comfort.

As a senior manager in the school she takes the lead on integration, undertaking whole-school staff training as well as welcoming staff from other schools that often come to watch her teach. Her dedication to providing the best possible education for her autistic pupils is an inspiration to many.