Nancie Atwell: Teacher named 'best in the world' donates $1m prize to her school

Nancie Atwell picked up the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize

Nancie Atwell, a teacher from Southport, Maine, U.S won the $1 million Global Teacher Prize in Dubai (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

The winner of the first-ever million-dollar Nobel-style award for teaching has pledged to donate the prize fund to a school she founded in 1990.

Nancie Atwell from Maine picked up the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize, which recognises an “exceptional” individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession.

The winner was announced in a ceremony at the global education and skills forum in Dubai. Accepting the award, Ms Atwell said: “I’m honoured to accept this award, especially in the company of these extraordinary teachers.” Ms Atwell says she will donate the full award to the Center for Teaching and Learning, a non-profit demonstration school in Maine. It seeks out youngsters from poorer backgrounds and its student body has a diverse range of social backgrounds. Around 97% of its pupils go on to university.

Among the 10 finalists for the award was British science teacher Dr Richard Spencer, of Middlesbrough College, Teesside.