Kingston College teacher Katherine Greening is a finalist in the London heats for special needs teacher of the year.

She has been put forward for the special needs section of the teaching awards, partly for her work on the college's Pathfinder Course, which allows people to get a fresh start in education.

The course for 16 to 19-year-olds provides a small group-teaching environment which helps pupils gain qualifications in several core subjects, with an opportunity to then study GCSEs or get vocational qualifications.

Mrs Greening, 36, who lives in Twickenham, has been course tutor on the Pathfinder Course at Kingston College since 1999. She joined from the Strathmore Centre, a pupil referral service for Richmond which works with young people at risk.

She said: "A student from last year went on the website and wanted to find out how they could reward me which is lovely.

"I am overwhelmed that one of my students talked to other students and they decided to do this - that means more to me than anything else."

Mrs Greening has done a huge amount of work for the young people she teaches, including a project with the Orleans House Gallery called the Interior 21 project, a huge undertaking which involved visits to art galleries and lots of hands-on work.

Many children who previously had no qualifications go on to study A-levels and go to university.

Mrs Greening will attend an awards ceremony in London on Tuesday, July 5, and the category winners will go on to the national finals in October.

Nominations were submitted by parents, pupils, former pupils and colleagues on the teaching awards' website.

Chief executive of the teaching awards trust David Hanson said: "Teaching awards winners are ordinary people doing an extraordinary job, day in day out.

"They represent everyone working in education across all key stages and every type of school."

Visit www.teachingawards.co.uk to find out more or nominate for next year's competition.

drankin@london.newsquest.co.uk