Four outstanding teachers have been chosen as finalists in an award which recognises the very best in primary language teaching in the UK.

Helen Berry (from Salisbury Road Primary School, Plymouth), Gill Leicester (from Dean Valley Community Primary School, Cheshire), Maria Martinez (from Claycots School, Slough) and Sally Mitchell (from St Luke’s CE Primary School, Bournemouth) have all been selected as finalists in this year’s Scholastic and La Jolie Ronde Primary Language Teacher Award.

The award was set up in February 2008 to celebrate excellence in primary language teaching. Geoff Swinn, Deputy Chief Executive of CILT, the National Centre for Languages, was on this year’s judging panel.

The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Houses of Parliament in November. She will receive an all expenses paid two-day trip to Northern France for up to 30 children and five teachers as well as a range of resources from sponsors.

The award offers a fantastic opportunity to inspire and build confidence in language teaching in all primary schools – and a boost to the National Languages Strategy for England, which aims to give all pupils aged 7-11 an entitlement to learn a language by 2010.