THE teacher who has spearheaded a Basingstoke school’s revival is in the running to be named the best secondary head in southern England.

Everest Community College in Oxford Way, Popley has been transformed since the arrival of Julie Rose as head teacher in January 2007, with standards, exam results and pupil numbers all rising.

On Wednesday in Winchester Guildhall, Ms Rose, 50, will discover if she has beaten head teachers from Slough and Bracknell to the Royal Air Force Award for Head teacher of the Year in a Secondary School at The Teaching Awards 2009.

She said: “It’s a huge privilege to make the shortlist because I was nominated by two members of my staff.

“I know I’m the figurehead at Everest, but the award nomination wouldn’t have happened without the staff, and my staff are absolutely amazing because they all give me 110 per cent all the time.”

Ms Rose, who began her career as a food technology teacher in 1981 and took up her first head teacher post in Havant in 2003, likened her job to that of a plate spinner – knowing when to give each plate a tweak to keep it going.

Core to her philosophy is having a belief that her students can succeed.

She said: “It you work on that basis, you are going to have disappointments on the way, but the vast majority of children will have succeeded.”

Two of Ms Rose’s staff, student support workers Caroline Hams and Catherine Papaionannou, nominated her for the prestigious award.

Their submission remarked on Ms Rose’s vision to make the school “the best that it can possibly be” and noted her drive and work to get the governing body, staff, parents and pupils to buy into this ethos.

The nomination noted her successful push for the college to acquire specialist status, high quality staff and new attitudes to learning, and also noted her ability to listen to others.

The nominees concluded: “Julie has restored parents’ confidence and faith in the education system, which is no mean feat. She has also given Popley back its pride.”

If Ms Rose receives the South of England award from television news presenter Sally Taylor, she will be in the running for the UK award which will be presented in October.