16256/1Malmesbury School teacher Paul Thompson's success in making learning enjoyable for generations of townspeople has been recognised by the Department for Education and Skills.

The 59-year-old from Milbourne in Malmesbury has reached the West of England final of the department's Innovation Unit Award for Lifetime Achievement.

He will join three other teachers from the region at a prestigious ceremony in Bristol on June 21, with the winner progressing to a nationwide final which will be held later this year.

Mr Thompson has been teaching at Malmesbury School since 1972.

Originally trained as a chemistry teacher, he is now responsible for helping students pre-vocational skills in construction, plumbing, electrical installation and even robotics.

He said: "I feel very humbled and touched to have been nominated for this award. It came right out of the blue. Over the years I have worked with open-minded people and I've had a few good ideas of my own. I am one of those people who finds my job a hobby."

The popular teacher never has any discipline problems in class and says he treats his pupils as if they were his children.

He said; "I treat every child like my own family. I feel it is very important to find their aptitudes and skills and fine tune that. I do this by getting to know them personally. The children respond to that and you don't get any discipline problems."

Learning has always been a passionate part of Mr Thompson's life.

Mr Thompson added that he was pleased the Government had woken up to the importance of vocational skills teaching in recent years.

He said: "The Government has woken up to the fact that we are so short of technicians and craftsmen. There is a black hole that needs filling."