A "ONE-OF-A-KIND" Borderer has been nominated in a national teacher of the year competition.

The contest has £1,250 in Scotland Loves Local gift cards up for grabs.

Toni-Michelle Lee from Melrose Primary School was nominated for teacher of the year by Iwona Janczuk, whose daughter Soraya attends the school.

Iwona said: “I have four children, three in education and we’ve relocated a number of times. The children have had lots of good teachers but nobody so dedicated and devoted to the children as Miss Lee. I think everyone has one teacher that they remember through their lives, and for us, that is Miss Lee. She is amazing with the children and this shines through in the respect they have for her.

“Miss Lee teaches my seven-year-old who is not afraid to say ‘no’ to a teacher or test boundaries, but Miss Lee has performed miracles with her. What Miss Lee does well is to recognise each child’s individual needs. For example, Miss Lee realised that Soraya struggled with repetitive tasks, and this made it look like she wasn’t paying attention. Armed with this information, Miss Lee managed to turn Soraya’s attitude to learning around completely.

“This has had such a huge impact on our home life too. There was a time when Soraya wouldn’t complete her homework but Soraya is so much more engaged now and her academic attainment has increased hugely. What Miss Lee has achieved with Soraya really touches my heart.

“Despite being very busy, Miss Lee never makes you feel that she doesn’t have time for you and is always happy to discuss any issue and come up with a solution. She cares about all of the children, even those not in her class. Being from Poland, the high school system is quite new to me, and Miss Lee has even made time to explain things that I didn’t understand. My list could go on. Miss Lee is a one-of-a-kind, amazing teacher.

“Melrose Primary School is a brilliant school. Moving from Edinburgh, we really noticed the community feel, and the care that teachers have for the children. Primary 1 to Primary 3 classrooms are open plan, and I think that encourages the supportive environment of the school. Miss Lee is quite new to Melrose Primary School and fits perfectly.”

It is free for people to nominate a teacher in the contest, led by Miconex, which runs until August 31.

The person who receives the most votes will be crowned as Teacher of the Year, with the announcement due to be made in September.

The teacher and their school will each win a £500 gift card. One person who nominated the Teacher of the Year will also win a £250 card.