A Cricklewood teacher has been named as the best in the country at a national awards ceremony celebrating film.

Simon Pile, assistant headteacher at Anson Primary School in Anson Road, scooped the Teacher of the Year prize at the annual Into Film Awards for his inspirational methods of teaching with film.

He was given his award by Captain America actor Nicholas Pinnock, at the star studded event which included Michael Sheen, Simon Pegg, Ed Vaizey and Barbara Broccoli.

Mr Pile was recognised for setting up a film club at the primary school five years ago and embedding film into its curriculum.

He said: “I’m thrilled to have won this award. Film is giving the children at Anson aspiration, showing them what is possible and getting them to see life beyond Cricklewood.

“We have over 40 languages spoken in the school and almost a third of children with special educational need. Film, as a tool to support the curriculum and inspire children, is one of the reasons the children are in the top five per cent of schools in the country for progress in reading and achieving close to the national averages in writing year after year.

“Into Film is enabling us to give real power to children, to enable them to experience not just the idea of becoming a film actor, or director but really thinking what goes on behind the film, or what goes into a film, so that they can use their skill set creatively to better themselves.”

The awards ceremony, now in its second year, pays tribute to outstanding five to 19 year olds who have demonstrated exceptional achievements in film making and film reviewing and teachers who have demonstrated inspirational use of film in class.

Michael Sheen said: “It’s been a real pleasure to be one of this year’s judges for the Into Film Awards. The films are of such high quality and it’s really exciting to see young people with so much talent receiving such fantastic support in their creative efforts. Everyone wins. A real success story all round.”