Interview: The primary peacemaker - Nesta Murray, head teacher, St Ann's Primary School, Haringey

Since Carol Vorderman made a surprise visit to school assembly, Murray has been getting used to fame. At the glamorous Pride of Britain Awards ceremony last month at the Hilton hotel in London's Park Lane, the singer Diana Ross presented Murray with her own Oscar, a statuette for winning the prestigious Teacher of the Year Award. The evening recognises people who have carried out acts of courage, compassion and achievement.

Murray has enjoyed meeting so many celebrities, but her job in a "challenging inner-city area" of north London keeps life in perspective.

She won the award for her innovative peer-mediation scheme, which helps children resolve conflict in the playground. The scheme has proved so successful in the three years it has been running that seven other primary schools in Haringey introduced it this year (Education News, 14 January 2004). Grants of 11,000 from the Children's Fund and 21,000 from New Deal in the Community have helped fund a trainer for its expansion.