Kirsten Braden was announced as the winner of the George D Gray CBE MA Award at a meeting of the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) in Edinburgh. Kirsten graduated from Strathclyde with a BEd (Hons) First Class in June 2009.

Her thesis concerned whether or not background music in classrooms was beneficial to children as they learned. The study concluded that the music’s impact varied over different curricular areas and that advantages were greater in some areas than others.

On receiving her award Kirsten said: “I am honoured and delighted to be receiving. A fourth-year project is a big undertaking so I was pleased to be able to share my research with a wider audience.

"In accepting this award I would like to thank all those who helped me with my project. In particular I would like to thank Charles Byrne (of Strathclyde's Faculty of Education) and Professor George Gettinby (of Strathclyde’s Department of Maths and Statistics) for their assistance.

"I am enjoying my probationary year and continue to think about how to create a positive classroom environment."

Awarded annually to the student who produces the best Bachelor of Education dissertation in Scotland, The George D Gray award has now been running for seven years.

 All entries are judged rigorously by a GTCS panel including Chief Executive Anthony Finn who said: “Kirsten Braden is another deserving winner of the George D Gray Award; an award that has highlighted, year after year, the high quality of student teachers and teaching throughout Scotland."