Staff at Foxes Academy were thrilled when it was named overall FE provider of the year at the Tes FE Awards 2018. But the biggest effect was on the learners, says the principal of the specialist provider for hospitality training, targeted at students with learning disabilities.

“Winning this award has helped us to demonstrate that vocational education for our young people leads to them gaining sustainable, paid employment in the hospitality sector,” says Tracey Clare-Gray. “In addition, it has raised the profile of disability employment with employers, government and education professionals. Our aim is to positively change the way society perceives people with learning disabilities.”

Today, we can reveal the individuals and institutions that are in the running to emulate Foxes Academy’s success after being shortlisted for the Tes FE Awards 2019, sponsored by the Education and Training Foundation. The shortlist for the Association of Colleges (AoC) Beacon Awards is also being published. For the first time, the winners of both sets of awards will be announced side by side at the glittering Tes FE Awards ceremony, which will take place at London’s Grosvenor House hotel on 22 March 2019.

Celebrating innovative practice across the FE sector, this year the ceremony will be held for the eighth time. Eleven categories are included in the Tes FE Awards and eight Beacon Awards are up for grabs.

The winners of the specialist provider, adult and community learning provider, and training provider categories will go head to head with the winning FE and sixth-form colleges for the title of overall FE provider of the year. The lifetime achievement award will also be announced on the evening.

Tes FE editor Stephen Exley says: “Many congratulations to all the shortlisted individuals, teams and institutions. Making it on to the shortlist is an impressive achievement in itself. We hope you can join us for the awards ceremony, which promises to be the biggest-ever celebration of success across the FE sector.”

Apprenticeships and skills minister Anne Milton says the nominees “should be really proud”, adding: “You are all shining and inspiring examples of the hard work going on across the country to make sure everyone is able to get the high-quality education and training they deserve.

“The Tes FE awards and the AoC Beacon Awards are a fantastic way to highlight the exceptional and innovative work going on in the sector. I know this will continue, develop and even get better. I want everyone to be encouraged and inspired by your example.”

The Beacon Awards were established more than 20 years ago to recognise and celebrate best practice in colleges across the UK, according to Carole Stott, chair of the Association of Colleges. “This year, we have introduced a number of changes to ensure we are in step with developments in the sector, and to encourage applicants to identify and submit their best practice,” she says. “We are once again delighted at the quality of finalists. We are especially pleased to be working with Tes to promote the great work that colleges do, which has such a positive impact on the lives of more than 2 million people.”

Tes FE Awards shortlist

FE leader of the year

• Patricia Jones, Bedford College
• Simon Pirotte, Bridgend College
• Mark Jones, Gower College Swansea
• Karen Dobson, Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group
• Mouhssin Ismail, Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre
• Lesley Davies, Trafford College
• Lindsey Whiterod, Tyne Coast College
• Paul Phillips, Weston College

Teacher of the year

• Karen Walker, Abingdon and Witney College
• Alice Eardley, Activate Learning
• Samantha Jones, Bedford College
• Tom Jones, Cardiff and Vale College
• Russell Alderson, City Lit
• Richard Spencer, Middlesbrough College
• Andrew Loveridge, Northampton College
• Claire Knapp, Weston College

Apprenticeship programme of the year

• AWE
• Bridgend College
• Bridgwater and Taunton College
• EKC Group
• Fareham College
• Glasgow Kelvin College
• Gloucestershire College
• Royal Air Force

Professional services team of the year

• Belfast Metropolitan College
• Bradford College
• Bridgwater and Taunton College
• City of Glasgow College
• Exeter College
• Fircroft College
• Kirklees College
• West London College

Training provider of the year

• BB Training Academy
• ELATT
• RMF Construction Training Academy
• Skills Training UK
• Training 2 Care UK
• Umbrella Training
• Weir Training
• Yorkshire College of Beauty

FE college of the year

• Barnsley College
• Bridgend College
• Exeter College
• Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education
• Nelson and Colne College
• North Hertfordshire College
• Truro and Penwith College
• Weston College

Sixth-form college of the year

• Ashton Sixth Form College
• Cardinal Newman Sixth Form College
• Durham Sixth Form Centre
• Hills Road Sixth Form College
• Huddersfield New College
• Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College
• Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre
• St John Rigby College

Specialist provider of the year

• City College Peterborough
• Coleg Elidyr
• Derwen College
• Foxes Academy
• National Star College
• Queen Alexandra College
• The Manchester College
• Weston College Sensory Learning Base

Adult and community learning provider of the year

• Fircroft College
• Inspire Culture, Learning and Libraries (Nottinghamshire County Council)
• Kent Adult Education
• Redbridge Institute
• Skills and Learning Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole
• Sutton College
• WEA
• Working Men’s College

Beacon Awards finalists

• Skills and Education Group Award for Social Mobility and Widening Participation
• Birkenhead Sixth Form College
• Bridgwater and Taunton College
• Abingdon and Witney College

British Council International Award

• National Star College
• Glasgow Kelvin College
• Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education
• Southern Regional College

The Careers and Enterprise Company Careers Education and Guidance Award

• North West Regional College
• Sunderland College

AoC Mental Health and Wellbeing Award

•  Middlesbrough College
•  Weston College
•  Reaseheath College
•  Cardiff and Vale College

City & Guilds College Engagement with Employers Award

•  Weston College
•  City of Glasgow College
•  Havering College of Further and Higher Education
•  Belfast Metropolitan College

Edge Award for Excellence in the Practical Delivery of Technical and Professional Learning

•  Wiltshire College
•  Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education
•  EKC Group

Effective use of Technology in Further Education Award (Jisc)

•  Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education
•  Preston’s College
•  Bolton College

RCU Support for Students Award

•  Barking and Dagenham College
•  National Star College
•  Activate Learning

Book your place today

The Tes FE Awards 2019, sponsored by the Education and Training Foundation, will take place on Friday 22 March 2019 at the Grosvenor House hotel on Park Lane, London. This year’s ceremony will include the presentation of the Association of Colleges’ Beacon Awards for the first time. Discounts are available for table bookings. For more information and to get your ticket, visit tesfeawards.co.uk