Entry deadline: Friday February 5, 2010
These awards celebrate and reward the professionalism and flair of teams making an outstanding contribution to primary and secondary schools in both the maintained and independent sectors. They are open to all schools in every part of the UK. The awards encompass innovation in teaching, leadership and community involvement. New awards for 2010 include Support Team of the Year, Special Needs School of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement. The winners will be announced at a gala ceremony on June 17, 2010. Further details at www.tes.co.ukawards
Outstanding Primary School
This award is open to any primary, new or old. As well as quantifiable evidence to support your case - for example improvements in attendance, staff retention, parent engagement, exam results, green performance - we want to look beyond the traditional methods of measurement.
Outstanding Secondary School
This award is open to any secondary school, new or old. In addition to providing quantifiable evidence to support your entry - for example, improvements in attendance levels, staff retention, parent engagement, exam results, green performance - the judges will want to see wide-ranging innovation.
Outstanding Special Needs School
This new category is aimed at any stand-alone special needs schools - not special-needs teams or individuals working within a conventional school. As well as quantifiable evidence to support your case - for example, improvements in attendance levels, staff retention, parent engagement, exam results - we are looking for innovation across the board.
Outstanding Community Involvement
This category recognises partnerships developed with a local university, further education college, business, independent school or other organisation. You will need to demonstrate the benefits the relationship is delivering to both parties. Please provide testimonials from relevant partners.
Outstanding Leadership Team
This award is for the best school management team - this will usually involve the headteacher, deputy and their administrativefinancial support staff. This award will go to the school that demonstrates the breadth and depth of its management and leadership skills across a wide range of functions. Specify all the areas in which you have excelled, and try to provide benchmark data as well as independent testimonials.
Outstanding Literacy or Numeracy Initiative
The judges will want to see clear, quantifiable evidence of the success or progress you have achieved.
Outstanding Sporting Initiative
What you have done to help your pupils improve their involvement in sport? Provide clear, quantifiable evidence of your success.
Outstanding Sustainable School
How have you made your school more environmentally sound? This could involve improvements to the fabric of the building or the fitting of new energy systems or controls. Alternatively, your school may have embarked on a campaign to encourage recycling or to increase natural habitats for wildlife. You will need to explain the benefits delivered and the impact if other schools followed a similar path.
Outstanding ICT Learning Initiative
This category is open to any ICT learning initiative. The trophy could go to a school that has devised an innovative scheme to help pupils learn out of school or one that has developed personalised learning tailored to the needs of individual pupils. Alternatively, the winning entry could be an initiative in any subject that uses ICT particularly imaginatively.
Outstanding School Dinner
Explain the type of menus you offer, and what makes them distinctive, attractive, and healthy. What percentage of your children has school dinners? Has this increased? Describe your catering and dining facilities and provide independent evidence to support your entry - for example, testimonials from children, parent groups or other bodies. All nominated schools should have a dedicated kitchen.
Outstanding Staff TrainingDevelopment Initiative
Describe your overall staff trainingdevelopment strategy and the team that delivers it. What is your annual training budget per staff member? Outline the training, CPD and mentoring that takes place, your organisation’s culture, and how this engenders employment best practice. How is good staff performance rewarded? Highlight new staff development or training initiatives or creative use of new technology. Benchmark your training performance against others.
Outstanding Teacher Resource
This is a new category to reward the outstanding resource supplied by teachers for teachers at both primary and secondary level. All resources uploaded to the TES Connect resources bank are eligible. Nominations must be submitted by teachers (not the resource authors or sponsors). Where possible, quantify the impact the resource had and include independent testimonials.
Outstanding Support Team
This new award shines the spotlight those who handle the functions that teachers could not do without - for example, administration, finance, and maintenance. Try to quantify why what your team does is fantastic and include independent testimonials.
Outstanding Governors
Explain who your governors are, how the governing board is structured, the skills governors have brought to the school and, above all, the achievements they have delivered. The judges will be keen to see independent testimonials.
Lifetime Achievement
This award is designed to recognise someone who has given their life to education. It could go to a well- known education figurehead or to an “unsung hero”. Independent testimonials to support your entry are helpful. And please check with the nominee that they are happy to have their name put forward.
