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OUR 2026 AWARDS
Welcome to the
Milton Keynes Education Awards
Given the wealth of talent in the Milton Keynes education sector, it seems only right that we recognise the achievements of the schools and teachers who provide children across the city with the learning experiences they need. And it’s not just teaching staff and schools – the Milton Keynes Education Awards also celebrates personnel and teams, from headteachers to subject-specialist individuals and teams, and those working with children with individual needs.
All Things Business holds an Outstanding rating from the Awards Trust Mark Scheme, which was established with the aim of encouraging more award programmes to focus on their own ethics and transparency. The scheme scrutinises everything from criteria, scoring, feedback, transparency and judging. This means that all entries are scored against set criteria and marked through a bespoke software-based scoring system before finalists are selected. The finalists will then be considered by the independent judges to choose a winner.
Any individual or school in education in Milton Keynes can enter the awards, and nominations are also welcome from friends, family, colleagues, parents and students. So, what are you waiting for? We’d love to hear from you.
Award Categories
Maths Team/Teacher of the Year
For this award we are looking for individuals or teams who have created a sense of enthusiasm about the study of Maths – among students and also among colleagues – while also delivering excellent results.
English Team/Teacher of the Year
For this award we are looking for individuals or teams who have created a sense of enthusiasm about the study of English – among students and also among colleagues – while also delivering excellent results.
Sports Award
The winner of this award will be an individual or a team that brings passion and enthusiasm to sport and games, either in school time or extra-curricular. We are looking for someone who inspires students to engage in sport and lead active lives, and who is inspiring positive change in the school community and beyond.
IT Champion
For this award we are looking for someone who has not only embraced technology within the education setting, but who has found ways to inspire others to recognise and take advantage of the possibilities IT opens up. The award will go to someone who has been creative and innovative and made the most of the opportunities to introduce technology that delivers increased efficiency or that leads to improved educational outcomes.
Environmental and Sustainability Award
For this award we are looking to recognise an individual or a team that is on a mission to save the planet, someone who is engaging students and members of school staff in their mission and who is inspiring positive change in the school community and beyond.
SEND School of the Year
For this award we are looking for a team/school whose staff and children are at the heart of everything they do. A team/school that work together to help SEND children to achieve their full potential. A team/school whose staff are caring, knowledgeable, dedicated and passionate about supporting children with special needs. Please provide evidence to support the entry, this can be inspection reports, parent testimonials, data analysis or anything else you feel would be relevant.
STEM Award
For this award we are looking for a team or individual who helps children and young people develop STEM skills and applies these across the curriculum, innovates and engages the whole educational establishment, with measured successes and outcomes and is a shining example of excellent teaching of STEM.
Unsung Hero
This award recognises those individuals that make all the difference to the running of a school or college but whose efforts may seem to go unnoticed. The nominee could be a teacher, teaching assistant, caretaker or administrator – anyone who regularly goes above and beyond what is expected of them for the good of the organisation as a whole. The winner will be someone whose dedication and commitment have made a real difference to the day-to-day lives of everyone around them.
Careers Lead of the Year
This award recognises an outstanding Careers Leader who demonstrates strong leadership and commitment to high-quality careers education. The recipient champions inclusive, well-planned provision, builds effective partnerships, and delivers positive outcomes that raise aspirations and support successful learner progression.
Wellbeing Award
The Wellbeing Award will recognise an individual, team, or school that goes above and beyond to create a thriving, healthy, and supportive environment for students, staff, and the wider community. This award celebrates a whole-school approach to wellbeing, including physical health, mental and emotional resilience, social connection, and innovative initiatives that make a lasting and positive impact.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champion
For this award we are looking for someone who truly believes in equality, diversity and inclusion within the education sector. This person will have found ways to ensure a fair school or college experience for everyone, and will have inspired others to think more about what can be done to make people feel included. The award will go to someone who has shown a commitment to driving improvements in all aspects of life within their school or college.
Headteacher of the Year
For this award we are looking for a successful and truly inspirational headteacher. In your submission please detail all the elements that make them a fantastic leader, including staff development and wellbeing, academic and other achievements, and community engagement.
Primary School of the Year
This award will go to a primary school that has had an exceptional performance in the previous 12 months, or one that has experienced rapid improvement or maintained continued excellence over a longer period. The judges want to see more than academic achievement and are looking for entries that demonstrate innovation, imagination and efforts to develop children in ways that go beyond the league tables. Please provide evidence to support the entry, this can be inspection reports, parent testimonials, data analysis or anything else you feel would be relevant.
Secondary School of the Year
This award will go to a secondary school that has had an exceptional performance in the previous 12 months, or one that has experienced rapid improvement or maintained continued excellence over a longer period. The judges want to see more than academic achievement and are looking for entries that demonstrate innovation, imagination and efforts to develop students in ways that go beyond league tables. Please provide evidence to support the entry, this can be inspection reports, parent testimonials, data analysis or anything else you feel would be relevant.
Lifetime Achievement Award
This award will honour an outstanding leader in education, someone who has dedicated their life to the enhancement of an institution/organisation and advancing the field of education. They will have demonstrated innovation, advocacy and career achievements that have improved the education sector. The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to an individual whose long-term efforts, dedication, and sustained commitment has made a difference to their school or college and the students.
Overall School of the Year
Once the judges have finished their deliberations on all the other categories, they will choose one school that stands out from the rest of the finalists. This might be a school that has won, or come close to winning, a number of different awards, or it might simply be one that has had an outstanding year and deserves special recognition. The Overall School of the Year will be based entirely on the judges decision and isn’t open for entry or nominations.
2025 Winners
E-Act Ousedale School
Overall School of the Year
The winner of this award has an outstanding list of accolades, and they have dedicated themselves to make a real difference to students, colleagues and the wider community. Their approachable nature has cultivated an inclusive environment by prioritising students and teaching excellence.
Finlay Douglas – Whitespire School
Lifetime Achievement Award
When it came to this deciding the winner of this category, this school stood out above the rest. The winner of this award came very close to winning other categories and the judges felt this school really deserves this award and the recognition for their incredible efforts.
Sir Herbert Leon Academy
Secondary School of the Year
Over the past 12 months, the winner of this award has demonstrated phenomenal results and achievements, as well as improving the overall culture and wellbeing that exists across the whole school.
Brooksward School
Primary School of the Year
The judges were impressed by this school’s exceptional achievements, and for the unity the have shown within their school and community. The judges thought this school has created a very inclusive and nurturing environment.
Zoë Baines – Slate Row School
Headteacher of the Year
This winner has, according to the judges, met all the criteria. They have proven they are a fantastic leader, demonstrated their dedication to staff development and shown that they are committed to improving student and staff wellbeing.
Emily Garratt
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champion
Firstly, the judges wanted to highlight that they found this category very difficult to judge as they thought all the finalists’ entries were strong. But they could only choose one winner, and the winner of this award is someone who doesn’t just inspire the students but the entire school community.
Claire Tierney – E-Act Ousedale School
Unsung Hero
The entry for this winner nearly made one of the judges cry! The award goes to someone the judges thought was a true unsung hero. They have shown that they are making a real difference to not only the school, but to the entire community.
STEAM Team – Brooksward School
STEM Award
The winner of this award shows an extraordinary commitment to STEM in school and the wider community. They are dedicated to inspiring children through innovative teaching and highlighting the importance of STEM, as well as including the study of art.
Whitespire School
SEND Team/School of the Year
The judges were torn between two finalists as they thought they both stood out from the competition. The winner provided powerful evidence in their entry, including a strong parent testimonial which showed the impact the school has had on their child.
Denbigh School
Environmental and Sustainability Award
The winner of this award has demonstrated passion and goals for making a real difference to the environment whilst at the same time influencing and educating students. They maintain a clear vision on what else they’d like to achieve to help save the planet.
Duncan Macdonall – Brooksward School
IT Champion
The judges were impressed how the winner has inspired not only students, but also colleagues to foster technology to provide a better educational outcome for all. The winner has shown an overall enthusiasm about the use of technology.
Jake Savillle – Two Mile Ash School
Sports Award
The judges were blown away by the winners’ commitment to the school, going above and beyond their normal duties. The winner has exceeded all the criteria for this award and demonstrated a real passion for providing inspiration through sports.
English Faculty – Denbigh School
English Team/Teacher of the Year
The award goes to a team that has demonstrated an infectious enthusiasm amongst students and colleagues about the study of English throughout the entire school. The judges were impressed with the excellent results the winners have produced excellent results.
Lewis Kaye & The Maths Team – Lord Grey Academy
Maths Team/Teacher of the Year
The panel found this category difficult to judge, but they could only choose one winner, and that winner stood out for a combination of great results and for demonstrating an unwavering commitment to students’ development.
I was pleased to be asked to judge this year's MKEA. The calibre and quality of the applications was outstanding and it was challenging to pick winners out of all the worthy finalists. The event itself was an inspirational evening which showcased the immense talent the MK education sector has. I am proud of the achievements and equally proud that both my children were educated in this great city!
I feel very inspired by the amazing nominations. I am so impressed by the dedication, passion and talent of educators across Milton Keynes.
Thank you for hosting us on Friday, your team did a fantastic job. It was such a wonderful event, and it feels great for the school to be recognised for the work and dedication. It was particularly great to be able to form relationships with some great organisations and businesses based in Milton Keynes.
Congratulations on a wonderful evening. It was a privilege to join the celebrations of so many amazing educationalists and I hope you are all rightly proud of the impact you are having promoting connections between business and education, it is so important.
Thank you for a wonderful evening; the team and I really enjoyed it. Well done for another amazing event!”
Previous Hosts
MATTHEW BURTON
2025
Louie Spence
2024
EAMONN HOLMES
2023
The 2025 Independent Judges
Sally Alexander
Sally Alexander became Chief Executive at Milton Keynes College Group in October 2022. Sally started her career in Education as a teacher, supporting disadvantaged adults to develop both their skills and confidence to better engage with their communities and the world of work. Since then, Sally has worked across the College in a variety of roles.
The College is a driving force within Milton Keynes, and across its many geographies, driving growth through an inclusive approach and stakeholder engagement, and providing exceptional learning experiences to produce the skills needed to drive the City and the college’s communities forwards.
Shazna Muzammil-Cook
Shazna Muzammil-Cook is a councillor and community leader in Milton Keynes, committed to education as a driver of opportunity and social mobility. Having fought for her own education, Shazna has become a strong champion for young people and lifelong learning.
She works at The Open University, where she has spent eight years supporting students across multiple faculties and gaining a deep understanding of inclusive education.
As a councillor, she focuses on practical outcomes, including leading a motion to secure work placements for looked-after children. In 2023, Shazna received a Global Award for Leadership in Social and Women’s Empowerment for her work supporting underprivileged communities in Sri Lanka.
See the Judging Process CLICK HERE
MKEA 2025 Gallery
