Redbridge Education Awards

The Champion for Change Award is for an individual or team that is driving change across an agenda which is having positive change in Redbridge. This award is for an educational professional or professionals working in schools or early year settings who has/have made a positive impact and significant change in education through an initiative of their own. This could be an impact on certain students, the classroom, the setting as a whole or even on other educators/colleagues or young people in Redbridge generally.

The Champion for Change will have given support to students when they face challenges, or uncertain outcomes which enable students to achieve potential, and to overcome the difficulties they may encounter. 

They may have developed their own skills and knowledge since joining Redbridge and share their expertise with others through new initiatives or projects that go beyond their day to day role. They may have contributed to life at school or in their setting or the wider community. 

Points to consider in your entry:

• What is the change that has been made by your nomination?
• What difference has it made and to whom?
• What has made their initiative so special? Why was the initiative needed in the first place?
• What will be the impact of the change in the longer term?
• What makes your nominee(s) a champion?

Nominate your Champion for Change

This award will be presented to an individual, team or whole setting (early years or school) who can demonstrate real value to the community they serve through the most imaginative attempt to aid the wider community socially, culturally or economically.

Has your school or setting run an excellent initiative that involves working with external groups, such as parents and the local community, or collaborating with other schools, local businesses, universities or colleges? Perhaps they’ve collaborated in an environmental or wellbeing initiative with them? Please do tell us about it!

Points to consider in your entry:

• What is the background to and context of the initiative?
• Explain the nature of the work, and the challenges involved
• What partnerships have been created and how will these be sustained?
• What has been the involvement of parents and the wider community or other partners?
• Describe the progress or success of the initiative – what difference has it made?

Nominate your Community Contributor

The Digital Innovator of the Year Award is for the individual or team in an early years setting or school who has helped to introduce new technology into their school setting for the benefit of pupils and staff or the general efficiency of their school. Digital technologies can be used in many creative ways within education to improve teaching and learning outcomes. The settings and schools who are showcasing technology as a positive force for good are role models for the profession and young people.

This award will recognise and reward a digital learning initiative that demonstrates an innovative, strategic and far-reaching use of digital education in support of the goals of that institution. This could include but not necessarily be limited to the initiatives undertaken to promote distance/hybrid learning and other responses brought about by the pandemic.

Points to consider in your entry:

• In what ways has the individual, setting or school embedded technology to promote students’/ children’s high achievement and love of learning and how has this impacted on their attitudes towards learning and technology?
• How has the individual or team demonstrated expertise and knowledge of digital technology and its effective deployment in their practice and/or how they have supported their colleagues to use digital technology in their own practices?
• How does your nominee demonstrate their knowledge and passion for technology beyond their role? This could include examples of how they have led by example and supported others in adopting innovative uses of technology across the school / college and been a vocal champion

Nominate for the Digital Innovator of the Year Award

Employee of the Year

(early years, primary school, secondary school, special school or alternative provision)

The Non-Teaching Employee of The Year Awards are aimed at an individual who works in an education setting, but not in a teaching capacity. This could include teaching or classroom assistants, nursery staff, administrative staff, librarians – anyone who is helping to inspire and encourage students in their education and wider ambitions.

The Employee of the Year award is for that special person who stands out from their colleagues, making a difference to the lives of the children and young people they support, the school or setting they work in or the communities they are part of. They go the extra mile and do or have done something amazing for their school and the students within it.

There are so many roles that non-teaching staff hold in a school or setting from administrative staff to learning support assistants and from librarians to midday assistants. They create an exciting, efficient and effective environment within their school or setting that helps it run like clockwork for their colleagues, children, students and their families.

The Employee of the Year will have gone beyond this. They will have created something special, something different, something that goes beyond their remit. They have spotted a need in their school or setting and gone out of their way to find a solution. They are not just good at their job, they are good at understanding what’s needed to achieve the school’s or setting’s vision and to create extraordinary futures for their children and young people.

Overall, the employee of the year is the person who deserves recognition for everything they do for the children and young people in their school or setting.

We’d like to hear how your nominee works in partnership with their colleagues and how they provide support for learning. We’d like to know how they foster children/ students’ independence and collaborative working, and support children/students’ social and emotional development. Tell us how they develop and apply their knowledge and understanding of students learning and development, students’ needs and best practices, and contribute to the wider work of the school or setting community.

Points to consider in your entry:

• How has your nominee enriched the lives of children and young people and their families, and galvanised colleagues to do the same? Tell us the ways in which they have contributed to the school or setting community.
• What makes them special? How do they enhance the lives of those around them? What makes your nominee truly unique, above and beyond their job description?
• Where does their motivation come from? Working in an education setting can be challenging. What is it that keeps your nominee motivated, inspired and energised to continue performing at the highest level? What gets them out of bed in the morning and fills their cup with ideas and passion? 
• How has your nominee shown examples of positive working, helping those more in need than themselves? Tell us the ways in which they have encouraged others to be good citizens, leading by example, to show how actions make a difference and how they have helped those less fortunate than themselves.

Nominate for the Employee of the Year Award

The Inclusivity Award is for an individual or team behind a campaign, project, or initiative that goes above and beyond to promote equal opportunities for all pupils.

Inclusion promotes equal opportunities for all pupils, whatever their age, gender, ethnicity, religion, or background.

Have you, your colleague, your team or your school or setting developed and/or implemented diversity, equity and inclusion measures or projects that support a diverse student or children population, or enable better understanding and approaches among students or children towards diversity, equity and inclusion? Whether they’re whole-setting initiatives or schemes that have benefitted specific targeted groups – we’d love to hear about them!

This award seeks to recognise and reward those institutions or individuals that can demonstrate a positive impact either within their school, setting or community of their inclusion initiatives by contributing to a more inclusive approach in education.

Initiatives could be through education, campaigning, advocating, engagement with local decision makers and contributing to local forums and organisations. 

Points to consider in your entry:

• What is the background to and context of the initiative? Who was it aimed at and why?
• What did it set out to achieve and what is different as a result?
• Who was involved and how did it differ from what is done everyday in the setting?
• What was done and how? How did it actively promote equality, diversity and inclusion for young people in your school or setting
• How has it helped children, young people or the community grow and achieve inclusion?

Nominate for the Inclusivity Award

The Early Years Setting Leadership Award is for an individual or team who enables and motivates their organisation to provide excellent education and support to children.

Leadership requires you to develop, support, encourage and motivate staff, as well as model a high standard of practice, knowledge, and care.

For this award, we are looking for the leader or group of leaders of an early year setting (a nursery or pre-school) who inspire their staff to achieve the best for the children in their care. The leader or leaders will be continually developing and improving their setting so that it is the best it can be, both for staff and the children. When the children attend the setting, they are stimulated to learn both inside and outside, in a safe and nurturing environment.

Please tell us what the leader or group of leaders has done to make their nursery or pre-school such a great place for your child or, if you are a member of staff, to work in.

What have they done to make the setting feel safe and comfortable for children and/ or staff?

How do they support the development of the children and staff? What gives you the confidence that this is the best place for your child or as a member of staff?

Do you have a good sense of their vision and how the setting will develop?

What do they do to help children develop, overcome obstacles and achieve their best? How do they make a real difference to the lives of the children and their colleagues?

We need to know what makes this leader so special and stand out from the crowd. Tell us as much as you can about them and what they do that is so great.

Points to consider in your entry:

• How has the leader created a setting that is ambitious with a love of learning and the highest expectations of both staff and children?
• How has the leader built a strong and open learning community where both children and staff are able to learn, develop and grow as individuals?
• How has the leader established strong, professional teams and created a calm and positive environment where children enjoy themselves, learn and make excellent progress?
• In what ways has the leader developed excellent relationships, internally and externally, which demonstrate how much they value partnership working and collaboration, examples of which can be seen both inside and outside the setting?

Nominate for the Early Years Leadership Award

Leadership Award - Schools (primary, secondary, special school or alternative provision)

All schools benefit from great leadership – and if your school has a successful and inspirational leader or group of leaders, we want to know.

The School Leadership Award is for an individual or team who enables and motivates their organisation to provide excellence education and support to students.

Leadership requires you to develop, support, encourage and motivate staff, as well as model a high standard of practice, knowledge, and care.

For this award, we are looking for the leader or group of leaders in a school (primary, secondary, special school or alternative provision) who inspire their staff to achieve the best for the young people in their care. The leader or leaders will be continually developing and improving their school so that it is the best it can be, both for staff and the children. When the young people attend the school, they are stimulated to learn, in a safe and nurturing environment.

Please tell us what the leader or group of leaders has done to make their school such a great place.

What have they done to make the school feel safe and comfortable for students and/ or staff?

How do they support the development of the students and staff? What gives you the confidence that this is the best place for you, your child or as a member of staff?

Do you have a good sense of their vision and how the school will develop?

What do they do to help students develop, overcome obstacles and achieve their best?

How do they make a real difference to the lives of the students and their colleagues?

The School Leadership award is for the leader or leaders who have made and continue to make a real difference to the lives of the young people in their care. We need to know what makes this leader so special and stand out from the crowd. Tell us as much as you can about them and what they do that is so great.

We’d like to hear what makes you/your nominee a fantastic leader, including staff development and wellbeing, academic and other achievements, and community engagement. We want to know about all the aspects that go into creating a truly happy and successful school.

Points to consider in your entry:

• How has the leader created a school that is ambitious and shows a love of learning and the highest expectations of both staff and students?
• How has the leader built a strong and open learning community where both students and staff have an enthusiasm for and commitment to learning and understand the difference it can make to them as individuals, to their work and to society?
• How has the leader established strong, professional teams and created a calm and positive environment where students enjoy a strong curriculum, good teaching and learning and excellent progress and achievement for all?
• In what ways has the leader developed excellent relationships, internally and externally, which demonstrate how much they value partnership working and collaboration, examples of which can be seen both inside and outside school? 
  
  Nominate for the School Leadership Award

The Lifetime Contribution Award is for someone who has worked in education for at least 10 years, whether in an early years’ setting or school, in any role. This could be a long serving governor, teacher or a support staff employee, who may have worked in more than one setting in Redbridge during that time.

Leaving a long-lasting legacy, these are individuals who are approaching the end of their career having made a significant positive impact on the profession. Their commitment to and passion for education is exemplary to all. They have made a real difference throughout their career, inspiring and enriching education for others and having a significant and positive impact on the people they have worked with over the course of their career, from students and colleagues to their local community.

We are looking for the person who has worked tirelessly to support children and young people throughout their career. They have helped children and young people to develop to achieve their potential, whether this is through their teaching, the way they have contributed to the development of the school or setting or their engagement with children and young people within a school or setting. They show commitment to the education of children and young people through their words and their actions, continuously learning, inspiring others and using their experience to engage with parents, other schools or setting and the local community.

Points to consider in your entry:

• In what ways has your nominee worked to help raise the educational standard achieved by the students in their care, and how others have viewed these outcomes?
• How has your nominee maintained a commitment to their own professional development throughout their long career, ensuring they are always abreast of and use new, as well as tried and tested teaching methods in order to give their students the best education possible?
• In what ways is your nominee a source of inspiration to others? How have they helped develop the expertise of others, and used their experience to engage with parents, other schools or settings and the local community?

What you consider to be the major achievements of your nominee throughout their career with both peers and students they have taught? How they have enriched the lives of those in their community? What is likely to be their legacy for education?

Nominate for the Lifetime Contribution Award

Teacher of the Year

(primary, secondary, special school or alternative provision)

You can nominate a teacher that teaches any subject or skill, so long as they teach in a Primary, Secondary, Special School, Alternative Provision or Pupil Referral Unit (PRU).

The Teacher of the Year award is for that special person who stands out from all other teachers, making a difference to the lives of the children and young people they teach, bringing their subject alive, inspiring learning and demonstrating a passion for their subject. They create an environment which inspires a love of learning and encourages their students to achieve their full potential, both in school and outside, developing a range of skills and qualities that help them to be ambitious and optimistic about life.

If you are a student, the teacher of the year is the person who has inspired and motivated you to reach for the stars, who has encouraged you, challenged you and shown you what’s possible. They support you or your friends beyond your lessons and are happy to run extra activities to ensure that you or your friends are achieving their best and developing their skills.

As a colleague, this is the person who you admire and who inspires you to be the best teacher you can be. They are at the heart of your school community, making a positive contribution to the school and making a difference to the students they teach. You can see on the faces of the students how confident they feel when they are with the teacher.

As a parent or carer, this teacher stands out from others through what they do both in and outside of the classroom. You can see the significant and positive impact they have on your child, both in terms of their academic achievements and their self-esteem. They inspire you with confidence for your child’s future and may also support you to help your child achieve their potential.

Overall, the teacher of the year is the person who deserves recognition for everything they do for the children and young people in their school.

Points to consider in your entry:

• What are the skills and characteristics that make this teacher an exceptional classroom practitioner, who inspires and motivates every child they teach so they make impressive progress and achieve well?
• In what ways does this teacher create a learning environment which inspires a love of learning and fosters a student’s enthusiasm to strive to achieve their full potential both educationally and holistically – developing a range of skills and qualities to help them be ambitious and optimistic about life?
• How does this teacher influence and inspire others both within their own school and externally, to improve their practice, in turn improving outcomes for the children they teach? How do they enrich the life of the wider school community?

Nominate for the Teacher of the Year Award