What is the event order and who is able to attend which events?
Saturday 18 October
18.00 – 19.30: Welcome drinks (for all Teaching Awards guests staying at The Tower Hotel)
Sunday 19 October
10.00 – 12.00: Seminar (winners only)
12.00 – 13.00: Winners’ and judges’ lunch (private lunch for winners and judges only)
15.30 – 17.30: UK ceremony (limited places, by ticket only)
19.45 – 01.00: Gala dinner (limited places, by ticket only)
RSVP
To RSVP, simply visit the website listed in your invitation letter and complete the online form. Please remember to reply even if you are unable to attend, so that we can re-allocate your places. Following your acceptance, your tickets to the UK ceremony and gala dinner will be sent to you at the beginning of October 2008.
The RSVP deadline is Friday 26 September 2008.
I have lost the RSVP details – can you send me new ones?
Please contact Delphine Milne on 020 7776 2342 or email rsvp@teachingawards.com to be sent new details.
Guests and tickets
How many tickets do I have for the UK ceremony at the London Palladium?
Individual winners and Sustainable Schools winners have a total of ten tickets.
How many tickets do I have for the gala dinner at the Tower Hotel?
Individual winners have two places and Sustainable Schools winners have four places.
How many places do I have for the seminar?
Individual winners have one place and Sustainable Schools winners have two places.
May I request extra tickets for the ceremony?
Yes, you may request extra tickets for the ceremony, although any extra tickets are not guaranteed. There is space when you RSVP to indicate how many extra tickets you wish to receive should they become available. Please note that these tickets will be allocated strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. If your request for extra tickets has been successful you will be notified after the 26 September RSVP deadline.
May I request extra tickets for the gala dinner?
No, unfortunately, as there are very limited places, it is not possible to give extra tickets for the gala dinner. Any guests staying with you at the Tower Hotel will, however, be able to join you for drinks in the bar after the dinner.
When will I receive my tickets?
Tickets will be sent to you during the first week of October 2008.
I have lost my theatre ticket(s), what do I do?
Don’t worry, we can issue duplicates. Contact Delphine Milne on 0207 776 2342 and she will send you some replacement tickets. If you advise us about lost tickets in the week before the fellows’ weekend you will be able to collect the duplicates from the box office at the theatre before the ceremony or from the welcome desk at the the Tower Hotel on Saturday 18 October.
Will my guests be sitting next to me at the ceremony (winners only)?
When you RSVP, you will be asked to specify the names of the guests attending the ceremony with you, and the first three names will be allocated seats in the stalls next to your own. Your additional guests (who make up the total of ten places) will be seated in another area of the theatre because of the limited number of seats in the stalls, which have to accommodate all the UK winners. If you request extra tickets, these guests will also be seated in another area of the theatre.
Ceremony
When will the ceremony be broadcast on television?
The UK ceremony will be broadcast on Sunday 19 October at 18:10 on BBC2 (tbc)
Will I be able to get copies of the televised ceremony?
All Teaching Award winners’ will be sent a DVD copy of the recording of the UK ceremony after the event.
What happens if I win a UK Teaching Award?
All UK winners are asked to join a media breakfast, on the morning after the UK ceremony, to learn how to handle and make the most of the media opportunities that arise after winning a UK Teaching Award.
Will help be available during the fellows’ weekend in case I have queries?
Yes, the welcome desk will be open at various times throughout the weekend. This desk will be located in the hotel foyer and staffed by the Teaching Awards team.
Accommodation
Who is eligible for complimentary accommodation?
The Teaching Awards will cover two nights’ accommodation (Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 October), including continental breakfast, at the Tower Hotel for the winner plus one guest in a deluxe double or twin room.
If you are the winner of a Sustainable Schools award, the Teaching Awards will cover two nights’ accommodation, with continental breakfast, for a total of four people, in two rooms (either double or twin rooms only).
How do I book the complimentary accommodation?
Complimentary accommodation is only available for winners. Once winners confirm their attendance details via the RSVP system, the Teaching Awards will automatically book their complimentary accommodation for them. If winners wish to book additional guests into the Tower Hotel, making the most of the preferential rates, they will need to book directly with the hotel. Please see below for the preferential rates and how to book extra rooms.
Other guests (for example, judges) are responsible for booking their own accommodation directly with the hotel using the preferential rates.
What are the preferential rates at the hotel for the Teaching Awards guests?
The Teaching Awards has preferential room rates (see below) at the Tower Hotel from Friday 17 to Sunday 19 October for any additional guests staying over the weekend. To obtain these rates please email the hotel directly at:
Teaching.AwardsGuests@Guoman.co.uk or telephone the hotel’s group reservations department on 0207 2067560 (opening hours: 09.00–17.30, Monday–Friday) and quote TAAL171008
| Deluxe single inc. breakfast | Deluxe twin / double inc. breakfast | |
| 17 October | £101 | £111 |
| 18 October | £101 | £111 |
| 19 October | £75 | £96 |
Please note that it is advisable to book any required rooms early as there is limited availability at the preferential rate and bookings will be dealt with on a first-come, first-served basis.
Transport
How do I get to the Tower Hotel?
The Tower Hotel is situated at St Katharine’s Way, London E1W 1LD. We recommend that you do not drive to the hotel as it has very limited parking. The nearest NCP car park is Thomas More Square, 1 Nesham Street, London, E1W 1YU. By rail, the hotel is close to Waterloo, Liverpool Street, Fenchurch Street and London Bridge main-line stations. The nearest underground tube stations are Tower Hill on the District and Circle lines and Tower Gateway on the Docklands Light Railway. The Tower Hotel is accessible from all London airports. The nearest is London City airport (six miles). For further information visit www.guoman.com
How do I get to the ceremony from the hotel?
Coaches will be available from 14:15 on Sunday 19 October to transport any guests staying at the Tower Hotel to the London Palladium. The last coach will depart from the Tower Hotel at 14:45, so please ensure you arrive promptly. The coaches will return to the hotel following the ceremony.
Please note that the coaches are only for guests staying at the hotel and other guests will need to make their own arrangements to and from the London Palladium.
The address for the London Palladium is Argyll Street, London, W1A 3AB. The nearest underground tube station is Oxford Circus on the Bakerloo, Victoria and Central lines.
Dress code
What is the dress code for the UK ceremony and winners’ gala dinner?
The dress code for the weekend is ‘smart-casual’. The dress code for the UK ceremony and gala dinner is cocktail for ladies (either full or mid-length evening or party wear) and lounge suits for gentlemen (with a shirt and tie). There will be an opportunity to change between the winners’ seminar and the UK ceremony.
Seminar
What will the seminar be about?
The winners’ seminar on Sunday 19 October is an opportunity to meet other winners and is intended to be informative and inspirational. A guest speaker will be invited to facilitate the seminar.
Expenses (winners only)
Who is eligible to have their expenses paid?
The Teaching Awards will cover reasonable travel expenses for all winners and for one guest of each winner. If you are a Sustainable Schools winner, reasonable travel expenses will be covered for a total of four people.
How do I claim expenses back from the Teaching Awards?
Your travel expenses form will be enclosed with your invitation. The forms will also be available at the Teaching Awards welcome desk during the weekend. Please complete the expenses claim form and send it, together with relevant receipts, to:
Delphine Milne
The Teaching Awards
4th Floor
6 Middle Street
London
EC1A 7PH
What am I able to claim on the expenses form?
The Teaching Awards will cover only reasonable travel expenses. Please make your own travel arrangements for the weekend and remember to retain your receipts. Please keep your travel costs to a minimum and use the most cost-effective transport, for example standard class travel. Mileage will be covered at 35p per mile.
