Headteachers are doing amazing jobs in schools every day.

They know and care for their students and, as inspiring leaders and managers, create an environment where success is expected and supported. Students enjoy coming to school and develop as confident and positive learners with the skills, qualities and exam success necessary to broaden their opportunities and increase their life chances.

We’d love to read about what makes your colleague an inspiring and successful secondary headteacher, who is a great leader and is making a real difference to the lives of children and the work of staff within their school. What are the ingredients of their success?

We recommend you write around 1000 words ensuring you address the key points shown below.

The 2023 Awards are now closed. Please register your interest for the 2024 Awards here.

Who can enter?

This category is open to all secondary phase headteachers, who have been headteacher in their current school for a minimum of 3 years, and who hold qualified teacher status. Entries from state and independent schools in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are welcome.

Key points to consider

To maximise your nominee’s chances of success. we recommend you address the points below when writing your entry.

  • Vision: The head’s role in developing a shared and ambitious vision with a culture that is characterised by a love of learning and the highest expectations of both staff and students.
  • Learning environment: The head’s leadership in building a strong and open learning community where both pupils 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.
  • Leadership: The head’s leadership in establishing strong, professional teams and in creating a calm and positive environment where students enjoy a strong curriculum, good teaching and learning and excellent progress and achievement for all.
  • Collaboration: The ways in which the head has developed great relationships, internally and externally, which demonstrate how much they value partnership working and collaboration; productive examples of both can be seen both inside and outside the school.

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2023 Pearson National Teaching Awards Entry Form

Note: Please read the 'Points to cover' prior to making your entry.

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