West Sussex Education Awards launched

Nominations have begun to roll in for the West Sussex Education Awards, which is organised by this newspaper and its sister titles.

The first West Sussex Education Awards, run in partnership with the county council, which were launched last week, will culminate in a grand ceremony next year.

Every school, pupil, teacher and staff member is eligible for nomination to these awards, which aim to celebrate the achievements of our education sector.

Helen Watt, who is organising the event for JP South Events, said: “It is great to see that we are already receiving some top quality entries and that these awards have gained the imagination of our fantastic schools, here in West Sussex.

“There is still plenty of time for schools and individuals to submit entries.”

Louise Goldsmith, leader of West Sussex County Council, has previously spoken of the importance of recognising education in West Sussex.

She said: “I am delighted that we are able to support this brand new awards recognising education in our county.

“People will know that we, as West Sussex County Council, have been supporting our schools in fighting for fairer funding for our West Sussex children and this awards is yet another way we can support our schools and colleges to give our young people the very best start in life.

“Our schools and colleges are the lifeblood of our community and I will continue to work tirelessly to support them.”

The closing date for entries is in the New Year.

The 14 categories are:

Primary School of the Year

Secondary School of the Year

Primary School Pupil of the Year

Secondary School Pupil of the Year

Special School of the Year

Special School Pupil of the Year

Inspirational Teaching

Creative Arts

Young Scientist/Engineer

Sports Achievement

Career Aspiration

Health and Wellbeing

Headteacher of the Year

Unsung Hero

A panel of judges, including Ms Goldsmith and our education reporter Karen Dunn, will examine all nominations and select shortlisted finalists in each category.

All finalists will be invited to a prestigious presentation event at Fontwell Racecourse on March 20, where the winners will be announced.

How do you nominate?

Simply send in your entry by post to: Education Awards, Sussex Newspapers, Suite 3 City Gates 2-4 Southgate, Chichester PO19 8DJ. Or you can email your entry to [email protected]. Closing date for nominations is Friday February 16. Alternatively, from Friday this week, you can nominate online at www.jpsouthevents.co.uk