Questions, answered

Anyone who meets a category’s eligibility can enter, from individuals and teams to whole organisations of any size. Each category sets out exactly who it is open to.

Entry is completely free. You can enter as many categories as you like at no cost, so there is nothing standing between your business and the recognition it deserves.

Absolutely. Customers, colleagues and the wider community can nominate any business they believe deserves to be recognised. A nomination is a wonderful way to champion a business you love.

An independent panel assesses excellence, impact, innovation, customer experience and growth, with criteria tailored to each individual category.

Every entry is scored by the judging panel. The highest-scoring businesses in each category are shortlisted as finalists and invited to the Awards Gala.

Winners are revealed live and in person at the Awards Ceremony.

No. Attendance is entirely optional and has no bearing on judging. Winners who cannot attend are told directly.

Yes. Clients, colleagues, suppliers and peers can all nominate. We contact the nominee to confirm they want to proceed before anything is judged.

Specifics beat adjectives. Numbers, dates, named outcomes and short client quotes score well; general claims about being passionate or market leading do not. Judges score what they can verify.

Independent practitioners and specialists from across the education industry, matched to the categories they know. Judges declare conflicts of interest and stand aside from anyone they are connected to.

A category needs a viable field to be judged fairly. If entries are too few, we contact those affected and offer to move the entry to the closest matching category at no cost.

Sponsorship is handled separately from judging and gives no advantage in the process. The sponsors page has the options and an enquiry form.