Frequently asked questions

1. Submissions open in early February
2. Submissions close end of March
3. The independent expert judging panel selects the shortlisted individuals & schools
4. The shortlist is announced in April
5. Shortlisted individuals and schools will receive an email and shortlisting assets in April.
6. Each judge will select two individuals or schools per category to put forward to the whole judging panel to be discussed and voted on as a panel to select the finalist.
7. The expert judging panel selects finalists in May
8. The gala dinner takes place on Friday 21st June at JW Marriott Grosvenor House where the winners are announced

No. Tes invests in these awards to support schools and teachers, so all entries to the awards are free. If you wish to attend the gala dinner, where winners are announced, there is a ticket cost.

No. Unlike most industry awards, Tes does not run these awards to make a profit. In fact, Tes budgets to run them at a significant loss, as an investment into raising the profile of the many fantastic efforts of school and teachers across the industry. The awards are sometimes supported by sponsors, which help reduce the cost of running these awards, but they are still not run to make a profit.

No, there is no connection between Tes’ many services provided to schools and a school’s ability to enter these awards. The Awards have had many entrants, finalists and winners that are not Tes customers.

The awards have a panel of independent industry experts who are highly respected in their fields. These judges are volunteers, are not paid and receive no incentives. The objectivity, professionalism and high standards of the Tes Schools Awards judges and the judging process has helped establish them as a well-respected achievement for any school chosen as a finalist or winner.

Entry is open to all UK state and independent early years settings, primary schools and secondary schools. Stand-alone sixth form colleges are not eligible to enter this year's Tes Schools Awards.

Anyone can submit a nomination for UK state and independent early years settings, primary schools and secondary schools. You can nominate yourself, a colleague or on behalf of your school.

Yes, you can. You can apply for as many categories as you like, that you feel best relate to you, your school, or your colleague.

No, there will be no judging visits as part of the application process.

You will only be able to view your application once it’s been submitted. You will not be able to make further edits to your application.

From the expert independent judging panel, a judge will be assigned a category based on their expertise. They will read through all the submissions within that category and select several individuals and or schools to be shortlisted.

The additional videos and photos requested by Tes will only be used as part of the Awards Ceremony, they will not be used as part of the judging criteria.

Feedback will not be given to individuals or schools who are not shortlisted.