The Kent Teacher of the Year Awards sees teachers and school staff from across the county recognised for their hard work.

The prestigious ceremony, organised by the KM Charity Team, was held at Ashford International Hotel and saw more than 70 awards given to the dedicated school staff from across Kent and Medway.

Hosting the awards were Mike Ward, CEO of the KM Charity Team, and Nicola Everett, head of multimedia news at the KM Group.

This year, judges felt that the Kent Head Teacher of the Year was too close to call, so two nominees were selected as joint winners of the award.

Renukah Atwell of Grange Park School, Sevenoaks, was one of the winners. Described at the ceremony as a ‘fighter’ for students, Renukah led the SEN school to its best ever GCSE results this year.

The nomination added: “Parents are often blown away by the incredible opportunities that are open to the pupils, and what they get out of a trip to the theatre to help with their GCSE English, or a residential visit is immeasurable. They set the bar for both pupils and staff exceptionally high and lead by example.”

Kathryn Duncan of Chantry Community Academy, Gravesend, was the second joint recipient of the award.

Working in a school in an area of high deprivation, Kathryn’s efforts have seen Chantry Community Academy transformed from ‘Inadequate’ to ‘Good’ in Ofsted reports, and were also named as one of the top 3% of UK schools in 2019.

Kathryn’s nomination said: “They use their motto ‘what's best for the children?' to approach every decision they make and is unwavering in their determination that every child will succeed.

“When some children were prevented from playing in the extensive outdoor grounds because of their inadequate footwear, they budgeted for every child in the school to have their own new pair of wellies.”

There were also a number of district awards handed out for different areas of the county, including Team of the Year and Primary School Teacher of the Year.

“It's been yet another year of more nominations than we've ever had; with some truly inspiring stories,” says event organiser Mike Ward.

“The thing I love most about the Teacher of the Year Awards is that it celebrates all of the staff and volunteers that contribute to helping our children gain the knowledge and the motivation to be the best they can be.

“The awards are not judged on the number of votes they get but really do reward education staff for often going above and beyond.

“They are nominated by colleagues, parents and even pupils - making it the only awards in Kent where the people they truly have an impact on get to have their say.

"That means that quite often it's the unsung heroes that get a night in the spotlight - and that's special.”

OVERALL COUNTYWIDE AWARD WINNERS

Kent Wellbeing Champion of the Year: Teresa Faulks of the Sittingbourne School

Kent Primary School T/A of the Year: Chris Ridley of Miers Court Primary School

Kent Secondary School T/A of the Year: Jessica Milliner of Thomas Aveling School

Kent Schools Volunteer of the Year: Ellington Infant School Librarian Team

Kent Support Staff Member of the Year: Joanne Boyd of the Canterbury Academy

Kent Mathematics Teacher of the Year: Ian Chapman of Rainham Mark Grammar School

Kent Early Careers Teacher of the Year: Hannah Golding of Tiger Primary School.

Kent Management Team Member of the Year: Paul Dadson of Rivermead Inclusive Trust

Kent Science Teacher of the Year: Erin Foreman of the John Wallis Academy

Kent Team of the Year: the Wellbeing Hub House Team at Cliftonville Primary School

Kent Raising Aspirations Special Award - Nigel Sharp of Greenacre Academy

Kent Primary School Teacher of the Year: Peter Hygate of Stowting Primary School

Kent Secondary School Teacher of the Year - Fiona Ravate of the Rowans AP Academy

Kent Head Teacher of the Year - Renukah Atwell of Grange Park School and Kathryn Duncan of Chantry Community Academy

DISTRICT WINNERS

Ashford and Folkestone: Science Teacher of the Year - Erin Foreman of John Wallis Academy; Team of the Year - Specialist Resource Provision Team of Hythe Bay Primary School; Primary School Teacher of the Year - Victoria Blackwell of Stowting Primary School; Management Team Member of the Year - Peter Hygate of Stowting Primary School.

Canterbury: Team of the Year - the whole team at Herne Infant School; F/E Academic of the Year - Amy Hammond of Canterbury College (EKC Group); Wellbeing Champion of the Year - Helen Fennell of Pilgrims' Way Primary School and Nursery; Support Staff Member of the Year - Joanne Boyd of the Canterbury Academy; Secondary School Teacher of the Year - Morgan Whibley of the Canterbury Academy; Early Careers Teacher of the Year - Amy Williams of Canterbury Primary School; Primary School Teacher of the Year - Emily Kelderis of Canterbury Primary School.

Dartford and Gravesham: Team of the Year - the Parent and Pupil Support Team of the Craylands School; Secondary School Headteacher of the Year - Gavin Barnet of Stone Lodge School; Primary School Headteacher of the Year - Kathryn Duncan of Chantry Community Academy; Primary School Teacher of the Year - Leah Mills of Chantry Community Academy; Secondary School Teacher of the Year - Wendy Tomlin of Northfleet School For Girls; Wellbeing Champion of the Year - Donna Selmes of Northfleet School For Girls.

Dover and Thanet: Support Staff Member of the Year - Efren Alegre of Wellesley House; Science Teacher of the Year - Amber Taylor of Barton Junior School; Secondary School Teacher of the Year - Stuart Davies of Astor School; Team of the Year - Wellbeing Hub House Team of Cliftonville Primary School; Volunteers of the Year - Librarian Team of Ellington Infant School.

Maidstone: Primary School Headteacher - Sue Heather of Archbishop Courtenay Primary School; Secondary School Teacher - Kirsty Ryan of Oakwood Park Grammar; Science Teacher of the Year - Sarah McGrath of Invicta Grammar School; Early Careers Teacher of the Year - Hannah Golding of Tiger Primary School.

Medway - Chatham: Primary School Teacher of the Year - Keighley Baker-May of Lordswood School; Early Careers Teacher of the Year - Karl Baker-May of Lordswood School; Wellbeing Champion of the Year - Monika Oravcova of the Victory Academy; Chatham AP School Teacher of the Year - Fiona Ravate of the Rowans AP Academy; Secondary School Teacher of the Year - Nigel Sharp of Greenacre Academy.

A special award also went to Tracy Tracy Tozeland of Greenacre Academy, Chatham, who passed away after a short battle with cancer in May 2021. Her husband accepted the award.

Medway - Gillingham: Management Team Member of the Year - Paul Dadson of Rivermead Inclusive Trust; Maths Teacher of the Year - Karen Price of Brompton Westbrook Primary School; Primary School T/A of the Year - Chris Ridley of Miers Court Primary School; Primary School Teacher of the Year - Stacey Doherty of Miers Court Primary School.

Medway - Rainham and Walderslade: Rainham Maths Teacher of the Year - Ian Chapman of Rainham Mark Grammar School; Walderslade Maths Teacher of the Year - Laura Williams of Walderslade Girls' School; Walderslade Secondary School Teacher of the Year - Rajdeep Singh of Walderslade Girls' School.

Medway - Rochester: Primary School Teacher of the Year - Alex Brett of the Academy of Cuxton Schools; Volunteer of the Year - Rachel Harding of Hilltop Primary Academy; Secondary School T/A of the Year - Jessica Milliner of the Thomas Aveling School; Secondary School Teacher of the Year - Kirsty Martin of the Thomas Aveling School.

Swale: Primary School T/A of the Year - Emily Valentine of St Edward's Catholic Primary School; Secondary School Teacher of the Year - Jenni Van Deelen in recognition of her work at the Sittingbourne School; Wellbeing Champion of the Year - Teresa Faulks of the Sittingbourne School; Early Careers Teacher of the Year - Isobel Bunning of Iwade School; Management Team Member of the Year - Lisa Bunning of Iwade School.

West Kent: Headteacher of the Year - Renukah Atwell of Grange Park School; Secondary School T/A of the Year - Victoria Whitfield of the Malling School.

This event was sponsored by the Thinking Schools Academy Trust, Street Space Group, the Education People, KCS (commercial services), 3R'S teacher recruitment, Canterbury Christ Church University, Cantium Business Solutions, Towergate insurance, Salus, University of Greenwich and Ashford International Hotel.