PUPILS, parents and school staff are being encouraged to make nominations for the 2017 Essex Teaching Awards.

The annual awards, which are run by Essex County Council, recognise the outstanding contribution made by teachers and support staff in the county’s schools.

Now in their fourth year, the awards this year include a new School Website of the Year award.

The other categories are:

New Teacher of the Year
Teaching Assistant of the Year
Primary School Teacher of the Year
Secondary School Teacher of the Year
Special School Teacher of the Year
Primary/Special School Headteacher of the Year
Secondary School Headteacher of the Year
Governing Body of the Year
School Team of the Year
Lifetime Achievement Award
Student Choice Award
The winners of the Essex Teaching Awards will once again be entered for the Pearson Teaching Awards – a national awards scheme celebrating excellence in education across the UK.

Cllr Ray Gooding, Essex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Lifelong Learning, said: “Schools in Essex have made some fantastic improvements in recent times, with 91 per cent of pupils now attending a school rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted – up from 71 per cent in 2013.

“Teachers and school staff have played a vital role in that success, and these awards provide an ideal opportunity to acknowledge their commitment to the learning and development of children and young people in the county.

“Whether you work in a school yourself or are a governor, pupil or parent, if you know someone deserving of an award, I would encourage you to nominate them.”

Nominations will close on Friday, 18 November 2016.

The Essex Teaching Awards 2017 will take place in February 2017.

For more information about the Essex Teaching Awards or to make a nomination, please visit www.essex.gov.uk/teachingawards