Portsmouth's community thank education superstars at special event
The city's education superstars, who were nominated by the community, gathered at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard at an event hosted by the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Jason Fazackarley to celebrate their achievements.
In December 2024, nominations opened for the people's choice award, allowing families in the city to nominate school and college staff. Over 100 nominations were received for this category, breaking an all-time record.
This category offers the community the chance to share their stories and thank those who have made a difference in their lives.
The celebration event is part of the Teach Portsmouth Awards. Councillor Nick Dorrington, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education at Portsmouth City Council, said:
"The Teach Portsmouth Awards is an important event in the education calendar that allows us to thank our incredible school and college staff who go above and beyond every day.
"This year, we received a record-breaking number of nominations for the people's choice award. We wanted to thank everyone for what they have done at a dedicated event before the main awards ceremony in June."
Councillor Nick Dorrington
Nominees were invited to Boathouse 4 Restaurant to enjoy afternoon tea and receive a certificate of excellence in recognition of their impact on the city.
Joanne Collins, a teaching assistant at The Flying Bull Academy, received five nominations from families. The nominators highlighted Joanne's unwavering dedication and personalised care for each child.
One parent said, "Joanne has gone above and beyond for her class. She is a hardworking person who never gives up and always helps children when they are stuck." In response, Joanne said:
"When I found out I had been nominated, I was absolutely blown away. It's a huge boost to be recognised for all you do. To be nominated by a member of our community shows how much our work is valued. Working in education can sometimes be challenging, but moments like this remind me how important our jobs are."
Joanne Collins
Holly Tod, a learning support assistant at Solent Junior School, was praised by a parent/carer as the backbone for their children, especially in preparing them for year five.
The parent described Holly as a caring and nurturing individual who significantly helped improve their children's behaviour, calling her a 'one in a million superhuman.' Holly said:
"While I don't know the identity of the family who nominated me, I would like to say a massive thank you. This was a lovely way to end last term when a colleague emailed me out of the blue about being nominated.
Holly Tod
"It does take a team effort though, so it's important to recognise other people at our school. The event at Boathouse 4 was a fantastic way to celebrate our achievements together."
The Teach Portsmouth Awards recognise school and college staff in 12 award categories, showcasing education best practice in the city. The remaining award categories are peer to peer only.
The event will take place at Portsmouth Guildhall on Thursday 12 June from 6pm - 9:30pm, hosted by local head teachers Ashley Howard and Zoe Killick.
The shortlist for the people's choice award will be announced in May, with the winner revealed at the ceremony in June.
Discover more about the Teach Portsmouth Awards 2025
While the Big People's Choice Award Celebration might be over, the Teach Portsmouth Awards 2025 is mere months away. For more information about the awards, visit the event page today!
Callum Murphy