With online nominations opening in January, schools and colleges from across Portsmouth are busy nominating their staff and teams. In this update, we spotlight nominations, introduce our sponsors and award categories. 

We've entered a key phase in the awards with nominations opening online. The Teach Portsmouth Awards is one way we celebrate people's achievements and retain the very best professionals for the city's schools and academies. 

Across the year, we provide a range of updates in the form of blogs as we meet crucial milestones in the campaign. I hope you find the latest update useful. 

Online nominations are now open!

While the general public are unable to nominate in the remaining categories, senior leaders in schools and colleges have been busy recognising their staff across the remaining 11. 

Since January, nominations from 61 schools and two colleges have been landing in our inbox ready for the shortlisting panel to review in April. 

If you know someone in a school who deserves recognition for their work, encourage your head teacher to nominate them or their teams. It's a great way to raise awareness of schools to prospective parents and show appreciation for individuals who continue to do amazing work. 

The deadline for online nominations is Friday 10 March at 4pm. Information on how to nominate has been shared with schools in the Portsmouth Education Partnership bulletin. Don't forget to remind your school or college to get involved and recognise their staff.  

Introducing our sponsors

The Teach Portsmouth Awards relies on the goodwill of organisations in Portsmouth to sponsor this not-for-profit event which is held at Portsmouth Guildhall on Thursday 29 June. Sponsorship is divided into gold and silver levels, depending on what is contributed. 

We've introduced new categories to recognise even more people. The early years and childcare category celebrates the achievements of people who support children aged up to 5. 

A new governor's award shines a light on individual governors who hold specific roles, lead committees or working parties, spotlighting the good work they have achieved. 

The final category is the progress award that recognises the work of an individual or team who have made outstanding progress in their school/college that has had an impact on the learning of pupils. 

We're pleased to reveal the sponsors and their categories below: 

• Innovation award - HSDC
• Long service award - NEU
• Early career teacher award - University of Portsmouth
• Unsung hero award - City of Portsmouth College
• Inclusion award - Salterns Academy
• Community award - Gunwharf Quays
• Outstanding contribution award - Mountjoy
• Teaching and learning support award - UNICAT
• People's choice award - The News
• Progress award - Nation Broadcasting
• Early years and childcare award - Homestart
• Governor's award - Portsmouth Education Partnership 

People's choice award update

In December, parents and carers told us about their superstar teachers in the people's choice award category. If you didn't nominate in this category, the people's choice award recognises school and college staff who have gone above and beyond the call of duty. 

We received over 80 nominations for school and college staff. This information has now been collated and ready to be sent to the shortlisting panel in April. 

Learn more about the awards

The Teach Portsmouth Awards is our biggest event celebrating all those who make a difference in our classrooms. We update the website regularly with information related to the event. 

Please visit the main awards page as we announce more news in the coming weeks and months.