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Browse through the categories below and click any to learn more. When you're ready, use the button to start your nomination. You can also jump straight in — the form will guide you.
Departments
The inclusion programme or inclusion department of the year will be able to demonstrate how they have provided for their students with special education needs and championed inclusivity and greater understanding to their school population and wider school community.
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Inclusion Programme of the Year
This award recognises a school that operates an effective and comprehensive Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics programme. Nominations will demonstrate how the department encourages experiential learning, problem solving and collaboration to work through the creative process across STEAM fields. Tell us how your school’s STEAM department achieved this success – whether it was through staff training, investment in facilities, or other means.
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STEAM Programme of the Year
This award will recognise a team that has found an inventive way to run a school’s music, arts and/or drama programme. Judges will be looking for evidence of how a programme has improved student experience – whether it relates to a student’s personal or academic development – as well as achievements of students in competitions.
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Music, Arts & Drama Department of the Year
This award will recognise a team that has built a PE department that places value on a healthy lifestyle and physical activity. Judges aren’t just looking for a school that wins every inter-school match – we are looking for schools that provide every student an opportunity to participate in a sport of their choice and thrive in a team environment.
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Physical Education Department of the Year
Individuals
This award recognises a teacher whose imagination and creativity have transformed the way a subject is taught, and inspired students. The innovative teacher also shares best practices with his/her peers. The award is open to all subject teachers or department heads. Evidence of how the teacher has positively influenced the student experience will have to be supplied through case studies and data that tracks student performance
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Innovative Teacher of the Year
This new category honours a classroom teacher who is dedicated in their planning, creative in their delivery and has the class progress reports to prove it. The classroom teacher of the year focuses on earlier years education and should include evidence supporting the nomination including testimonials and personal development milestones
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Classroom Teacher of the Year
The English Teacher of the Year will go to someone that has found an innovative way to teach English and literacy for both native and ESL students. You may choose to support your entry with case studies for students in any year group who have shown real, quantifiable progress. Testimonials from students, parents and senior leaders are also welcome.
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English Teacher of the Year
This category recognises outstanding teaching in science and engineering. We are looking for a teacher that engages students in finding practical solutions using science, technology, and engineering concepts in new ways. Evidence of how the teacher has improved student experience and outcomes will have to be illustrated using case studies and data that tracks student performance. Testimonials from students and senior leaders are also welcome.
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Science Teacher of the Year
This award recognises a teacher who has found an inventive way to engage students in maths lessons. Creative teaching and tangible evidence of progress in student outcomes is what we will be looking for when choosing a winner for this award. You may support your nomination with case studies for students who have progressed considerably as a direct result of their teaching.
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Maths Teacher of the Year
This award recognises a teacher who has implemented a successful Arabic teaching programme for both native speakers and second language students. The Arabic Teacher of the Year shares best practices with others in the department and adopts what students learn in other lessons to make the language more interesting in order to excite students about learning the language.
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Arabic/Islamic Teacher of the Year
New this year, the award will go to a teacher in the history, geography, sociology or related humanities subjects that can demonstrate consistent performance of improving their student’s grades and showing innovation in teaching their subject. Evidence in case studies, testimonials and additional responsibilities taken on can be included in nominations.
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Humanities Teacher of the Year
This award recognises a teacher who has found effective, fun and inventive ways to teach their chosen language to students. The Languages Teacher of the Year should be able to demonstrate successful progress made across a spectrum of students at varied development stages and evidence may be given to show how they have gone above and beyond to inspire passion in their subject.
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Languages Teacher of the Year
An important role within a school, the Librarian of the Year should be able to demonstrate how they have managed their library and inspired passion to read among students of all ages. Testimonials from colleagues, senior leadership and students can be included as supporting material as well as case studies of how they have improved the functioning and smooth running of the library.
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Librarian of the Year
This award recognises a teaching assistant who collaborates with teachers to support the learning and development of students in the classroom. Nominees provide day-to-day support and work with students to achieve their academic goals based on their individual needs. Capable, perpetually positive and ever enthusiastic, the Teaching Assistant of the Year exhibits the values of the school and consistently sets a good example for their students.
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Teaching Assistant of the Year
This special award category is open to anyone that works in school operations. This award is for the real unsung heroes who help to make a school run smoothly – whether it’s the school nurse that prioritises student health, a housekeeping attendant that anticipates a school’s needs for various events, or a security guard that puts student safety first and builds rapport with parents. The unsung heroes always manage to have a smile on their face, and a ‘can do’ attitude.
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Unsung Hero of the Year
This award will recognise an inspirational principal, headmaster or headmistress. A role model to their colleagues, the Headteacher of the Year tackles all challenges head on, and still makes time to meet and greet parents and talk to teachers and line staff on a regular basis. This award celebrates a Principal who has a passion for their work so great that they go beyond the call of duty and are as willing to get their hands dirty to get a task done as they are to make big business decisions. Alongside examples of the nominee’s leadership, we are also looking for hard facts that demonstrate their management acumen and strategies to drive enrolment, beat the competition and take their school to the top of its game for the benefit of all stakeholders – students, teachers and parents.
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Headteacher of the Year
Teams
To match the growth of the city, this new category shines a light on the new schools that have opened in Dubai in the past twelve months. Nominations should include evidence of preset opening targets being met, admissions strategies implemented, unique selling point facilities offered and how they have assembled a stellar team of educators for their faculty.
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School Opening Team of the Year
The Outstanding Contribution to the Community Award will go to a school that has forged a special relationship with the community it serves. This award looks for a school that works closely with their PTA and has built an ecosystem of cooperation and collaboration between parents, teachers and pupils that has enhanced community spirit within the school.
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Connection with the Community Award
This award will recognise a school with a well-planned foundation stage setting that makes the transition to school life easier for children. Judges will be looking for a foundation stage department that focuses on all areas of a young student’s development – language and communication, social skills, and physical and emotional development. Schools and nurseries must be operational for at least three academic years to be considered for this award.
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Foundation Stage Team of the Year
This award will recognise a school that nurtures its students’ love for learning. We are looking for schools that help young children take ownership of their learning as they move up from foundation stage, and prepare them for the academic rigour of secondary school in the later years. Schools must be operational for at least three academic years to be considered for this award.
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Primary School Team of the Year
This award will recognise a secondary school’s achievements over the last two academic years. Judges are looking for nominations that highlight more than just examination results. Successful schools will demonstrate innovative strategies that mould 21st century learners as they prepare for higher education. Entries should be supported with case studies or data that tracks student performance. Testimonials from students, parents, and senior leaders are also welcome. Schools must be operational for at least three academic years to be considered for this award.
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Secondary School Team of the Year
The School Team of the Year demonstrates how various departments across the school – foundation stage, primary, secondary and administration – can work together to offer an outstanding education in a safe environment. The School of the Year will be able to demonstrate consistent excellence across its faculty, relationships with students and parents, progress in academic results and how they have gone above and beyond to build a community at their institution. Schools must be operational for at least three academic years to be considered for this award.
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School Team of the Year
This award recognises a school-wide initiative that has made a tangible and sustained impact in promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and a strong sense of belonging among students and staff. Nominations should demonstrate how the initiative addresses issues of representation, access, and community, and how it fosters an inclusive school culture where every individual feels seen, heard, and valued.
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Tell us how your school has implemented and embedded this initiative, what outcomes have been achieved, and how it continues to shape attitudes and behaviours across the school community.
- Tell us about the achievements of the team/initiative – please explain the impact in detail with quantifiable data or indicators
- Please explain in your own words why this initiative deserves to win
- Please list any previous recognition or awards received for this initiative
- Please list all individuals or groups involved in this nomination
- To support your nomination, please provide testimonials from staff, students or community members describing the positive changes they have experienced
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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) Initiative of the Year
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