Support staff are integral to schools and early years settings. These staff members work so hard to help with children’s learning and development, while doing all they can to keep everything running smoothly. That is why, alongside our celebration day, we run our ‘Nominate a star’ prize draw.

2025 winners

The nominate a star winners for 2025 can be found below. We received lots of brilliant nominations that really highlighted just how special support staff in schools and early years settings are. Nominations for 2026 will open in October.

REGION WINNER NAME NOMINATOR

CYMRU Angharad Vaughan Nerys Todd

EASTERN Mark Potter Deanna Jacobs

EAST MIDLANDS Kayleigh Hawkins Joy Stark

GREATER LONDON Martine Brown Jane O'Sullivan

NORTH WEST Fiona Smith Dale Rosewell

NORTHERN Kate Rowe Rebecca Taylor

N.IRELAND Joseph Weeler Noreen Halfpenny

SCOTLAND Ruth Strachan Lisa Avery

SOUTH EAST Julie Whyte Anne Scott

SOUTH WEST Donna Pyle Karen Bell

WEST MIDLANDS Maria Lees Rebecca Perry