Teachers and school staff across Kent have been honoured with awards.

The 2023 Kent Teacher of the Year Awards were held Friday, May 19, presented by Nicola Everett from the KM Media Group and Paul Andrews, CEO of Jobs in Kent, on behalf of Social Enterprise Kent, at the Ashford International Hotel.

Nearly 1,600 nominations were received for the awards which celebrate teachers, teaching assistants, and support staff in schools throughout the county for going above and beyond.

Ashford District

Early Career Teacher of the Year – Louise Harris of Wyvern School

Pastoral and Wellbeing Teacher of the Year – Kurt King of Wyvern School

Primary School Teacher of the Year – Charlotte Fillmore of Great Chart Primary School

Canterbury District

Maths Teacher of the Year – Adam Purland of The Archbishop’s School

Pastoral and Wellbeing Teacher of the Year – Debbie McDermott of The Canterbury Academy

Pastoral and Wellbeing Teacher of the Year – Elizabeth Shilling of The Archbishops School

Performing Arts Teacher of the Year – Sarah Watson of The Canterbury Academy

Primary School Teaching Assistant of the Year – Antoinette “Joy” Mennell of The Canterbury Primary School

Primary School Teaching Assistant of the Year – Lulu Aisawi of Herne CE Infant School

School Leader of the Year – Milena Annecchiarico of Pilgrims’ Way Primary School & Nursery

Support Staff Member of the Year – Michelle Brown of the Archbishop’s School

Dartford and Gravesham District

Headteacher of the Year – Sarah Kelley-Day of The Tymberwood Academy

Pastoral and Wellbeing Teacher of the Year – Bethan Williamson of Maypole Primary School

Primary School Teaching Assistant of the Year – Louise Munn of Higham Primary School

Raising Aspirations Teacher of the Year – Jonathan Dix of Dartford Science and Technology College

School Leader of the Year – Harpz Basra of The Brent Primary School

Secondary School Teaching Assistant of the Year – Gill Dyble of Northfleet School for Girls

Dover and Folkestone District

Early Career Teacher of the Year – Robyn Latin of Dover Grammar School for Girls

Maths Teacher of the Year – Emma Procter of Dover Grammar School for Girls

PE Teacher of the Year – Jessica Deveson of Sir Roger Manwood’s School

Pastoral and Wellbeing Teacher of the Year – Carolyn Toland of Dover Grammar School for Girls

Primary School Teaching Assistant of the Year – Karina Harris of Morehall Primary School

Science Teacher of the Year – Martin Sayer of Dover Grammar School for Girls

Maidstone District

Performing Arts Teacher of the Year – Bethany Harding of Cornwallis Academy

Psychology Teacher of the Year – Michelle Gollan of Cornwallis Academy

School Volunteer of the Year – Helen Leat of Ulcombe Primary School

Support Staff Member of the Year – Ian Game of The Lenham School

Medway District

Early Career Teacher of the Year – Rory Burns of The Gordon’s Childrens Academy

Early Career Teacher of the Year – Tommy Slater of The Victory Academy

Geography Teacher of the Year – Rebecca Quartey of Holcombe Grammar School

Maths Teacher of the Year – Rakesh Vashisht of The Victory Academy

PE Teacher of the Year – Gary Adkins of Rainham Mark Grammar School

Primary School Teacher of the Year – Colette Auer of The Gordon’s Childrens Academy

Primary School Teaching Assistant of the Year – Claire Cheal of Hilltop Primary Academy

School Business Manager of the Year – Hollie Finch of Rivermead Inclusive Trust

School Operations Manager of the Year – Leonie Saddleton of Oasis Academy Skinner Street

School Volunteer of the Year – Derek Morrison of All Faith’s Children’s Academy

Support Staff Member of the Year – Gary Lovell of City of Rochester School

Support Staff Member of the Year – Darren Straight of The Rowans AP Academy

Team of the Year – The Rivermead Inclusive Trust Wellbeing and Mental Health Team

Swale District

Maths Teacher of the Year – Sally-Ann Hills of The Sittingbourne School

Support Staff Member of the Year – Kirsty Adams of The Sittingbourne School

Team of the Year – St Edwards Team of St Edward’s Catholic Primary School

Thanet District

Early Career Teacher of the Year - Danielle Sedgewick of Ellington Infant School

Primary School Teacher of the Year – Abigail Fowler of Birchington CE Primary School

Support Staff Member of the Year – Daren Drew of Birchington CE Primary School

Headteacher of the Year – Sara Llewellyn of The Llewellyn School

West Kent District

Headteacher of the Year – Ben Hulme of St Edmund’s Church of England Primary School

Pastoral and Wellbeing Teacher of the Year – Ruth Stoneham of St Edmund’s Church of England Primary School

Primary School Teacher of the Year – Stephanie Taylor of St Paul’s Church of England School

Primary School Teacher of the Year – Jenny Murray of The Wells Free School

Raising Aspirations Teacher of the Year – Tracey Leach of Aylesford School

Science Teacher of the Year – Binda Taylor of Grange Park School

Secondary School Teaching Assistant of the Year – Brett Evans of The Malling School

Special Award for Raising Aspirations

George and the team at Kickstart Sports

Overall Kent

Early Career Teacher of the Year – Tommy Slater of The Victory Academy

Maths Teacher of the Year – Emma Procter of Dover Grammar School for Girls

Science Teacher of the Year – Martin Sayer of Dover Grammar School for Girls

Pastoral and Wellbeing Teacher of the Year – Bethan Williamson of Maypole Primary School

Raising Aspirations Teacher of the Year – Jonathan Dix of Dartford Science and Technology College

School Volunteer of the Year – Helen Leat of Ulcombe Primary School

Team of the Year – Wellbeing and Mental Health Team at Rivermead Inclusive Trust

Primary School Teaching Assistant of the Year – Louise Munn of Higham Primary School

Secondary School Teaching Assistant of the Year – Brett Evans of The Malling School

Primary School Teacher of the Year – Harpz Basra of The Brent Primary School

Secondary School Teacher of the Year – Sarah Watson of The Canterbury Academy

School Leader of the Year – Ruth Stoneham of St Edmund’s School

Headteacher of the Year – Sarah Kelley-Day of The Tymberwood Academy

Bethany Harding of Cornwallis Academy, who was awarded Performing Arts Teacher of the Year for Maidstone District, dedicated her award to her pupil Caitlin Goodsell, who passed away on April 1.

Bethany said: “Caitlin was a strong, kind and talented student, whose determination to perform on stage, no matter the obstacles was commendable.

“As teachers, we have those special students who leave lasting impressions on us as people and Caitlin has most certainly done that for me."

Caitlin was born with holes in her heart, and had endured six major bouts of heart surgery and several other operations by the age of four, at which point she suffered a stroke and lost her speech and movement in her right leg.

Her speech returned, however, and in 2017, at the age of 11, Caitlin fronted a TV advert to help the Demelza charity which supported her and her family.

Swale Heating donated £26,000 of its own airtime to the charity, which provides care to seriously ill babies, children and young people in the South East.

Kent Teacher of the Year 2023 was supported by HR Connect Staffcare Services, Ashford International Hotel, HR Connect, Three R’s, KCS, Salus, Canterbury Christ Church University and the University of Greenwich.