Three Ashford businesses have expressed their excitement at being involved in the judging process for the 2020 Kent Teacher of the Year Awards.

And with the March 1 deadline for submitting nominations fast approaching, they urged people to send in details of standout educational staff as soon as possible.

Alison Nightingale of Three R's Teacher Recruitment said: “We’re so excited. It’s the Kent Teacher of the Year Awards’ 20th year, and over the years we’ve had some amazing nominations. We can’t wait to see what we get this year.

“Three R’s Teacher Recruitment have sponsored the event for the last 10 years, and we’re really, really keen to see who gets nominated this year and makes our judging day incredibly difficult because the quality of entries keeps getting better and better.

“So if you’ve got a Kent teacher of the year at your school, please nominate them today.”

Organised by the KM Charity Team, the awards recognise school staff’s expertise, dedication and vital contribution to the community.

There are separate categories for primary, secondary, further education and newly qualified teachers, non-teaching staff and volunteers.

Green tech firm Loop CR is particularly keen to see IT-related nominations.

Loop CR owner Richard Langshaw said: “We do a lot of work with schools and this is a way for us to thank them.

“We’re also looking to the future – we want well-educated kids coming through so they can work for us.

“So we’re looking for teachers capable of passing on the IT skills that the country needs for the future.”

In 2019, Matthew Tragheim of Wayfield Primary School in Chatham was named Kent ICT champion of the year.

Winners for the county as a whole and its separate districts will be announced at a ceremony taking place at Ashford International Hotel in May.

Ashford International Hotel general manager Veronica Kingham said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring the event, and we will be hosting the event in 2020 for the second year in a row.”

Anyone can submit nominations at www.kmcharityteam.co.uk/schools/teacheroftheyear.

The other judging organisations are the University of Greenwich, Kreston Reeves, Salus, Diggerland, Kent Further Education, Kape HR, the Education People, Canterbury Christ Church University, KCS, Specialised Sports Products and key partner the Thinking Schools Academy Trust.