The University of Nottingham and Notts County Football Club have joined together to raise the profile of careers in education and recognise education professionals around the local region for the difference they make in the lives of young people.
We are asking pupils, staff or parents to nominate a local school teacher who has helped a pupil (or pupils) feel like they belong and are valued in school. Four winning teachers will be invited to attend Notts County's home game on Saturday 21 March as guests of honour, receiving hospitality and being introduced to the crowd. A number of match tickets will also be provided to local pupils and schools.
Background
We firmly believe in the power of education as a way to transform lives and make a positive impact on society. By showcasing education professionals in a public setting that reaches a wide range of people, we’re able to send a message that what they do is important and should be celebrated.
According to a 2024 Careers and Enterprise Survey of over 230,000 young people, the number one profession that UK children starting secondary school aspire to is a job in sport. Therefore, it seemed natural for the university to partner with Notts County, a club passionate about using the power of sport to transform the lives of people in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, as a vehicle to elevate the education profession.
While teaching is the profession that allows all other professions to be possible, interest in teaching is at an all-time low nationally and globally. Alongside this we have a teacher retention crisis, with England having one of the worst attrition rates amongst developed countries (OECD, 2025). It is crucial that try to address these challenges to ensure our children, in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, have access to excellent teachers that support them to flourish and have the best possible chances in life.
Building on work undertaken by Florida State University we want to seek to change the narrative around education careers, celebrate local teachers and promote the power of education.
Nominating a teacher
Since our launch in December, we've received over 600 nominations with some really powerful comments about the impact of a teacher. There's still time to nominate and you'll be asked to provide some text (approximately 100-200 words) on how your nominated teacher has made you (or others) feel that you belong - what they do or say that made you feel included, valued, or seen.
Nominate a teacher
Selection process
We are drawing together a small panel of people committed to the region, to decide on the award winners, including University of Nottingham Emeritus Professor Sir Jonathan Van Tam and Notts County chaplain Reverend Liam O'Boyle.
Posted on Friday 23rd January 2026