The submission deadline is 16 October 2026, 11.59pm GMT. Unfortunately, submissions received after this deadline will not be included.

Details of how to submit your entry will be emailed to all those that have registered entries for the Independent School Excellence Awards 2027.

If you have queries regarding your submission, please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Following the first round of judging, the shortlist will be announced for each category in November 2026. Winners will be announced at the gala dinner, taking place in London, on 29 April 2027. All shortlisted schools will be invited to attend.

We wish everyone the best of luck!

Nomination criteria

The judges will be looking for evidence of excellent practice in the category area, including:

• the range of ways in which you demonstrate excellence
• specific examples of activities or projects that make your school exceptional in this area, with tangible results and outcomes
• specific examples of ways that individuals or teams have contributed to organisational change and culture
• the impact on your school community – pupils, staff, families and stakeholders.

Think carefully about your context, the action you’ve taken and its impact. Use the prompts on the form to guide you (e.g. suggested evidence or examples of impact).

Nomination format

Nominations will be submitted using the nomination form, which is available from a download page. You are asked to respond to three questions, specific to the category. The total word count for responses to these questions is specified on the form.

Submissions may be accompanied by supporting evidence that is detailed on the form.

Judging process

Each category is appointed a judging panel (usually three people). The panel will be a mixture of school leaders and other specialists. Each panel is carefully constructed to ensure no conflicts of interest.

The judging panel will read and score all entries. The panels meet to discuss results and agree the winning entry.

The judges are asked to base their decisions and scoring solely on the submission and any accompanying information.  

Confidentiality

Submissions in their entirety are not shared in the public domain. However, please be mindful of including confidential material or identifiable personal data, and avoid this unless necessary to your submission.  

You are asked to provide a summary statement on the nomination form. This summary, or an edited version thereof, will be published on the Independent School Excellence Awards website if your entry is shortlisted. Please ensure that this summary statement does not include any confidential or other information that you do not wish to see in the public domain.

Video permissions

If submitting a video, please check you have permission to share this. Videos may be linked and shared from the Independent School Excellence website, so participants should be aware that the video could be used for this purpose.