Schools’ stars and education heroes were celebrated at this year’s Milton Keynes Education Awards (MKEAs).
Denbigh School was one of two triple winners when this year’s glittering MKEAs took place in Milton Keynes. Also achieving a hat trick of accolades was The Bedford College Group who won three trophies, with Bushfield School and Milton Keynes College taking two; the college taking the Overall School Award, sponsored by Milton Keynes Dons.
Former badminton world champion and Olympic medallist Gail Emms MBE was the host for the evening, which was supported by headline sponsor Brioche Pasquier, and took place the DoubleTree by Hilton at Stadium MK.
In all, 14 trophies were handed out in categories ranging from the STEM Award (sponsored by SHP Group) to the Unsung Hero (sponsored by Niftylift) to the Lifetime Achievement Award (sponsored by All Things Business).
Mark Stott from Denbigh School received the Unsung Hero award for the way his ‘commitment, dedication and passion for supporting students has transformed countless lives’. The school was also named Secondary School of the Year (sponsored by Simply Techspace) and won the Wellbeing Award (sponsored by The Arthur Ellis Mental Health Foundation).
Mark said: “Looking at the range of people who were finalists for this award, it is a bit overwhelming to have won. Like all of them, my aim has always been simply to give students everything they need to be the best they can be; and I couldn’t do that without the fantastic people around me.”
The Bedford College Group’s haul of trophies including the English Teacher of the Year Award (sponsored by Woodfines Solicitors), which went to Rose Sargent; the IT Teacher of the Year (sponsored by dbfb) for Christian Núñez Fuentes; and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award (sponsored by GIANT) for Ashley Spiers.
Milton Keynes College’s STEMx team won the STEM Award and the organisation was named Overall School of the Year. Bushfield School was named Primary School of the Year (sponsored by Dunbar Education) and Jade Jones from the school won the Sports Awards, which was sponsored by The Bedford College Group.
After accepting the Primary School of the Year trophy, Assistant Headteacher David Bennett said: “This is testament to all the hard work of our staff, and of our fantastic students and what they do to achieve the outcomes they do. We provide the support so our students can go on to the next steps they want to take.”
Hilary Marsden from Webber Independent School, who was named Headteacher of the Year (sponsored by FormFive), said: “I’ve been at Webber for 15 years, it’s a small school with a huge heart and our motto is ‘achieving excellence together’, so I’d like to dedicate this to all of the school community.”
The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Chris Holmwood from Shenley Brook End School. On accepting the award, he said: “I’m really humbled to be in this category. I came to Milton Keynes to help open a school in the middle of a massive field with no houses around it, and I got the opportunity to be a pioneer. And I’ve just got to remind you all that if you’re working in Milton Keynes that’s what you are, you’re a pioneer!”
Ben Thomas, founder of the awards and Managing Director of organisers All Things Business, said: “The Milton Keynes Education Awards have captured the imagination in a way we couldn’t have dared hope back in 2023, when Eamonn Holmes joined us to host the inaugural awards ceremony.
“Inevitably, evenings like this focus on the very small proportion of fantastic schools and individuals who actually take home a trophy, but we wanted the night to be about everyone who works so hard in the city’s education sector. They are all winners and we wish we could give a trophy to everyone involved.”
The 2026 winners
Maths Team/Teacher of the Year
Sponsored by Brioche Pasquier
Charlie McNeaney – Loughton School
English Team/Teacher of the Year
Sponsored by Woodfines Solicitors
Rose Sargent – The Bedford College Group
IT Team/Teacher of the Year
Sponsored by dbfb
Christian Núñez Fuentes – The Bedford College Group
STEM Award
Sponsored by SHP Group
STEMx Team – Milton Keynes College
Sports Award
Sponsored by The Bedford College Group
Jade Jones – Bushfield School (Viaduct Federation)
Wellbeing Award
Sponsored by The Arthur Ellis Mental Health Foundation
Denbigh School
Primary School of the Year
Sponsored by Dunbar Education
Bushfield School
Secondary School of the Year
Sponsored by Simply Techspace
Denbigh School
SEND School of the Year
Sponsored by Northampton Saints Foundation
Milton Keynes Christian Foundation
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champion
Sponsored by GIANT
Ashley Spiers – The Bedford College Group
Unsung Hero
Sponsored by Niftylift
Mark Stott – Denbigh School
Headteacher of the Year
Sponsored by FormFive
Hilary Marsden – Webber Independent School
Lifetime Achievement Award
Sponsored by All Things Business
Chris Holmwood – Shenley Brook End School
Overall School of the Year
Sponsored by MK Dons
Milton Keynes College Group
