The Teaching Awards is an annual teacher awards ceremony in the United Kingdom.

Every year, all schools across the UK are invited to nominate their most outstanding headteachers, teachers, teaching assistants and governors. Anyone can make a nomination. Nominations are then endorsed by the senior management team to proceed to the next stage. There are various regional events that act as qualifying rounds for the national awards. The televised UK Ceremony is held in autumn, where awards are given out in various categories.

The Teaching Awards were established by Lord Puttnam CBE in 1998 and are managed by an independent charity, the Teaching Awards Trust. The Teaching Awards Trust aims to celebrate excellence and promote best practice in education.

The Teaching Awards Trust was initially established to regenerate national pride in the teaching profession. The Trust has been successful in achieving this aim and has repositioned itself as a centre of excellence in education with the following aims:

Alexandra Elizabeth "Alex" Kingston (born 11 March 1963) is an English actress. She is most widely known for her roles as Dr. Elizabeth Corday on the NBC medical drama ER and as River Song in Doctor Who.

Kingston was raised in Epsom, Surrey, England, the eldest of three daughters of a butcher, Anthony Kingston, and his German wife. Kingston's uncle is actor Walter Renneisen, her mother's younger brother.

Kingston was inspired to pursue acting by one of her teachers at Rosebery School for Girls. Kingston auditioned and performed in the Surrey County Youth Theatre production of Tom Jones, as Mrs Fitzpatrick alongside Sean Pertwee, Captain Fitzpatrick and Thwackum played by Tom Davison. She later completed a three-year programme at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and went on to join the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Kingston has appeared in a number of British-produced television dramas, including Grange Hill, Crocodile Shoes, The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders, The Knock and a guest role on The Bill.

James Rawlings (born 1974) is a British actor and comedy writer for stage, film, television and radio.

Rawlings is a member of the comedic sketch trio The Consultants, alongside Neil Edmond and Justin Edwards. In 2002 they won the Perrier award Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The Consultants went on to record three series for BBC Radio 4 between 2002 and 2005. James is currently engaged in several development and writing projects for television and internet media. He also appeared in one episode of the BBC programme Waterloo Road in Series 3 Episode 16 playing supply teacher Wilson Bigham.

Beverley Knight MBE (born 22 March 1973) is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer who released her debut album in 1995. Heavily influenced by soul greats such as Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, Knight has released six studio albums to date. Widely labelled as one of Britain's greatest soul singers, Knight is best known for her hit singles "Greatest Day", "Get Up!", "Shoulda Woulda Coulda" and "Come as You Are".

In 2006, Knight solidified her transmission into the mainstream by starring in BBC One music TV show, Just the Two of Us, a role she reprised in 2007. After releasing a platinum-selling compilation album in 2006, Knight went on to tour the UK with a reformed Take That. She has also hosted four series of the [[BBC Radio 2] show Beverley's Gospel Nights, which explores the origins and impact of gospel music. To date the show has run for four seasons and has featured interviews with stars such as Destiny's Child and Shirley Caesar.

Knight is an ambassador for many charities such as Christian Aid and has travelled to areas affected by disease and poverty to help raise awareness. She is an active campaigner for anti-Aids organisations such as the Stop AIDS Campaign and The Terrence Higgins Trust and is also a vocal campaigner against homophobic lyrics in urban music. On Saturday 15 August 2009 she performed live at the 4th annual UK Black Pride event in Regents Park.