Entry guidelines

Our awards are very simple to enter and are open to anyone involved in UK further education. The information below will help you to prepare your entry.

• Entry is free


• These awards celebrate achievements during the 2017-18 academic year and are open to all UK further education institutions.


• All entrants must submit their entry online. The submission text should be no more than 500 words in length, and must specifically address the key criteria set out for the relevant category.


• In addition to the 500 word submission you may include up to three sets of additional supporting materials; each must be no more than two sides of A4 in length.


• If you wish to include tables please upload these as part of your supporting materials rather than including them within your submission text.


• You can enter as many categories as you wish, but you must complete a separate submission and dissimilar submission for each.


• We welcome second submissions, particularly where there has been significant progress during the additional 12 month period. Our panel of judges noted last year that a number of submissions across several categories were for projects or initiatives which were still relatively early in their cycle, and suggested that given a further 12 months the impact and success of these may become far more evident. 


• If your entry relates to an initiative or project carried out in collaboration with other institutions, please bear in mind that the submission should come from the lead institution, and any shortlisting will be in the name of that institution. We will try to mention partner institutions at the awards ceremony where appropriate.


• The awards are open to anyone working in the learning and skills sector, in an organisation which receives funding from the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) or the Education Funding Agency (EFA): colleges, work-based learning providers, adult and community learning providers, offender learning establishments, and specialist designated institutions.


• You may enter a project which has been undertaken in collaboration with an external public or private partner, but the award will be given to the winning further education institution only.


• Entry forms can also be completed by consultants working on behalf of entrants (for example by marketing or PR departments).


• Entries are open until midnight on Friday 6 June 2018. The shortlist for both sets of awards will be revealed at the AoC Annual Conference on Tuesday 20 November 2018, with the winners being announced at a gala ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London on Friday 22 February 2019.

Supporting material

A maximum of 3 supplementary documents are permitted

• Documents should be in PDF or word doc format
• Each document should not exceed two sides of A4
• Supporting material may include photographs, documents containing statistics, testimonials, supporting research, evaluation or inspection reports, press cuttings and promotional material; please highlight any sections you believe are particularly relevant
• PowerPoint, video files and web links will not be accepted; however, you may submit screen shots

Any information submitted outside these guidelines will not be considered as part of the submission

Preparing your entry

When preparing your submission please review the award criteria carefully    

Ensure that your submission contains sufficient robust information.

Please include relevant facts and figures where possible. Some categories may ask you to include details of a particular initiative or initiatives; please think carefully about these and select those that best promote your expertise

As well as completing the institution name field on the application form, please ensure that you also enter the specific team or project in the nominee field

Please note that we will use the institution name rather than that of the project or team in our coverage, although on the awards day we will refer more specifically to the shortlisted project or team. Winners may also choose to have their department or school name engraved on the trophy and printed on the certificate

On receipt of your submission, a unique ID number will be generated and emailed to you. This will be quoted in subsequent Tes FE Awards 2019 correspondence relating to your entry, including any notification of shortlisting, so please do cross-check this, particularly if your institution has submitted multiple entries in any given category

The contact details you provide in your entry form will be used throughout the awards process. If these details change after the form has been submitted please send the new contact information by email to lindsey.fox@tesglobal.com