Communities should nominate superhero school leaders for a Kent Teacher of the Year Award says a charity dedicated to effective leadership in education.

Southern Educational Leadership Trust (SELT) is backing the Senior Leadership Team category to highlight the people working tirelessly to improve their schools and help pupils to succeed.

The charity supports leadership training and development in education in a bid to improve the learning and life chances of children and young people.

Janice Shannon of SELT said: “The Kent Teacher of the Year Awards is a very important part of the community and the awards recognise senior leadership teams within schools, which are critical to the success of a good school.”

The event, organised by the KM Charity Team, can reward any individual or group contributing towards the accomplishments of a school. Categories include primary and secondary teachers, NQTs, volunteers and support staff.

Simon Dolby of the KM Charity Team said: “School staff are nominated by their peers as well as by parents and children of the families they serve. This gives communities the chance to say thank you to the hard working individuals making such a difference to their children’s prospects.”

Organisations trumpeting the county’s teachers by supporting the awards include representatives from Social Enterprise Kent, Project Salus, Leeds Castle, Marlowe Theatre, Kent Sport and Physical Activity Service, CXK, Kreston Reeves, Loop CR Ltd, Kent County Council, Canterbury Christ Church University, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment and the following departments at the University of Kent: History; Biosciences; European Culture and Languages; Politics and International Relations; Physical Sciences; and Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science.

An awards dinner will be staged at Leeds Castle in May when around 50 staff and schools will be honoured.

Submit one nomination or more at www.kentteacheroftheyear.co.uk before March 1.