Top staff and volunteers from the county’s schools and colleges had their moment in the spotlight at last night’s Kent Teacher of the Year Awards.

Fifty awards were presented to individuals and teams representing the cream of the crop at primary schools, secondary schools and colleges for each local authority area. And 22 winners were crowned best in the whole of Kent.

Among those clinching an overall prize were Peter Hygate of Stowting CofE Primary School, Ashford, named Kent Primary School Teacher of the Year, and Dartford geography teacher Garry Simmons of Wilmington Grammar School for Girls, winner of the secondary school accolade.

The Kent Apprenticeship Assessor of the Year Award went to Anthony Stockwell; a leading golf green keeping assessor from Tonbridge-based West Kent College, part of Hadlow College Group.

Folkestone’s Castle Hill Community Primary School saw head teacher Pete Talbot and his team win the Senior Leadership Team of the Year Award.

And Michelle Flemming, chair of the PTA for Borough Green Primary in Sevenoaks was named Kent Schools Volunteer of the Year.

The prestigious awards dinner was run by educational charity the KM Charity Team and staged at the Ashford International Hotel. Guest speakers included the charity’s honorary patron and star of CBeebies’ Mister Maker, Phil Gallagher, as well as double Olympic champion Jack Green, and Steven Holdcroft, head of recruitment and admissions for the event’s key partner the University of Kent.

CEO of the KM Charity Team, Simon Dolby, co-hosted the awards with Nicola Everett, head of multimedia news at the KM Group; a familiar presence for many as television presenter for KMTV and KMFM radio newsreader.

Winners were chosen by a panel of organisations who also presented the awards on the night.

These included representatives from the University of Greenwich, Kreston Reeves, Social Enterprise Kent, Medway Youth Trust, Canterbury Christ Church University, Loop CR, Diggerland, Kent Further Education, Kape HR, KCS, Towergate Insurance, The Education People, Kent Sport, Kent County Council, Medway Council, Salus, Blessing by Blé, and Three R’s Teacher Recruitment.

A booklet featuring details on why each winner was selected will be distributed to schools across Kent and Medway to share best practice.

The full story and a video news report will be available on the Charities section of KentOnline on Monday, May 13.

Visit www.KentTeacherOfTheYear.co.uk.

The KM Group is committed to helping the community through the KM Charity team. For more information and to find out what other good causes you can get involved in click here.