Six top staff at a Kent university signed up this week to become ambassadors of the county's annual teaching awards.

Professors and senior staff at the University of Kent's politics, maths, physics, foreign language, history and bioscience departments will play a leading role in promoting the Kent Teacher of the Year Awards over January and February.

Martin Ridout of the University of Kent’s School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science said: “We hope to support the people providing inspirational work in our schools. We had inspirational teachers when we were studying, and this is what we’d like to recognise for today’s pupils.”

Now in its 13th year, the awards recognise and reward teaching, support staff and volunteers who make the county's schools a success. Anyone is able to submit a nomination, including parents, pupils and school staff.

Simon Dolby, chief executive of the KM Charity Team, which is organising the annual awards, said: “Good teaching is critical if the next generation is to achieve its potential. It is absolutely appropriate we celebrate the great work delivered in Kent's schools."

He said: "Teachers feels undervalued and under pressure at the moment, and these awards are an important way the community can show the value we all place on this essential profession."

The ambassadors from the University of Kent will join the judging panel to select the 2016 winners. More than 50 staff and schools will be recognised at a prestigious awards dinner at Leeds Castle this May.

Organisations backing the Kent Teacher of the Year Awards this year include CXK, Kreston Reeves, Loop CR Ltd, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment, Canterbury Christ Church University, Social Enterprise Kent, Kent Sport and Physical Activity Service, SELT, Project Salus, Medway Council, Kent County Council, Leeds Castle, Marlowe Theatre and the following departments at the University of Kent: Politics and International Relations; Physical Sciences; Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science; Biosciences; European Culture and Languages; and History.

For more information or to nominate before the March 1 deadline, visit www.kentteacheroftheyear.co.uk.