Why Outstanding Governance Deserves the Spotlight
Discover the NGA Outstanding Governance Awards 2025, celebrating the unsung heroes behind successful schools and trusts. Recognising excellence in leadership, accountability, and strategic vision, these awards highlight the individuals and boards making a lasting impact on education.
Great governance doesn’t often make headlines—but it should. Behind every thriving school and trust are dedicated governors, trustees and governance professionals whose skills, integrity, and commitment shape the future of young people. Their work is essential yet often unseen. The Outstanding Governance Awards exist to change that, recognising and celebrating those who make an extraordinary impact on education.
The National Governance Association’s (NGA) Outstanding Governance Awards 2025 shines a spotlight on the individuals and governing boards who demonstrate excellence in leadership, accountability, and strategic vision. These awards are more than just a celebration; they are an essential recognition of the best in school and trust governance, setting a benchmark for others to aspire to.
Why Celebrate Governance?
Governing boards are crucial in ensuring schools and trusts provide the best possible education for children and young people. Yet, this vital role is often undertaken with little public recognition despite the significant time and dedication it demands.NGA’s annual governance survey highlights the concerns and challenges those governing face, including increasing workload, financial pressures, and recruitment difficulties. Now, more than ever, it is essential to acknowledge and celebrate governance excellence, showcasing the dedication of those who drive real change in education.
The 2025 awards will recognise outstanding contributions across multiple categories, ensuring a broad range of governance excellence is celebrated from all settings. Categories include:
- Outstanding Governing Board in a Single School – Recognising strategic leadership in maintaining high standards and improving pupil outcomes.
- Outstanding Governing Board in a Multi-Academy Trust – Celebrating effective governance in the trust sector, demonstrating collaboration and innovation.
- Outstanding Governance Professional – Highlighting the vital role of clerks and governance professionals in ensuring effective decision-making.
- Outstanding Lead Governance Professional – Acknowledging those who lead governance teams across trusts and other settings.
These categories ensure that governance excellence is recognised in all forms, from individual dedication to collective leadership.
The Outstanding Governance Awards 2025 winners will be celebrated at a special event on the Terrace of the Houses of Parliament. This iconic venue reflects the importance of governance in education and the need to recognise those who go the extra mile. The event will unite education leaders, policymakers, and governance colleagues to celebrate their hard work and impact.
The Outstanding Governance Awards are every two years, with the previous being held in 2023. It set a high standard, showcasing inspirational governance stories from across the country. Winners and finalists demonstrated how strong governance leads to improved outcomes, innovative practices, and resilient leadership. Their stories provided not only recognition but valuable lessons for others looking to enhance governance in their schools and trusts.
With the 2025 awards, NGA continues this tradition, ensuring that governance remains in the spotlight, inspiring and shaping the future of education leadership.
How to Get Involved
If you know a governing board, trustee, or governance professional who deserves recognition, consider nominating them for the Outstanding Governance Awards 2025. By celebrating these unsung heroes, we reinforce the value of governance and encourage excellence across the education sector.
The time to champion governance is now. Let’s ensure those making a difference receive the recognition they truly deserve.
The Outstanding Governance Awards 2025
Sam Henson
Deputy Chief Executive
Sam oversees NGA’s policy, communications and research services, supporting NGA to achieve positive change in the policy of school governance. He is the policy lead for NGA’s work on the governance of multi academy trusts.