A pioneering partnership led by North Cambridge Academy has been named a Silver Award winner in the School or College Partnership of the Year category at the prestigious Pearson National Teaching Awards.
The North Cambridge Futures partnership was brokered by Cambridge 2030 and brings together North Cambridge Academy, Stephen Perse Cambridge, Costello Medical, AstraZeneca and a range of wider stakeholders. The partnership has been recognised for its transformative work supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and helping to break down barriers to educational and career opportunities.
Established in 2018, the partnership was created to address educational inequality and raise aspirations for students in one of Cambridge’s most disadvantaged communities. Through academic support, mentoring, work experience, activity days, bursaries and careers guidance, the collaboration has opened doors for hundreds of young people who may otherwise have lacked access to these opportunities and has now spread to include wider partners such as Cambridge Consultants and Innovate Cambridge.
Starting with a bursary scheme, the programme has expanded over the past seven years, supporting students through subject enrichment, tutoring, work experience programmes, university pathways and fully funded sixth form bursaries. To date, 24 students from North Cambridge Academy have attended Stephen Perse Cambridge Sixth Form on 100% bursaries sponsored by Costello Medical and AstraZeneca, with many progressing to leading universities including Imperial College London, the University of Bath, the University of East Anglia and Oxford Brookes University.
The partnership has also provided extensive employer engagement opportunities through Costello Medical, AstraZeneca and other corporate and educational stakeholders in the city. Costello Medical has delivered annual work experience programmes and employability workshops for North Cambridge Academy students since 2019, while AstraZeneca joined the partnership in 2026, providing mentoring, careers guidance and workplace experiences for students.
The judges recognised that, with the support of Cambridge 2030, the partnership’s sustained commitment to improving social mobility, raising aspirations and creating meaningful opportunities for young people has helped to strengthen understanding and collaboration across education and industry and has aided the development of wider projects with wider partners in the city.
Jane Driver, Principal at North Cambridge Academy, said: “At North Cambridge Academy, we know that talent is evenly distributed, but opportunity is not. The North Cambridge Futures partnership was built on a determination to change that.
“Together with Stephen Perse Cambridge, Costello Medical, AstraZeneca and through the support of Cambridge 2030 and other developing partners, we have created opportunities that are helping our students succeed academically, professionally and personally. This award is a celebration of the extraordinary potential of our young people and the exciting impact that real partnerships can have on a community.”
The North Cambridge Futures partnership is among 99 outstanding teachers, lecturers, leaders, support staff and education settings honoured as Silver Winners in this year’s awards on National Thank a Teacher Day, in recognition of their dedication and impact.
The partnership will now be in with the chance of winning the prestigious Gold Award, which will be announced at a national awards ceremony in London and on BBC’s The One Show later this year.
National Thank a Teacher Day and the Pearson National Teaching Awards are run by the Teaching Awards Trust, an independent charity established over 25 years ago to celebrate the transformative impact of education, shining a spotlight on the pivotal roles teachers, support staff, colleges, schools and early years educators play in inspiring young people every single day.
Sir Michael Morpurgo, author, former Children’s Laureate, and President of the Teaching Awards Trust, says: “The dedication and impact of those involved in educating young people is truly remarkable. Their influence extends well beyond the classroom. Long before children find their voice, their confidence, or their calling, there is usually a teacher who helped them get there, working patiently and persistently, and often without any recognition at all. That is what makes National Thank a Teacher Day so important. It is a rare and well-deserved moment to celebrate our teachers and say we are grateful.
“I am especially proud to congratulate this year’s Silver award winners. In a world that moves quickly and demands so much, you have chosen to invest your time, energy, and passion into future generations, and that is something truly worth celebrating. Thank you for the dedication you show every single day.”
Sharon Hague, CEO of Pearson UK, says: “For many of us, a teacher was the person who helped us believe in ourselves and recognise what we were capable of. Every day, educators support young people to be the best they can be, nurturing their potential and leaving a lasting impact that follows them into adulthood. We are proud to take this opportunity to say thank you to the teachers up and down the country who make our schools so special. This year’s Silver Winners represent the amazing dedication and brilliant work that goes on in classrooms across the country, and we’re delighted to be celebrating them today. Congratulations to every Silver Winner!”