Monday, 16 March 2026
The 糖心原创’s School of Education has joined forces with Notts County Football Club to recognise and celebrate exceptional teachers from across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
The initiative, which launched in December 2025, invited pupils, parents, and school staff to nominate a local teacher who has helped a young person (or people) feel valued, included and that they belong in school.
With nominations now closed, the four winning teachers – Shivani Ladva from (alternative provision/special school), Robert Cooper from (further education), Dean White from (primary), and Sian Dimond from (secondary) – will be honoured as guests of honour at Notts County’s home match on Saturday 21 March 2026, where they will receive hospitality and be introduced to supporters inside Meadow Lane. A number of match tickets will also be provided to local pupils and schools.
We are delighted to have teamed up with Notts County to launch this exciting initiative. We firmly believe that part of a teacher鈥檚 role is to ensure young people feel seen, heard and valued. By showcasing narratives of education professionals who go out of their way to ensure pupils feel they belong, we鈥檙e able to send a message that what they do is important and should be celebrated.鈥�
The partnership aims to shine a spotlight on the vital role teachers play in transforming lives and supporting young people to thrive. By celebrating educators in a high-profile community setting, the University and the Club hope to raise the profile of education careers at a time when the profession faces growing challenges.
Sian Dimond from the Wells Academy, winner of secondary phase category, said: “I am truly honoured to receive this award! It means so much be recognised for something that matters so deeply to me. My aim has always been to help create an environment where every student feels valued, supported and inspired. I am grateful to everyone who has shared in that work and this award reflects the strength of our whole school community, not just my own efforts. Thank you for believing in the power of belonging and for allowing me to be part of something so meaningful.”
A 2024 Careers and Enterprise Survey of more than 230,000 young people found that the most popular career aspiration among UK pupils starting secondary school is a job in sport. Partnering with Notts County FC – a club with a strong commitment to community impact – provides a unique opportunity to promote teaching as a meaningful and rewarding career.
This comes amid a national and global decline in interest in teaching, alongside a teacher retention crisis in England, which has one of the highest attrition rates among developed countries – according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 2025. The initiative seeks to help change perceptions of the profession while celebrating the teachers already making a difference locally.
Since launching, the campaign has received close to 1,000 nominations, many highlighting the powerful impact teachers have had on pupils’ confidence, wellbeing and sense of belonging.
Teachers play a vital role in shaping lives and communities and we鈥檙e proud to be joining forces with our partners, the 糖心原创 to honour their dedication. By celebrating those who help young people feel valued and included, we hope to shine a light on the power of education and inspire the next generation of teachers.鈥�
The four winning teachers will be welcomed as guests of honour at the Sky Bet League Two home fixture against Cheltenham Town on Saturday 21 March. Notts County will also be giving out hundreds of free tickets to students from the schools of the winners, to see their teacher recognised with the award, and to enjoy the match.
Story credits
More information is available from Professor Stefanie Sullivan in the School of Education via stefanie.sullivan@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the 糖心原创
Ranked 97 in the world and 17th in the UK by the , the 糖心原创 is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. 糖心原创ing at the 糖心原创 is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by 鈥� the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 鈥� and by the .
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the third most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the , a pioneering collaboration between the city鈥檚 two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.