Celebrating 25 years of excellence in design and technology

Published 13th October 2025

On Friday the 10th October, the design and technology community came together to celebrate a truly special milestone, the 25th annual Design & Technology Association Excellence Awards.

Hosted at the Triumph Factory Visitor Experience in Hinckley, the evening provided a fitting backdrop for a celebration of innovation and creativity. Surrounded by examples of world-class British design and engineering, guests gathered to honour the people who make design and technology such an inspiring and life-changing subject. A special thank you to Triumph for generously hosting the evening and helping us make it such a memorable occasion.

For 25 years, these prestigious awards have recognised the passion, creativity, and commitment that teachers, pupils, and industry partners bring to D&T every day. Each nomination tells a story of someone going above and beyond, leading inspiring projects, building confidence, and opening doors for young people to explore the possibilities of design and technology.

This year’s award categories highlighted excellence across subject leadership, teaching, research, industry engagement, and pupil achievement. The awards shone a light on the incredible collaboration between schools and industry that keeps our subject moving forward.

Celebrating this year’s winners

This year’s winners demonstrated the true power of D&T to transform learning and inspire futures:

• The AssetTagz Excellence Award for Outstanding Secondary Subject Leadership was presented to Chris Davis (Oastlers School) for transforming his department into a vibrant, trauma-informed space where every learner can thrive.
• The Royal Ballet & Opera Schools Create & Design Excellence Award for Outstanding Primary Subject Leadership was awarded to Les Ball (Shropshire Hills Federation) for embedding D&T at the heart of his federation’s curriculum and leaving a lasting legacy as he retires this year.
• The James Dyson Foundation Excellence Award Recognising Outstanding D&T Teacher went to Pat Link (Neston High School) for inspiring students through sustainability, innovation, and his pioneering Precious Plastic project.
• The Nook Pods Excellence Award for Inspirational Support Staff within D&T was awarded to Charlie Wicks (Hethersett Academy) for her creativity, technical expertise, and tireless support for both colleagues and pupils.
• The Institution of Engineering and Technology Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution to D&T was presented to Dawn Foxall, founder of the Textiles Skills Centre, for her exceptional work supporting teachers nationwide through training, mentoring, and E-Learning.
• The Enginuity Excellence Award for Outstanding Industry Engagement (Teacher) was awarded to Rebecca Archer and Paula Carmichael (WMG Academy for Young Engineers) for their extensive work connecting students with industry and creating meaningful, hands-on experiences.
• The OnePlanet Excellence Award for Outstanding Industry Engagement (Industry Partner) went to Kieron Scillitoe (Scillitoe Bros Garage) for his outstanding commitment to mentoring students and supporting real-world learning opportunities.
• The Cenata Excellence Award for Outstanding Departmental Team was presented to The Bradfield College Design Team for creating a dynamic, collaborative, and future-focused design department defined by creativity and innovation.
• The Royal Academy of Engineering Excellence Award for Outstanding Pupil (Age 12–16) was awarded to Harry Peel (Nidderdale High School & Community College) for his innovative farm gritter project, designed to solve real-world challenges through sustainable thinking.
• The WJEC CBAC Excellence Award for the Bernard Brown Outstanding Pupil (Age 16–18) went to Pacha Pritchard (Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern) for her remarkable technical achievements, innovation, and leadership in national STEM competitions.
• The Design & Technology Association Award for Positive Impact (New Designers) was presented to Utsav Mahendra Jolapara (University of Leeds) for his inspiring journey into product design and his commitment to improving lives through medical innovation.

A night of pride, passion, and purpose

The awards ceremony was a joyful celebration of everything that makes design and technology such a vital part of education. It was a night filled with pride, connection, and shared purpose, with teachers and colleagues coming together to celebrate the creativity and innovation that define our subject.

As we mark 25 years of the Design & Technology Association Excellence Awards, we celebrate not just the winners, but the entire teaching community who continue to inspire curiosity, confidence, and creativity in every classroom and workshop.

Here is to the next 25 years of design and technology, a subject that continues to shape futures, spark imagination, and make a difference every single day.

A huge thank you to our incredible sponsors who make this celebration possible:
AssetTagz The Royal Ballet & Opera Schools The James Dyson Foundation Nook Pods The Institution of Engineering and Technology Enginuity OnePlanet Cenata Local Supply Chain The Royal Academy of Engineering WJEC CBAC TSL. 

Watch the highlight video below.