Recognising Australia’s education changemakers

Jump to winners | Jump to methodology | Jump to sponsors

On Friday, 8 August 2025, the best of what Australia’s education system has to offer was recognised and celebrated when more than 600 principals, deputies, department heads and teachers converged at the annual Australian Education Awards.

The nation’s top educators and schools were recognised across 29 award categories, including the national awards of Wayground (formerly Quizziz) Australian School of the Year and Compass Australian School Principal of the Year.

These top accolades were taken out by Hunter Sports High School and Adrian Camm, principal of Westbourne Grammar School, respectively.

AFL Schools, a long-time champion of teachers’ roles in shaping young minds, sponsored the Primary School of the Year (Government) award. Mark Morgan, national schools lead at AFL Schools, reflected on its support for the awards: “Given the current pressures faced by teachers, we are passionate about supporting the profession and recognising outstanding contributions to education. Our involvement in these awards is an opportunity to showcase our resources and connect with educators we might not usually reach. The Australian Education Awards are vital for celebrating the amazing work of teachers and elevating the importance of the profession nationwide.”

FACTS, known for giving back to the education community and nurturing the next generation of leaders, sponsored The Educator’s Rising Star of the Year award. Director Wendy Demarte said, “We’re proud to back rising educators making an impact early in their careers. Sponsoring this award is our way of celebrating their dedication and shining a light on the next generation of education leaders. The Australian Education Awards champion the unseen effort, creativity and heart that educators bring to their work every day, encouraging others to keep pushing forward.”

The Australian Boarding Schools Association, whose mission centres on celebrating excellence in boarding education, highlighted the unique contributions of boarding schools nationwide. “The Australian Education Awards are a powerful celebration of excellence in education and an outstanding way to recognise all we do well in our schools, especially our boarding schools,” said CEO Richard Stokes. “We are proud to sponsor this award and celebrate the achievements of our sector at this unforgettable event.”

Street Science, dedicated to inspiring future innovators through hands-on STEM experiences, sponsored the Best STEM Program award. Brook Anderson, general manager, explained, “We’re proud to support and celebrate educators delivering outstanding STEM programs. Sponsoring the Best STEM Program Award allows us to champion innovation in education and recognise schools transforming student outcomes through hands-on learning. The Australian Education Awards shine a spotlight on the passion, innovation and commitment seen in schools across the country, uplifting the profession and building a stronger, more connected education community.”

Compass, recognising the pivotal role of school leadership in driving educational excellence, sponsored the Australian School Principal of the Year award. CEO John de la Motte said, “School principals play a pivotal role in shaping the future of students and fostering thriving learning environments. By sponsoring this prestigious award, we aim to highlight the dedication, innovation and profound impact of principals across Australia. The Australian Education Awards celebrate the achievements of educators and school leaders, building pride in the profession and reminding us all of the impact education has on communities.”

Parentshop’s commitment to student wellbeing was reflected in its support for the Best Student Wellbeing Program category. Founder Michael Hawton commented: “Our mission is to support those who care for children and to be catalysts for effective change for the new generation. We sponsor the Best Student Wellbeing Program category to recognise those delivering real results for kids and communities. The Australian Education Awards honour educators who shape the future of our nation, rewarding their drive and passion and inspiring others to make a difference.”

A word from the event partner

The team at The Educator is extremely proud to be hosting the Australian Education Awards for the eighth year. The Educator continues to be Australia’s leading media resource for the education sector, delivering essential news, insights and analysis to you each week.

The last 12 months have likely been a little smoother for the sector than the year before. While many schools have found their rhythm, the education industry still faces significant challenges, including staff shortages, student wellbeing, funding pressures, and evolving learning needs. That’s why the work of school leaders, teachers, support staff, and education professionals is so worthy of recognition. Despite these ongoing obstacles, the education profession continues to step up and support students and school communities across the country. Tonight, we bring together Australia’s outstanding educators for an evening of celebration.

Every year, the judging panel is impressed by the quality of Excellence Awardee submissions, consistently noting the depth, professionalism, innovation, and leadership demonstrated by schools and educators – and 2025 is no exception. Tonight, we celebrate the very best in the field. The Australian Education Awards represent the pinnacle of achievement across K-12 education, from individual teachers and principals to schools of all sizes and specialties.

We want to thank the panel of judges who gave their time and expertise to the judging process. With hundreds of high-calibre nominations from across Australia, the level of competition was incredibly strong. The winners here tonight represent the best of an elite group. Congratulations, and best of luck to all the Excellence Awardees. We hope you have a truly fantastic evening.

Finally, we would like to thank all our sponsors whose generous support of these awards is greatly appreciated. Our thanks go out to A Team Tuition, AFL Schools, Australian Boarding Schools’ Association, Campion Education, Compass, FACTS, Parentshop, and Quizizz.

Nominations

A nationwide call for nominations will be conducted from February to March 2025 using The Educator’s online channels.

Stage Two – Research and selection of excellence awardees

The Australian Education Awards team will review the submissions and draw on industry knowledge and information gained through sister publication The Educator to indentify the outstanding schools and individuals in each category that will receive an “Excellence Award”.

Confirmation of excellence awardees

Once the research has been completed, excellence awardees will be selected in each category (except Australian School of the Year and Australian School Principal of the Year) and notified via e-mail. Excellence awardees will also be announced on The Educator’s website on 12 May. Excellence awardees for Australian School of the Year and Australian School Principal of the Year will comprise the winners of the other school and principal categories and will be announced at the event itself.

Judging

The Australian Education Awards team will send the shortlisted excellence awardee submissions to an independent panel of judges, comprising education industry leaders and senior representatives. Judges will be well known and well respected within the industry and their judgment will be impartial, balanced, incisive and fair. Any judge with a conflict of interest in a particular category will recuse themselves from judging that category.

Awards Ceremony

The winners in each category will be announced at the Australian Education Awards official gala event and awards ceremony on Friday, 8 August 2025 at The Star Event Centre, in Sydney. Winners will also be published on The Educator’s website.