Update on the NEiTA 2020 Awards. Nominations are now closed.

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The NEiTA Foundation, through the National Excellence in Teaching Awards, has been recognising outstanding teachers for over 25 years. 

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Since its establishment in 1994, more than 1,050 teachers have received NEiTA Awards, and more than AUD1 million have been disbursed in development grants and prizes.

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The NEiTA 2020 Awards offer a tangible way for Australian and New Zealand communities to publicly recognise and applaud inspirational educators, teachers, school principals and centre directors, and give them the opportunity to win a $5,000 or $10,000 cash prize*. All it takes is a few minutes of your time.

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A special season of NEiTA in 2020

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In a lot of ways, 2020 has proven to be a year like no other. Across the world schooling has changed owing to the effects of the spread of COVID-19. Schooling across Australia and New Zealand has been fundamentally impacted by lockdowns, school closures and the necessity to adopt online learning techniques for all school ages. The teaching profession, including early childhood educators, has as a group risen to the challenge magnificently.

 

The NEiTA Foundation believes that in 2020 the appreciation of parents has been greatest for those teachers who put extra thought into digital methods to enhance learnings, worked deliberately to motivate their students, interacted frequently with them and facilitated their interactions with each other. We believe that the best teachers have supported the wellbeing of students and taken some pressure off parents. And in this special 2020 NEiTA Awards we also acknowledge specifically, for the first time, principals, and school heads for their leadership in a time of constant change.

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Through NEiTA 2020 we give parents and school communities the opportunity to say thank you and to show their appreciation to outstanding teachers by nominating them for a National Excellence in Teaching Award.

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Awards for Australian teachers, principals, and early childhood educators

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• NEiTA Award for Innovation in Online Teaching: This award acknowledges 2020’s heroes – teachers who went the extra mile to support their children to learn online during school closures. The award will be presented to 12 primary and secondary school teachers across Australia. Recipients will receive national recognition, a handmade crystal apple trophy, a certificate, and a $5,000 cash prize.

• Early Childhood/Preschool Teachers’ Awards: The award will be presented to four early childhood educators across Australia. Recipients will receive national recognition, a handmade crystal apple trophy, a certificate, and a $5,000 cash prize.

• NEiTA Founders’ Principals Award for Leadership: This award acknowledges the astuteness of far-thinking principals of primary and secondary schools across Australia who are responsive to challenges in school education, and who work to provide quality online learning environments for students while supporting their teaching staff. This award will be presented to two recipients across Australia, who will receive national recognition, a handmade crystal apple trophy, a certificate, and a $10,000 cash prize.

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Special awards

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Recipients of the above NEiTA 2020 Awards will also be considered for extra recognition through the following special awards:

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• The Terry O’Connell Regional and Remote Teachers’ Award: This award was created in memory of former NEiTA Foundation Chairman Terry O’Connell, who was a passionate advocate for teachers in remote and regional areas who work in difficult and challenging parts of Australia.

• Early Careers Teaching Award: This award recognises the efforts taken by an early careers teacher who has been teaching continuously for a period of between two and four years to incorporate differentiated strategies to meet the specific learning needs of students.

• Futurity Parents’ Awards: These awards place the nominating parent or grandparent in the spotlight, as only teachers or early childhood educators nominated by a member of Futurity Investment Group (formerly known as “Australian Scholarships Group” or “ASG”) will be eligible for this award. One Futurity Parents’ Award will be presented, on behalf of the nominator, to the best nominee from preschool, primary and secondary school categories.

 

These special awards do not carry a prize of monetary value.

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Don’t miss this opportunity to thank an exceptional Australian teacher who has made a difference to your child’s life and the school community. 

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Awards for New Zealand teachers, principals and early childhood educators

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• NEiTA Award for Innovation in Online Teaching: This award acknowledges 2020’s heroes – teachers who went the extra mile to support their children to learn online during school closures. The award will be presented to six primary and secondary school teachers across New Zealand. Recipients will receive national recognition, a handmade crystal apple trophy, a certificate, and a $5,000 cash prize.

• Early Childhood/Preschool Teachers’ Awards: The award will be presented to up to four early childhood teachers and educators across New Zealand. Recipients will receive national recognition, a handmade crystal apple trophy, a certificate, and a $5,000 cash prize.

• NEiTA Founders’ Principals Award for Leadership: This award acknowledges the astuteness of far-thinking principals of primary and secondary schools across New Zealand who are responsive to challenges in school education, and who work to provide quality online learning environments for students while supporting their teaching staff. They will be presented to one or two recipients across New Zealand, who will receive national recognition, a handmade crystal apple trophy, a certificate, and a $10,000 cash prize.

 

Don’t miss this opportunity to thank an exceptional New Zealand teacher who has made a difference to your child’s life and the school community. 

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• Community nominations for the NEiTA 2020 Awards are now closed.

• To be eligible for an Award, nominated teachers must have accepted their nomination, and completed and submitted their self-portrait no later than noon on Thursday, 8 October 2020.

• Once judging has taken place, we will seek endorsement of shortlisted finalists from their respective school principals or school councils.

• Finalists, and unsuccessful candidates, will be notified by 26 October 2020.

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*Note: Where a recipient is due to retire or leave the teaching profession within 12 months of receiving the grant, the cash prize will be given to the school or centre for use in community development programmes or special projects that will need to be pre-approved by the NEiTA Foundation.

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