This Outstanding Kindness Award is awarded to an individual pupil who has demonstrated an exceptional level of kindness within their school or community during the 2023/24 school year.

We are so excited to announce that James, a Year 2 pupil from Binfield CE Primary School in Berkshire, has been honoured with the Outstanding Pupil Award at our national Kindness Awards!

We surprised James with the award at a special school assembly (the school even snuck his mum in to watch!)

James has organised regular food bank collections at his school to help people in need. He started the project after learning that food banks sometimes struggle to receive enough food.

His Headteacher, Mrs Suzie Featherstone-Wright, said: “We are absolutely delighted that James has been recognised for this wonderful award. He is only 7 years old, but he recognised that others needed his help and decided to take action – he has managed to get his whole school community behind him.”

James was selected for Award by our wonderful panel of judges that included Anna Bassi (Editorial Director of The Week Junior ), Stacie Swift (author and illustrator), the Carless family (Pride of Britain Community Hero Award winners), and Kumbi Kariwo (NHS).

Anna Bassi said: “Congratulations to James for winning this very well-deserved award. Acts of kindness and compassion such as his serve to inspire all of us, and prove what can be achieved when a person sets their mind to making a positive difference in the world. Bravo James for having such a big heart!”

Congratulations, James! 🌟

And thank you to everyone who made a nomination in the awards. There is so much kindness happening in schools all over the country and the judges did not have an easy job!

Watch the moment James was surprised with the award…

Runners Up in this category included 4 amazing children who have been spreading kindness in their schools and local community. Photos will be shared shortly! Congratulations to:

Ellie Mai
Ellie-Mai is in year 4. She has demonstrated kindness in every aspect of her life – at home, in her school, in her local community and also to herself. She helps with activities in school during breaktimes to help the teachers and suggests wellbeing activities. She also regularly visits elderly neighbours, cares for rescue animals, walks dogs for owners who are unable to, and has helped friends and family members when they were injured or unwell.

Anaya
Year 4 pupil Anaya is a wonderful role model for her school. She always demonstrates kindness towards her peers and adults. At home, Anaya helps to care for her siblings, particular her youngest sibling who has additional needs. “She is always willing to constantly care for everyone and everything in our school.”  Anaya gives up her lunchtime to support younger children in the dining hall. She goes above and beyond in her everyday life, showing us all how we can be selfless and considerate to everyone.

Freddie
Freddie is in year 5. He approached his teachers in March to ask if the school could mark World Down Syndrome Day, because he wanted to raise awareness and some money for the cause. Freddie has a younger sister with Down Syndrome. He ended up leading the day for the school, planned fundraisers, raised awareness and shared his experiences with his peers. Freddie and his friends raised £145!

Jake
Jake showed exceptional kindness and helped to donate funds to a homeless person in his community.

This Outstanding Kindness Award is awarded to an individual adult working within a school who has demonstrated an exceptional level of kindness during the 2023/24 school year.

We are delighted to announce that Charlotte Murray, the much-loved teaching assistant and leader of the Mighty Minds Club at Chulmleigh Primary School in Devon, has been chosen as the winner of the Outstanding Adult Award at our national Kindness Awards.

We surprised Charlotte at a special assembly at her school and there were a LOT of tears.

As you can hear from her colleagues and pupils in the video below, Charlotte is a very special person who provides a safe space and a listening ear for everyone in her school community.

In the words of one teacher we spoke to, “everyone needs a Charlotte in their school.”

Charlotte runs the Mighty Minds Club during playtimes and lunchtimes, where children can come and chat with her, sew with her, and create posters in a super caring environment. She also runs a craft club after school in her own time to support children and give them more kindness in a supportive atmosphere. She checks in with children and adults throughout the day and always makes everyone feel special.

Charlotte was selected by a panel of judges: Dr. David Hamilton (kindness scientist and best-selling author), Donna Ashworth (best-selling author and poet), Dan Devonald (Director of Einstein Tax), Jennifer Pearson (BAME Nurse of the Year), and Miriam Coffie (Deputy Clinical Manager in the NHS).

The judges praised Charlotte for her unwavering dedication to supporting children and creating a nurturing environment where every child feels worthy, valued, supported, and cared for.

Her colleagues said, “She truly is one of the world’s undercover, quietest, but kindest people – we all adore her!”

Judge Dan Devonald commented, “Charlotte’s dedication to fostering a supportive and nurturing environment for children, her unwavering kindness, and her commitment to making everyone feel valued and special are why I believe she truly deserves the Kindness Award.”

This award was proudly sponsored by Einstein Tax.

Congratulations to the two runners up in this category.

Nicola Shotton
School Admin Officer / Front of House Superstar at St Hild’s CE Primary School

Nicola is kind, calm and patient and goes above and beyond to help people. “She cares deeply about everyone in our school community, always has time for people, no matter how busy she is, and she looks out for people, especially if she knows that they have been worried or upset about something.” If she knows there is a problem, she goes out of her way to look out for that person and she does all she can to help them.

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Donna Igoe
SENCO
Sacred Heart Catholic School

Donna was nominated by the kindness ambassador pupils at her school. They said she works relentlessly to ensure all of the children are included and involved in everything to do with our school life. “She is kind to everyone and always has a smile on her face. She makes time to talk to all of the children and staff, no matter how busy she is.” She is always popping in and out of classrooms, checking that we are all learning with everything that we need, supporting children and staff with strategies to help make everything less stressful. She has a massive impact on all of the children in school with her magic ways. “She sprinkles us with fairy dust to help us face our fears, to get through the day and gives us prayer bear to help comfort us when we are feeling scared. She shares her hugs when we need it and gives us the best advice.”

This Collective Kindness Award is awarded to a class or school group that has demonstrated an exceptional level of kindness during the 2023/24 school year.

We are very excited to announce that Cara-Diane and Tilly, two amazing students from Stretton Sugwas Academy in Hereford, have won the Collective Kindness Award!

Their incredible initiative, a Kindness Podcast, has inspired their peers and made a huge impact on their school community. The podcast encourages everyone to spread kindness, and their dedication has now been recognised on a national level.

Tilly said: “Mr Ford told us we were just interviewing Jaime and Greig from the School of Kindness on our podcast and then they turn up with an award. We never expected that!”

Cara-Diane said: “I don’t know what to say….thank you!”

The judging panel included: Jo Tutchener Sharp (founder and CEO of Scamp & Dude), Emily Coxhead (author and founder of the Happy Newspaper), St Chad’s Primary School Kindness Ambassadors, and Manjit Darby MBE (Senior Nurse and Non-Exec Director, NHS).

The girls were nominated by their headteacher, Mr Ford, who said: “I’m so proud of the girls. Through their own ideas, they’ve created a legacy of kindness that will be built on by the next crop of budding podcasters.”

Jo from Scamp & Dude (who also kindly sponsored this award) said: “Being a judge at the Kindness Awards has been an incredibly rewarding experience. These awards are a perfect match for what we do at Scamp & Dude, as we believe in kindness as a superpower – especially among impressionable young minds. I’m so proud to celebrate these winners who embody the spirit of kindness in everything they do.” 

The girls’ prizes include lots of goodies from Scamp & Dude, and subscriptions to The Week Junior magazine and The Happy Newspaper. 🌈✨

Congratulations to Cara-Diane and Tilly for making the world a kinder place!

Watch the moment they were surprised with their award…

Team Hunger No More
William Hulme’s Grammar School

Congratulations to this team of Year 6 pupils who have shown amazing kindness and compassion in their project to help end hunger in Manchester. The children were challenged to deliver their own social action project and chose to focus on Global Goal 2 – No Hunger as they became aware that food poverty is a huge issue facing the local community.

Since starting their project in November 2024, the pupils have been raising awareness of food poverty in Manchester, visited a local food bank to understand more about the families using it, and developed a plan for how the school community could help. They held a food donation drive and also petitioned the government to ask them to provide more money to families on Universal Credit.

Their food drive brought in enough food for 372 meals! They also inspired so many people in the local community. Well done Team Hunger No More!

The Kind School Award is awarded to a school that is creating and embedding a culture of kindness, putting kindness and wellbeing at the heart of what they do.

UNDERBANK PRIMARY SCHOOL!

We are thrilled to announce that the winner of our national Kind School Award for 2024 is Underbank Primary School in Scotland.

This incredible recognition celebrates the school’s outstanding efforts in fostering a culture of kindness and helping everyone feel valued and supported.

The school has introduced a range of initiatives to encourage self-kindness, kindness to others and kindness to the planet. And their kindness extends beyond the school gates, with charitable work in their local community.

Underbank Primary School was selected for the Kind School Award by a distinguished panel of judges, including Prof. Robin Banerjee, Dr Jeremy Hannay, Vincent Brittain and Beth McKenna.

The judges said kindness was clearly woven into the fabric of the school community and they were truly impressed by the many different ways the school nurtured kindness.

They were also so impressed with the fantastic array of schools in the shortlist, saying there was a ‘truly inspiring ethos of kindness.’

Head teacher at Underbank Primary school, Mrs Margo Millar, said, “We are delighted to receive this recognition of our continuous effort to promote kindness in our school and community.The importance of being kind and the many benefits to oneself and to others can’t be underestimated. A school community is the perfect environment to promote a kind and caring culture.”

As well as the honour of being crowned as our ‘Kind School’ for 2024, Underbank Primary School will also receive a Kindness Table for their playground, donated by the kind people at NBB Recycled Furniture, a kind book bundle for their school library, and subscriptions to The Week Junior and Happy Newspaper.

Just a few of the many examples of Underbank’s kind initiatives include:

• The appointment of pupil Kindness Ambassadors, who contribute to kindness assemblies in the school
• ‘Caught being kind’ stickers given out in the playground by adults and pupils
• Kindness lessons embedded in the curriculum
• Community outreach projects, such as inviting local elderly residents for coffee and cake events at the schools.
• Regular fundraising for charity.
• Forest school pupils helping in the community park to keep local pathways clear.
• Teaching meditation and mindfulness and the installation of cosy corners and wellbeing areas in the school.
• The practice of restorative conversations to resolve any conflicts when they arise.

Watch the moment Underbank pupils found out they won the award…

Congratulations to the joint runners-up in this category.

Hereward Primary School, Essex 

Michael Sydall C of E Aided Primary School, North Yorkshire

Both schools have worked tirelessly to embed a culture of kindness in their school communities,  implementing a range of initiatives including dedicated kindness lessons, internal kindness awards to celebrate and encourage kindness, earning kindness badges, community outreach to spread kindness in their communities, staff wellbeing activities and much more.

Photos to follow shortly!