Celebrating Kind Schools, Groups, Pupils and Adults

We’re delighted to announce the winners of the 2026 Kindness Awards, celebrating the schools, groups, pupils, and adults who are making kindness an everyday part of school life.

After receiving inspiring nominations from across the UK, our judging panel selected four national winners whose compassion and commitment to others truly stood out.

The winners were celebrated at a special awards event in London, hosted by Howden, where pupils, teachers, families, judges and supporters came together to recognise their remarkable achievements.

Kind School Award

Winner: St Barnabas CE Primary School, Worcester

The Kind School Award recognises a school where kindness is embedded in every aspect of school life.

The judges were hugely impressed by the way kindness isn’t treated as an initiative at St Barnabas – it’s simply part of who they are. From their strong sense of belonging and community to the way pupils support one another and staff prioritise wellbeing, kindness is woven through everything they do.

Collective Kindness Award

Winner: Frogmore Junior School Inclusion Group, Camberley

The Inclusion Group at Frogmore Junior School showed just how powerful young people can be when they work together to improve life for others.

Their projects have included creating a sensory garden, introducing a buddy bench and buddy stop, and ensuring every pupil has a voice in making their school more welcoming and inclusive. The judges praised the group’s determination to turn ideas into action, to genuinely listen to and value the voices of those in their school,  and to create lasting change for their whole school community.

Graham Spivey Kind Adult Award

Winner: Miss Naomi Ward, Summerseat Primary School, Bury

This award celebrates an adult who goes above and beyond to make children feel valued, supported and cared for. It is named in memory of a wonderful man who embodied everything this award stands.

The judges were deeply moved by the impact Miss Ward has had on the children around them, creating an environment where every child feels seen, listened to and believed in. Their unwavering kindness has transformed the lives of countless young people in their care.

Kind Pupil Award

Winner: Noah, East Hunsbury Primary School.

Noah was recognised for showing that kindness isn’t about grand gestures – it’s about how we treat people every single day.

When asked why kindness matters, Noah said: “Kindness is everything. Somebody may be going through a really hard time… who knows, someone could be having that bad moment right now, and those small bits of kindness help millions. They could be struggling, they may have something at home they’re struggling with, and they keep that deep inside them. Those little bits of kindness help a mile.”

His empathy and genuine care for others was inspirational.

A huge thank you to every school, group, pupil and member of staff who was nominated. We were overwhelmed by how many amazing humans there are in primary schools across the country. It made this year’s judging incredibly difficult!

We’re also enormously grateful to our wonderful judges, our sponsors, and everyone who helped make this year’s celebration possible.

Congratulations once again to all of our winners. Thank you for showing that kindness really can change lives.