Innovation Award

This category is to celebrate a new idea which has had a significant positive impact on children and young people or an educational establishment that has demonstrated a commitment to providing new opportunities for students.

Innovation is about thinking out-side the box, about doing things differently. It can be about taking a chance, about doing something in such a way as has previously not even considered, or perhaps dismissed as unworkable.

It's a very broad category, and innovation can mean many things. What one idea has some-one come up with to make the school better? How did they arrive at it? Was there any resistance? Was it thought to be so innovative that people didn't believe it could work?

Tell us about those leaps of faith that ultimately worked and created a better school that had a positive effect on the students or pupils, on the staff, on the whole establishment.

Innovation doesn't necessarily have to mean a huge financial outlay. It can be one simple idea which no-one else has had the imagination or courage to put into action, but which has reaped dividends for the school.

We want to hear about those fear-less individuals or groups of teachers, governors or parents who had the drive and vision to do the impossible... and made it work.

Which leaps of faith have created a better school leaving a positive effect on students and staff?

Watson Batty Architects was established in 1976 with a staff of just 12 working mainly on commercial and industrial projects. Today the firm boasts a 40-strong workforce and undertakes work nationally across most sectors and with a wide range of clients.

In line with their steady growth and in order to offer clients a more holistic service, Watson Batty has gradually broadened their original architectural skills to provide 3D graphics, interior design, sustainability, CDM and health and safety services.

Projects range from minor refurbishments to major multi-million pound new-build developments. They operate from their head office in Guiseley, with a regional office in Loughborough in the Midlands.

The dedicated design teams specialise in sectors such as commercial, faith, health, learning, sport and leisure, residential, as well as retail and transport.

They are committed to providing bespoke solutions and have completed many projects within the Bradford district.

These include: a new Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) building at the University of Bradford that provides an inspirational learning space with high quality laboratory facilities; Chain Street, Bradford, the first new-build site to be developed as part of an overall regeneration strategy for the area by Bradford Council; and Student Central, a major refurbishment and extension to the University of Bradford's former Students Union building on the city centre campus.