When we launched the Bradford and District Schools Awards at the end of 2013, it was fair to say there might well have been some wariness among the education community.

And that was understandable. Bradford seems to be relentlessly battered in the league tables, and there seems to be no shortage of people queuing up to say that education provision in the district is not up to scratch, or not where it should be, or not doing its job.

So, perhaps, people who work in education had got a little used to this, and forgot what it was like to talk themselves up.

Despite some misgivings from some quarters, we and our partners Bradford Council and the University of Bradford forged ahead with our plans for the school awards, and by March 2014 it was time for the gala presentation evening of the very first Bradford and District Schools Awards, held at the Aagrah's Midpoint Suite in Thornbury.

Anyone who attended will tell you that they were blown away.

Not just by the event itself, but by the stories that were told that night - some funny, some sad, some moving, some joyful. And every single one of them was inspirational.

People left the awards night feeling good not just about themselves, but about the state of education in the Bradford district. Not the league tables, not the exam placings, because while those things are obviously important, they are not the be-all and end-all of education.

And that was exactly the point we were trying to get across when we decided to run the awards.

Because while the reports and tables are necessary, they do not tell the whole story.

They do not tell the human story.

And that, really, is what education is about - people. People teaching, people learning, people keeping the machines of schools running. People working with the schools from business, people from the schools working in the community.

These awards try to even the balance somewhat, to focus not on results and grades and placings in league tables, but on the hard work being done at all levels in every single one of our schools right across the Bradford district.

Over these following pages you will see the shortlisted nominations in each of our 12 categories. The judging panel had a tough job narrowing the entries down to just three, but it was something that had to be done. Rest assured, though, there was often little between those who made the grade and those who just lost out - such is the quality of work being done by schools, individuals and teams of people.

We have awards for the best teachers at secondary and nursery/primary level. We have awards for the schools that demonstrate the most innovative projects. Schools that team up with business are being honoured, as are those who have demonstrated improvement.

There are awards for those important people who keep the schools running in all weathers and in all circumstances - the support staff, and awards for those who lead their schools to ever greater heights.

All our shortlisted individuals and schools have been invited to attend the gala presentation night this Thursday, again at the Midpoint Suite, where Telegraph & Argus editor Perry Austin-Clarke and one of the faces of ITV in Yorkshire, Kate Walby, will be hosting the event.

There will be speeches from representatives of our partners, Prof Bill McCarthy from the University of Bradford and Coun Ralph Berry of Bradford Council, and there will be a keynote speech from motivational speaker David Chabeaux.

We could not have staged the awards without the sponsors of our individual categories, and you can read more about them here.

We will be announcing the winners of each category on the night and the results will be reported in the Telegraph & Argus on Friday, with a full supplement showcasing the winners and full of photographs from the night free with your T&A next week.

If your school, or favourite teacher, has not been shortlisted, don't worry - the competition was especially fierce. But we will be running the awards again next year, so be sure to tell your local school to enter in as many categories as they can when next year's awards are launched.

But for now the spotlight's on the 2015 awards - we wish all the shortlisted nominees the best of luck on the big night.