The 2025 award is now open.

The award process has two stages: an initial detailed nomination, which is followed by a shortlisting of up to three candidates who are assessed in further detail through submission of a case study report and a school visit.

Please read the award's guidance document before nominating a teacher.

Teachers can nominate themselves or be nominated by a colleague using the Nomination Form for teachers and their colleagues.

The deadline for returning a completed Nomination Form is 24th January 2025.

Students, their parents or guardians, or a teacher’s colleagues can also suggest a teacher for the award by completing a short form, to be completed and returned by 10th January 2025. To allow time for completion of the full nomination form by the teacher being nominated.

Please visit our Higher Education Bioscience Teacher of the Year Award page to nominate a teacher in Higher Education.

Contact

Email Dr Amanda Hardy if you have any questions about this award.

About the award

The School Biology Teacher of the Year Award seeks to identify the UK’s leading secondary education teachers, recognising the invaluable role they play in educating and inspiring the next generation of biologists

The award rewards teachers who:

• Demonstrate outstanding and inspirational teaching of biology at secondary school or college
• Contribute to the development of science throughout the school
• Influence the teaching and learning of biology beyond their own institution in other schools or educational settings

The award is open to all teachers who are working with students aged 11-18 years old, teaching pre-university level biology programmes of study, and currently employed in a UK based school or college.

Find out more about previous winners.

Prizes

The winner will receive:

• £500 from Oxford University Press to spend as they wish,
• £500 of Oxford Education resources for their school,
• One year’s free membership of the Royal Society of Biology at the appropriate grade (MRSB or FRSB),
• a year’s membership of the RSB’s Teaching Policy Advisory Group.

Two runners up will each receive: 

• One year’s free subscription to the Journal of Biological Education 

The winner and two runners up will be announced online in July of the award year. The winner and two-runners will also be invited to the Royal Society of Biology’s Annual Awards Ceremony during Biology Week to receive their Award certificates and prizes.

Judges

Dr Mark Winterbottom CBiol FRSB, University of Cambridge

Dr Melissa Glackin MRSB, King’s College London

Charles Gill MRSB, teacher and School Biology Teacher of the Year Award winner 2022

Gemma Singleton, Deputy Headteacher and School Biology Teacher of the Year Award winner 2019

Award supporters

The Royal Society of Biology wishes to thank Oxford University Press for its continued support of this award and offering a prize to the top winner.