The PTI announced the winner of Bernice McCabe Award 2025/26 is the Maths department at Plashet School, London during a ceremony last night at Mercers' Hall, London.

Bernice McCabe OBE, who passed away in February 2019, was the founding Co-Director of The PTI and believed in the transformative power of inspiring subject teaching.

The Award celebrates excellence in subject leadership in schools, recognising departments that put quality subject teaching at the heart of the classroom. A £5,000 prize and trophy are awarded annually to an exceptional department which demonstrates the ethos and values of The PTI through their work within and beyond the curriculum.

Hugh Rayment-Pickard, Co-Director, The PTI said: “The PTI is delighted to announce the Maths department at Plashet School as the winner of the respected Bernice McCabe Award. This award recognises teachers and departments across the country who continually go the extra mile for their students. The award allows The PTI to highlight excellence in subject leadership, and the impact that quality subject teaching can have in the classroom. Many congratulations to this year’s shortlisted departments, and to the tremendous subject teachers impacting young people’s lives around the country.”

The Maths department at Plashet was chosen as the winner of the Award due to its significant strides in improving the teaching and learning of Maths as meaningful, engaging and accessible. This improvement has been driven by the department’s vision that every student regardless of background or ability should experience mathematics as meaningful, enriching, and accessible.

A major focus has been on staff development. Through CPD with EAL specialists, The PTI's courses, and ongoing work with the Maths Hub and NCETM, teachers have gained greater confidence in inclusive strategies, mastery teaching, and curriculum design. This has led to more consistent, student-focused lessons that emphasise reasoning, discussion, and high expectations for all.

Sadia Ali, Maths Teacher at Plashet School said on receiving the award: “I'd like to thank The PTI for all the CPD that they've given us. Every time I go to one of The PTI events, I feel like I come back with more passion to be a teacher. Winning this award has really motivated us to carry on doing the work that we do.”

The departments that were highly commended were:

  • Science - Southend high School for Boys
  • English - The Whitstable School

Significant funding from the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery have enabled The PTI to support all nominated and winning schools of the Primary Impact Awards, providing them with the necessary skills, tools, and resources to deliver excellent lessons for their students. Since 2018, players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £1.2m for The PTI which has impacted the educational experience of hundreds of thousands of young people across England.