Steve Huntington has been nominated for Secondary Headteacher of the Year at the Education Awards.
Mr Huntington says his nomination for Principal of the Year is recognition of everyone’s contribution to Smith’s Wood Academy’s rapid transformation. “Three years ago, a nomination such as this would have seemed completely out of reach,” he said.
“Over recent years, the school has continued to go from strength to strength and is now recognised as one of the most improved schools in the country, and what makes this achievement so special is that it has been a true team effort.”
Mr Huntington’s first week as principal, back in 2023, was anything but typical. Ofsted notified the academy of an imminent inspection, which placed the school in special measures.
While most new principals spend their early weeks learning systems, meeting staff, and building community relationships, Mr Huntington was immediately thrust into crisis management, addressing the inspection fallout, stabilising staffing, and mapping out a route to recovery. His focus was clear, to build a school worthy of the community it served – starting with appointing the right team.
Deborah Bunn, Deputy Director of Education at Fairfax Multi-Academy Trust, says his leadership since those early days has been exceptional.
He has strengthened safeguarding, recruited high‑quality teachers and leaders, and built a team united by a shared vision for moving the academy forwards.
“With so much change to manage and such a steep journey ahead, it would have been easy for Mr Huntington to become wholly focused on improvement and let humility slip,” she said. “Instead, he stayed grounded, keeping his sense of humour and humanity at the heart of everything he did.
“The team he has built reflects that warmth and leadership, contributing to the most positive staff voice feedback ever recorded at Smith’s Wood – with 96% of Academy staff reporting that they enjoy their work. What’s more, the academy continues to grow and improve.”
Mr Huntington added: “At the heart of the changes that we have made is a belief that improvement is always possible. I want our staff and students alike to understand that they can achieve far more than they ever thought they could. If students at Smith’s Wood have that belief, and can put it into practice, then for me, that is the clearest measure of success that we can hope for.”
Mr Huntington is one of five Fairfax Multi-Academy Trust colleagues shortlisted for honours at the Midlands Education Awards 2026, taking place at Millennium Point on Friday 3 July.
