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A night of celebration, inspiration and pride took centre stage at the Cumbria Education Trust (CET) Student Excellence Awards, held on Thursday 10th July. The inaugural event, held at The Garden at Eden, recognised and honoured students who have gone above and beyond in demonstrating CET’s values.
A central feature of this year’s CET Be the Best You Can Be Week, the evening saw 136 students from across all of CET’s 17 schools, celebrated for their incredible achievements, not just for academic success, but for their resilience, leadership, kindness, and contributions to school and community life.
The evening recognised eight category winners from each school who were nominated for embodying CET’s core values of Respect, Responsibility and Resilience, alongside Kindness, Leadership, Community Contribution, Outstanding Progress, and School Contribution.
The event welcomed over 550 guests – including award-winning pupils, their families, staff, governors, local dignitaries, and sponsors – all coming together to celebrate the remarkable achievements of young people aged 3 to 18 from across CET.
Students were presented with trophies, certificates and commemorative bears by Lorrayne Hughes, CET Chief Executive and various special guests in recognition of their achievements.
To make the evening truly unforgettable, the venue was turned into a red-carpet awards celebration, complete with professional photographers, interactive photo booths, and a live stage filled with outstanding performances from CET students – including musicians, choirs, and dance groups. Inspiring guest speakers and a joyful, celebratory atmosphere made the night one of pride, recognition, and lasting memories.
As part of the ceremony, an overall Trust-wide winner was announced in each award category. These exceptional students will be honoured once again at CET@10 – the Trust’s landmark 10th anniversary celebration event on 25th September 2025.
Lorrayne Hughes, CET Chief Executive commented, “Our pupils are at the heart of everything we do at CET. The inaugural Student Excellence Awards was a momentous occasion that celebrated our shared values and the exceptional young people who bring them to life every day. It was wonderful to see students from every corner of our Trust – from Carlisle to West and South Cumbria – coming together with joy, pride, and ambition. Congratulations to every one of our inspiring winners”.
The event was made possible by the generous support of local businesses and partners, including award sponsors:
Kindness Award – sponsored by Just People HR
Celebrating those who uplift others through selfless acts of care and compassion.
School Contribution Award – sponsored by PowerMac Joinery
Awarded to those whose consistent efforts have enriched school life.
Community Contribution Award – sponsored by Foxgroves Recruitment
Honouring those who actively supports causes and makes a difference beyond the school.
Student Leadership Award – sponsored by Day Cummins
Recognising those who lead by example and inspire positive change.
Outstanding Progress Award – sponsored by Humly
For those who have shown remarkable personal or academic growth.
Respect Award – sponsored by Pioneer Foods
For those who consistently model empathy, inclusion and dignity in all interactions.
Responsibility Award – sponsored by MyNewTerm
Honouring those who show reliability, accountability and everyday leadership.
Resilience Award – sponsored by JJ Group
Presented to those who have shown strength and perseverance through challenges.
Additional thanks go to our other event sponsors; The Cumberland Building Society, Dobies Cumbria Motors Ltd, WF Support Services and Aqua Pura for helping to create a memorable evening for all attendees. It is CET’s aim to reinforce strong links between our schools and the wider community, and this is a wonderful reflection of that mission.
The CET Student Excellence Awards are just one part of the Trust’s growing trust-wide student events programme. With a full calendar of enrichment, cultural, sporting, and leadership events scheduled throughout the 2025–26 academic year, the Trust is committed to providing high-quality experiences that give every student the chance to be the best they can be.
If you or your organisation would like to sponsor or support one of CET’s prestigious student events, please contact office@cumbriaeducationtrust.org to find out more.
The Winners
You can view all of the winners, along with the reasons why they were nominated, below:
Event Highlights
Photobooth Photos
