Judges
Regional and national winners will be selected by local panels of history and education specialists. The overall winner will then be chosen by a panel led by acclaimed historian, author and presenter Lucy Worsley, including Greg Jenner, Sathnam Sanghera, Michael Riley , Katie Hunter and Shalina Patel.
Lucy Worsley
Lucy Worsley is one of Britain’s best-known historians and until recently was Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces. Through her TV work and Lady Killers podcast, Lucy has pioneered a new kind of storytelling, vividly reframing historical events, often through the lens of female experience. Her many books include biographies of Jane Austen and Agatha Christie, and she is currently working on an idiosyncratic history of the British Monarchy.
Katie Hunter
Katie has 20 years History teaching experience. Alongside her teaching, she’s written for BBC Bitesize, regularly works with universities to upskill teachers, and was SAMEE’s Anti-Racist Educator of the Year (2024/5). She sits on the Scottish Government’s Anti-Racism in Education Programme and connects teachers with academics and heritage organisations to improve the teaching of colonialism.
Greg Jenner
Greg Jenner FRHistS is a British public historian, author, and broadcaster with a particular interest in communicating history through humour. He is best known as the host and creator of the chart-topping, award-winning BBC historical comedy podcast You’re Dead To Me (over 130 million downloads), as well as the author of several funny history books for adults and children. He also worked for 11 years on the smash-hit BBC TV comedy series Horrible Histories.
Dan Jones
Dan Jones is the Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author of many non-fiction books, including The Plantagenets, Powers and Thrones, and Henry V. He is a renowned writer, broadcaster and journalist. He has presented dozens of TV shows, including the Netflix series ‘Secrets of Great British Castles’, and writes and hosts the podcast ‘This is History’. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Trustee of Historic Royal Palaces.
Shalina Patel
Shalina is Head of Teaching and Learning at Claremont High School, has over 15 years’ classroom experience. A Silver Pearson Teaching Award winner for Outstanding Teacher of the Year, she has featured in major publications and documentaries for The History Channel and Channel 4. A trustee of Chalke Valley History Festival, her debut book The History Lessons (2024) highlights overlooked stories and challenges historical blind spots.
Michael Riley
Michael is a former teacher and director of the Schools History Project (2007–2018). He has served on government advisory bodies and international projects for UNESCO. An Honorary Fellow of the Historical Association, he currently teaches on the PGCE programme at UCL’s Institute of Education, contributing to the work of the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education.
Sathnam Sanghera
Sathnam Sanghera is an award-winning writer for The Times. His memoir The Boy with the Topknot and novel Marriage Material were both shortlisted for the Costa Book Awards. His third book, Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain, became a 2021 bestseller. He was named Young Journalist of the Year (2002), Media Commentator of the Year (2015), and received the Edgar Wallace Trophy for Writing of the Highest Quality (2017).
The Inspiring History Teaching Awards celebrate teachers who make history exciting, inclusive and meaningful, bringing the past to life and inspiring students to see the world differently. Created by Historic Royal Palaces and delivered in collaboration with the Historical Association and organisations across the UK, these awards are all about shining a light on amazing teachers.