Nicola Smith

About the winner:

Nicola Smith is a dedicated art educator and workplace champion whose two‑decade career has centred on purposeful leadership, innovation and unwavering support for colleagues.

Committed to inclusive art education, she shapes curricula that meet the needs of every learner. A strong advocate for staff welfare, she has led wellbeing initiatives, served as her school’s menopause champion, and acted as the NSEAD representative. Her collaboration with unions helped secure TPS protection and empower staff to act collectively. Nicola is genuinely surprised and deeply honoured to receive the NSEAD Workplace Champion Award.

What the judges said:

'Nicola has demonstrated exceptional courage, leadership and commitment in championing both arts education and the rights of educators. Deeply passionate about inspiring young people to pursue creative futures, she has also empowered colleagues to speak truth to power during an extraordinarily challenging period for her school community.

When proposals were made to remove teaching staff from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme and replace it with an inferior alternative, Nicola stepped forward as a leading representative for colleagues and members of NSEAD. Her determination, clarity and resilience were instrumental throughout negotiations and subsequent industrial action, only the second such action in NSEAD history. By ensuring clear communication, strong representation and collective solidarity, Nicola played a central role in securing the full withdrawal of the proposed changes and safeguarding staff benefits.

Her willingness to lead from the front during such a difficult and high-pressure time reflects remarkable integrity and resolve. Nicola’s actions exemplify advocacy, empowerment and an unwavering commitment to protecting both educational values and the people who uphold them.'

Nicola receiving her award at The National Gallery, 20 June 2026 (Photography by Dan John Lloyd).