Partner With Us
We are looking for organisations who want to share our commitment to education, culture, and social impact to help expand the reach and sustainability of the Sandford Award, one of the UK’s most established benchmarks for high-quality in learning outside the classroom.
The Sandford Award is delivered by the Heritage Education Trust (HET), an independent charity that ensures the quality, consistency, and integrity of the programme.
With your support, we can:
Increase the number of accredited heritage learning sites across the UK, particularly in underserved regions
Enable more schools and young people to access high-quality heritage learning
Reduce barriers for small and community-run organisations seeking accreditation
Strengthen professional development for heritage educators and volunteer assessors
By investing in heritage education, your organisation helps to:
Broaden opportunity and access
Strengthen community engagement
Support future skills, creativity, and wellbeing
Together, we can ensure every young person has access to inspiring heritage experiences that allow young people to engage with the past through real places, objects, and stories, bringing history to life in ways classrooms alone cannot.
Sandford Award – partnership opportunities
The Sandford Award recognises and celebrates high-quality in heritage education across the UK and Ireland. Since 1978, it has highlighted outstanding learning provision across historic sites, museums, archives, landscapes, and cultural organisations. Successful sites receive the Award as independent validation of their educational practice. The Heritage Education Trust works through the Sandford Award to raise standards, support professional learning, encourage reflective practice, and provide assurance to audiences and funders.
Why support the Sandford Award?
National recognition
Align your organisation with one of the UK’s most respected and long-standing heritage education awards.
Reach and visibility
Connect directly with:
Heritage organisations across the UK and Ireland
Museums, archives, galleries, and historic sites
Education professionals
Local and national media
Policy-makers in the culture and education sectors
Genuine social impact
Your support helps sustain:
High-quality heritage learning
Inclusion and accessibility initiatives
Educator development and training
New programmes for schools and communities
Alignment with your values
Ideal for organisations committed to:
Education
Culture and the arts
Community engagement
Heritage and conservation
Innovation in learning
Corporate social responsibility
Partnership opportunities
We offer flexible partnership models, including:
Award sponsorship
Programme support
Regional or thematic partnerships
Long-term strategic collaboration
By partnering with the Heritage Education Trust, you support the independent framework behind the Sandford Award, helping to raise standards, expand access, and benefit both organisations and audiences across the sector.
Join us
Help build the next generation of heritage ambassadors.
Contact us
To discuss partnership opportunities please contact:
Jayne Ellis
“As a university committed to heritage education, lifelong learning and the positive difference education makes in the lives of individuals and communities, we greatly value our longstanding partnership with the Heritage Education Trust.”
Contact us
To discuss partnership opportunities please contact:
Jayne Ellis at sandford@bishopg.ac.uk
Write to us:
Heritage Education Trust
Lincoln Bishop University
Longdales Road
Lincoln
LN1 3DY
Banner image: Fishbourne Roman Palace (Sandford Award holder)