Why choose a Sandford Award holder?
The Sandford Award is an independent mark of quality in heritage learning. Award holders have demonstrated that they provide high-quality, engaging and inspiring educational experiences, supported by effective learning practice and a commitment to continuous improvement. Over the decades, hundreds of organisations have gained Sandford Award recognition, establishing the Award as one of the most respected and enduring benchmarks of quality in the heritage learning sector.
Recognised across the UK, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, the Sandford Award is administered by the Heritage Education Trust in partnership with Lincoln Bishop University.
The Sandford Award provides independent assurance that awarded providers demonstrate:
✓ Inspiring and engaging learning experiences
✓ High-quality educational practice
✓ Expert staff with specialist heritage and education knowledge
✓ Effective use of heritage to enrich learning
✓ Inclusive, accessible and welcoming provision
✓ Safe, well-organised visits with clear communication and booking processes
✓ Ongoing commitment to quality and improvement
✓ Independently assessed and quality assured
✓ Award recognition valid for five years
Why Does This Matter?
The Sandford Award is awarded through a rigorous independent assessment process that recognises heritage sites delivering engaging, well-structured and inspiring learning experiences for learners of all ages.
As a teacher, the award provides an additional level of assurance when selecting a venue for a school visit. It can also support discussions with colleagues and senior leaders by demonstrating that the site's educational provision has been externally assessed and judged to meet nationally recognised quality criteria.
In short: if a heritage site displays the Sandford Award, you can be confident that its learning provision has been independently recognised for high-quality.
“Holding the Sandford Award means so much as it is a recognition of our work with schools and an acknowledgment of the quality of our learning programmes. The comprehensive report helps us to identify areas of potential improvement and sometimes things that we just hadn’t thought of - an external, professional eye is invaluable”
Banner image: Englefield Estate Schools Days, Sandford Award holder