News6 min
The new schools worth watching this cycle
Opening a school is easy; opening a good one is not. The newcomers that arrived with a plan.
8 Apr 2026Read
Award categories
Newcomer of the Year
The most promising school registered within the last three years.
Who can enter
Open to any school registered to operate in Uganda, every curriculum, every level. Free to enter, and a school need not nominate itself.
Put a name forwardThe 2026 cycle
No winner yet, not yet.
Judging runs through the 2026 cycle. The Newcomer of the Year shortlist is revealed in July 2026 and the winner announced at the ceremony in August. We never pre-announce, and we never fabricate.
Shortlist July 2026Winner August 2026
From Trends & Insights
Reading on newcomer of the year
Context from our newsroom, the people, schools and trends behind this award.
More in Innovation & Operations
How a school is run, and renewed.
Open the Innovation & Operations disciplineEdTech & Digital Innovation
Technology used to genuinely lift teaching and learning.
Wellbeing & Pastoral Care
A school where students are known, safe and supported.
Teacher Development & CPD
A school that invests seriously in its teachers’ continuing growth.
Green School Award
Environmental stewardship built into how the school runs and teaches.
Could your school win this?
Entry is free and a single nomination is considered across every category it fits. Put your school forward for the 2026 cycle.