Award-Winning ‘Out There’ Initiative Celebrates Student Changemakers at Headingley Stadium
On Friday, 23rd January 2026, the AMT Headingley Stadium was transformed into a hub of inspiration as hundreds of young people from across the Outwood family of schools gathered for the inaugural Outwood ‘Out There’ Awards. Hosted by broadcaster Tanya Arnold, the event celebrated the success of a massive student-led movement that saw over 100 community action projects delivered last summer.
Launched in April 2025 in response to student feedback, the ‘Out There’ initiative was created to showcase that young people are a powerful force for good. Students from Years 6 to 13 spent their summer holidays delivering a wide range of community projects, including revitalising green spaces, volunteering at food banks, and hosting intergenerational events in care homes.
The programme’s success was recently recognised on a wider stage, winning the Community Impact Award at the Connect Yorkshire Business Awards for its work in strengthening local bonds.
Lee Wilson, CEO of Outwood Grange Academies Trust (OGAT), said:
“The success of the 'Out There' projects has been a source of great pride for us. We watched our students step up to demonstrate leadership, confidence, and resilience, all while making a genuine contribution to their local areas.
“They are not just learning about community; they are actively building the kind of inclusive environments they want to be a part of. These students are our future leaders, and witnessing their dedication can give us great confidence in the positive impact they will have on the world.”
The ceremony saw the crowning of the ‘Gold’, ‘Silver’ and ‘Bronze’ winners for each of the programme’s six categories, each designed to address specific societal needs. All ‘Gold’ winners are now in the running for the title of ‘Out There National Winner’.
Build Relationships: Awarded to those who fostered new connections across diverse backgrounds and ages.
Gold winner: Team NPC - Outwood Academy Carlton, Barnsley
Silver winner: Hearts Connected: One Smile At A Time - Outwood Primary Academy Bell Lane, Pontefract
Bronze winner: Three Peas In A Pod - Outwood Academy Valley, Worksop
Sustainability Superstars: Recognising projects focused on environmental improvements and sustainable living.
Gold winner: Besties - Outwood Grange Academy, Wakefield
Silver winner: The Divas - Outwood Academy Bydales, Redcar
Bronze winner: Bin It To Win It - Outwood Academy Ormesby, Middlesbrough
Boost Community Wellbeing: Celebrating 'wellbeing warriors' who promoted physical and mental health.
Gold winner: Team Community - Outwood Academy Carlton, Barnsley
Silver winner: The Brumby Rockets - Outwood Primary Academy Brumby, Scunthorpe
Bronze winner: Student Voice FC - Outwood Academy Acklam, Middlesbrough
Build an Inclusive Community: Honouring 'inclusion innovators' who broke down barriers to ensure everyone feels valued.
Gold winner: This Is Me - Outwood Academy Hasland Hall, Chesterfield
Silver winner: Night Owls - Outwood Grange Academy, Wakefield
Bronze winner: Bee - Outwood Academy Easingwold, York
Make Your Community Safer: Awarded to 'community superheroes' who enhanced local security and safety awareness.
Gold winner: Helping Hands - Outwood Grange Academy, Wakefield
Silver winner: Your Local First Aid Bookworms - Outwood Academy Hasland Hall, Chesterfield
Bronze winner: The Fire Smart Squad - Outwood Academy Adwick, Doncaster
Innovate: Recognising creative thinkers who developed novel, tangible solutions to local challenges.
Gold: Sprout Cards - Outwood Academy Haydock, St Helens
Silver: 3 Boys; 3 Bikes - Outwood Academy Ripon, Ripon
Bronze: Outwood Unplugged - Outwood Academy Ormesby, Middlesbrough
All winners will now receive experience prizes. ‘Bronze’ winners will enjoy a trip to The Crystal Maze in Manchester, while ‘Silver’ winners get a day trip to Alton Towers theme park, complete with VIP and queue jump passes. On Friday, 13th February, 2026, ‘Gold’ winners will enjoy an all expenses paid trip to London, where they will scale the O2 Arena. Once at the top, the ‘Out There National Winner’ will be announced.
The team crowned as the national winner will enjoy an overnight stay and day passes to Disneyland Paris!
The event was attended by high-profile supporters, including Leeds Rhinos CEO Jamie Jones Buchanan MBE, CEO of the Confederation of School Trusts Leora Cruddas CBE, and representatives from The King’s Trust, West Yorkshire Police, and the High Performance Foundation.
Julie Slater, Chief Executive Principal at OGAT, added:
“I am beyond proud of our young people. They wanted to step up to make a difference in their local communities, and they most certainly have. Today, we have seen the exceptional commitment that young people have made; they care about their communities, and they recognise the positive impact of volunteering on their own mental health and wellbeing. We have now launched Out There 2026, and we are confident that our schools will deliver over a thousand community projects across the north of England.”
The programme was supported by sponsors Leeds Rhinos, YPO, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, She Can Prosper, Connect Yorkshire, Banana Moon Clothing and Awaken Education.
If you are interested in sponsoring the ‘Out There’ programme for 2026, or you have a community project which you’d like students to help with, please visit outthere.outwood.com
