One of the best things about my job is the people I get to work with.

In our schools up and down Suffolk and Romford, we have so many fantastic people doing so much to give young people the best education possible.

Whether I am at our smallest primary or our largest secondary, one of our founder trust members or our newest member school, it is impossible not to feel inspired every single week.

One of the great strengths within our schools is our leadership.

And I am delighted that this has been recognised in the list of nominees for next month’s Raising the Bar awards, run by Suffolk County Council.

Please take a bow Vanessa Whitcombe, headteacher of Castle Manor Academy who is also celebrating a very well deserved ‘Good’ Ofsted rating.

Also Wayne Lloyd, the headteacher at Thomas Gainsborough School and a pillar within our trust, has also been nominated along with Nick Froy, headteacher at Newmarket Academy and executive headteacher at Sybil Andrews Academy.

Raising the Bar is a fantastic tribute of all that is good about education in Suffolk.

It will shine a deserved light across 13 categories including Leader & Setting of the Year and Inspirational Young Achiever of the Year.

All three individuals mentioned here are without doubt very deserving winners in their own right, alongside all the nominees at the prestigious event on Wednesday 10th July.

I wish them all the very best.

I was a football fan from a very early age and when I was growing up, Ipswich Town was one of the best sides in the country.

Their success was led by Bobby Robson whose infectious passion and enthusiasm was further evidenced at England, Barcelona and Newcastle, to name but a few.

He is said to have described setting up the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation as his “last but most important” team.

When we were given the go-ahead to build a school in Ipswich, we canvassed community leaders, local parents and those who have the town at their heart to find a suitable name.

We felt it was important to give local people a voice and a say in a new school for young students with social, emotional and mental health needs.

The ‘Sir Bobby Robson School’ was the clear and preferred choice and we are delighted to have such a great man adorning our new name.

Sir Bobby was a great role model across football, charity and so much more. We know he will prove a fitting figure to inspire our young students.