2026 has already given us plenty to celebrate at The Mount.

From our nursery being recognised by parents to awards for innovation, community impact and the school as a whole, it has been a brilliant year so far. And we're not finished yet.

Here's what 2026 has brought so far.

Outstanding Community Impact Award

January 2026 | Grapevine Directory

We started the year with the Outstanding Community Impact Award from the Grapevine Directory.

Community is a huge part of life at The Mount. We want our school and nursery to be a place where children, parents, staff and the wider community feel part of something together. So to have that recognised was a lovely way to start the year.

Business of the Month

January 2026 | Eaton Smith

Also in January, The Mount was named Eaton Smith Business of the Month.

The judges highlighted our commitment to educational excellence, strong pastoral care and the positive difference we make to families across the region.

It was great to see The Mount recognised alongside businesses from across Kirklees, Calderdale and Wakefield, and the win also earned us a place at the Business of the Year Awards later in the year.

Top 20 Nursery in Yorkshire & The Humber

March 2026 | daynurseries.co.uk

In March, it was our nursery team's turn to celebrate.

The Mount Nursery was named one of the Top 20 Nurseries in Yorkshire & The Humber for 2026.

What makes this one particularly lovely is that the award is based on reviews from our families. Our nursery team put so much into making The Mount a happy, exciting place for our youngest children to begin their journey, and this was wonderful recognition of the work they do every day.

Private Education Innovators of the Year 2026

June 2026 | SME News Business Elite Awards

In June, we received some fantastic national recognition when The Mount was named Private Education Innovators of the Year 2026 in the SME News Business Elite Awards.

We have never been afraid to question what school can look like. From the Imaginarium and the Nautilus to our double-decker London bus, STEM, creative learning and the experiences we create beyond the classroom, we want children to be excited by school and excited by learning.

Being recognised for innovation in private education was a brilliant moment for everyone at The Mount.

Eaton Smith Business of the Year Awards

June 2026 | Eaton Smith

At the end of June, we joined the other 11 Business of the Month winners at the Eaton Smith Business of the Year Awards, held in conjunction with the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

We didn't take home the overall award, but what a great morning it was down at the Accu Stadium. It was great to meet some of the incredible people behind the businesses from across Kirklees, Calderdale and Wakefield, and to see The Mount represented amongst them.

Getting there started with our Business of the Month win back in January, and we're delighted to have been part of it.

Independent Education Provider of the Year

July 2026 | Business Awards UK Regional Awards

July brought another fantastic piece of news when The Mount was named Independent Education Provider of the Year for West Yorkshire in the 2026 Business Awards UK Regional Awards.

To receive this recognition for the school as a whole was a brilliant moment for everyone at The Mount. It reflects what our team works towards every day: giving children an exceptional education while making their childhood at The Mount as rich, exciting and memorable as possible.

Managing Director of the Year

July 2026 | SME News

July also brought individual recognition for our owner, Chris Sellers, who was named Prep School Managing Director of the Year 2026 by SME News.

Chris has always challenged what a prep school can be and has continued to invest in the people, facilities and experiences that make The Mount such a unique place for children to grow up and learn.

This award was wonderful recognition of that vision and the work that has gone into bringing it to life.

Most Inspiring Learning Environment 2026

July 2026 | SME News

At the same time, The Mount received another award from SME News, being named Most Inspiring Learning Environment 2026.

This is one we particularly love. Over recent years, we have worked hard to create spaces that make children want to explore, imagine, create and learn. From the Imaginarium and Nautilus to our converted London double-decker bus, our aim has been to make the environment itself part of the childhood experience. To see that recognised with its own award was fantastic.

Best Independent Preparatory School 2026

September 2026 | Northern Enterprise Awards

September brought two more awards, with The Mount being named Best Independent Preparatory School 2026, West Yorkshire at the Northern Enterprise Awards.

This is a wonderful recognition of the whole school and, most importantly, the team behind it. Every day, our teachers and staff put an enormous amount into helping our children learn, build confidence, discover their talents and enjoy everything childhood at The Mount has to offer.

Immersive Learning Excellence Award 2026

September 2026 | Northern Enterprise Awards

Alongside it came an award that feels particularly close to what we are trying to create at The Mount: the Immersive Learning Excellence Award 2026, West Yorkshire.

We believe children learn brilliantly when they can experience things, make things, perform, experiment, question and explore.

That thinking can be seen throughout The Mount, from STEM and creative learning on our London bus to performances in the Imaginarium and the extraordinary spaces and experiences our team continues to create. To receive an award specifically recognising immersive learning is something we're delighted about.

What a year, and it isn't over yet!

When we started 2026, we certainly didn't expect to be writing a blog quite like this. In just nine months, The Mount, our nursery and Chris have received recognition for independent education, innovation, immersive learning, leadership, our learning environment, nursery provision, community impact and the school as a whole.

Some of these awards have come from within education. Others have come from the wider business community. Some have been regional and others national. Together, they are a wonderful recognition of what our team is building here in Huddersfield.

We're incredibly grateful to everyone who makes The Mount what it is, from our teachers and nursery practitioners to our wider team, parents and, of course, the children who fill the school with life every day.

And with three months of 2026 still to go, perhaps this isn't the finished list just yet...