The Out-of-School Club Awards or OSCAs: Celebrating all that is brilliant about our sector.

The Out-of-School Club Awards

The Out-of-School Club Awards, or OSCAs as we like to call them have been created to recognise the absolute brilliance of this sector.

For too long it has not been possible for the unique aspects of our sector to be recognised. Not any more!

The OSCAs have 10 categories all aimed at recognising the brilliant practice, from play to inclusion, to HAF and mental health (and much more) displayed in the sector. To recognise the frankly amazing people who work in the sector. And to recognise the leaders and managers who are creative, hard-working, and driven and sometimes under-appreciated for all they do. The Teams that go above and beyond. And those who are leading the way with new ideas.

We are grateful to Out of School Alliance for their sponsorship of the Out-of-School Club Awards ceremony.

Stand Out from The Crowd

This is your chance to shine. To let parents, your team, your schools and your community know that you really are the best at what you do. It can be hard to compare ourselves to others and to know how well we are doing - especially now Ofsted have stopped issuing gradings. With one winner in each category, and one or two highly commended entries, winning an award is a real ‘badge of honour’.

Watch our video - how to craft an award-winning OSCAs entry

We are often asked what it takes to win one of the ten OSCAs. So, to help you craft an award-winning entry, we asked Lucinda White, of Pure Awards to give us some hints and tips on how to win an award. The video is 36 minutes, so grab a cuppa and a notepad!

The Judging Process

These awards are not a closed shop. The best entry will win. The judging panel is comprised of Club Central’s Tanya Petherick, Rebekah Jackson Reece of Out of School Alliance, and each award sponsor is invited to be part of the judging process. It can be very obvious who has submitted an award, so we do not do a ‘blind’ judging process. Instead, judges declare any potential conflict of interest with award applicants. Integrity and fairness is the order of the day. The best entry in the judges’ joint opinion will be the winner.

What do winners receive?

Winners receive a lovely engraved glass trophy (ooh, fancy!) to proudly display in their club, office or home, a certificate and an electronic badge to use in marketing such as social media and website. Many previous winners have received coverage in their local press and recognition from their local authority.

Achieve the recognition you deserve with the OSCAs*

*A shameless appropriation of the OSCARS to recognise all that is great at the

Out-of-School Club Awards!

The OSCAs: Get the Recognition Your Club Deserves

  • Why Enter?

    The OSCAs celebrate all that is great about out-of-school clubs. We want to hear what is great about your club. What you and your team have done to make your club fantastic. We know there are loads of individuals and businesses who deserve to be recognised. The judges want to really celebrate the clubs that have made a difference.

  • How to Enter

    There are 10 OSCAs available. Each organisation can enter up to 3 categories free of charge. Subsequent entries can be made for £10 per award. This is to encourage each organisation to enter the categories they really deserve to win.

    Award categories are shown below. The key questions include a word count. The form does not count words. We suggest you write your award in Word (or other word processing software!) to check you meet the word count.

    Once you reach the word count, we will stop reading. To give yourself the best chance of winning, please check the word limits.

  • Judges

    Each award will be judged by Rebekah Jackson Reece of Out of School Alliance, and Tanya Petherick of Club Central. Award sponsors are invited to join the judging panel for the award they sponsor. The judges have one aim - to recognise the most deserving entrant. We know it won’t be easy. Our commitment to every applicant is that their award will be judged impartially and fairly.

  • How to Write a Good Award Entry

    We are anticipating receiving a lot of award entries. To avoid going straight onto the ‘no’ pile remember, quality is better than quantity. Think about what you want to tell us. Answer the questions we have asked. Don’t keep repeating yourself. Consider what is really unique about the organisation or person you are nominating and tell us. Where you can share an impact or outcome it will help us understand why you are making the nomination.

  • Time Frame

    Award entries are currently open. Entries close on 31st August 2024. Any entries received after this time will not be considered.

    Shortlisted entries will be announced on Friday 20th September.

  • The Awards Ceremony

    The Awards Ceremony will take place at the end of the Club Central Conference. It will be the celebration we deserve!

    You will be served canapes and unlimited alcohol/non-alcoholic drinks throughout the evening.

    To bring a proper sense of occasion, the awards will be compered.

    And winners will be presented with their very own OSCA. It’s an event not to miss!

    Plus, there’s entertainment and a disco!

Enter the OSCAS