Mr James Foster has won a Bronze Award in the 'Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School' category of the 2026 Pearson National Teaching Awards!

History is one of the most popular GCSE and A-Level subject choices at King’s. Ask any of our pupils why that is, and we guarantee being taught by Mr Foster will be one of the main reasons.

Mr Foster’s passion for his subject, engaging teaching style, approachable demeanour, and dedication in nurturing each pupil as an individual, leads to students developing not only a love of History, but a real thirst for learning and knowledge.

Lessons with Mr Foster are diligent yet fun. He is not shy to dress up as a marauding Crusader or join in on student ‘flash mobs’ during our annual History Week, but he also has high expectations of his students and their outcomes, which are met and exceeded, day in day out. 

Lisa Jeremy, whose two sons were taught by Mr Foster, said: “A truly great History Teacher does far more than deliver lessons about the past; they bring them to life. That is exactly what Mr Foster does. His classroom is not just a place of dates and documents; it is a space where stories unfold, debates spark curiosity, and our sons were encouraged to think critically about the world around them.”

A-Level History student, James, said: “I have had the pleasure of being taught by Mr Foster for the past three years. He has helped develop my writing skills, my love for History, and a general love for knowledge. Mr Foster always makes lessons engaging and he explains things effectively so that the whole class understands. His lessons are an excellent balance between fun and work, and he holds an incredible level of control over his classes. Mr Foster provides entertaining links to what we are learning. For example, when we were learning about causes of the first crusade, he linked the investiture contest to Star Wars!”

Year 10 pupil, Alexander, said: “Mr Foster inspired me to take History for GCSE, not because it will benefit me in the future, but because he taught me to genuinely enjoy the subject. He teaches History in a way that makes it so appealing as a subject, as opposed to just focusing on exams. He has a great personality, can joke with students, is approachable, and always prepares me excellently for exams and tests with accurate and targeted feedback.”

Year 13 student, Laura, said: “Mr Foster is an incredible teacher, who puts enormous effort into teaching his subject and supporting his students. His teaching style is engaging, and his lessons are clearly structured to include a recall of previous content and solidifying knowledge through activities such as tables, which are also useful for revision. He provides prompt and detailed feedback with clear comments on how to improve and, with positive encouragement, pushes his students to reach their full potential. His knowledge of History is impressive, and he goes to great lengths to find interesting, relevant extended reading from a wide range of historians to deepen our knowledge of topics and engage students in lessons.”

Mrs Jane Thomas, Head of King’s Ely Senior and Vice-Principal of King’s, said: “Mr Foster always goes the extra mile to support students. He sets high standards, and he is very clear in his feedback, whilst always championing the journey of each individual pupil. He creates thoughtful and interactive lessons that stimulate, support, and challenge.”
 

GCSE student, Julia, said: “Mr Foster is helping me to succeed in every aspect of school life. Not only does he support my learning, but also my growth within the King’s community. As a teacher, Mr Foster provides notes and resources in a clear and organised way that makes understanding content and required techniques easy and simple. He captivates students with his lecture-style teaching. His approach to supporting students is exceptional. He provides help and support while also leaving room for students to grow and develop on their own. This allows me to become confident in my learning and ensures that I can reach my full potential.”

Year 11 student, Henry, said: “Mr Foster’s teaching style is fun and interactive, with the right amount of strictness and structure to keep a class totally engaged. There is always some form of humour and/or activity in his lessons! We feel supported when needed, but he tailors lessons to how each student learns best, often combining aspects of different teaching styles to inform the whole class, as well as us all as individuals.”

Mrs Thomas said: “Because Mr Foster sets himself high standards, he inspires those around him to do the same. He has launched and led on the Higher Project Qualification (HPQ) for Year 10 and 11 pupils over the last two years, and he is very effective in showing colleagues what pupils are capable of when they are challenged. An early moment of inspiration for me was when Mr Foster shared in a school assembly the experience of sailing across the Atlantic to raise money for suicide awareness, following the death of one of his close friends.”

Helen Allen, whose sons, Matthew and James, are taught by Mr Foster, said: “Mr Foster has been a House and Form Tutor to our twins, as well as their GCSE and A-Level History Teacher. He demonstrates huge enthusiasm for his subject, bringing it alive through his teaching materials and extra-curricular activities. His GCSE revision packs were an excellent resource in the lead up to exams, and he was always willing to look through and comment on the many essay plans the twins sent to him during study leave. He has continually encouraged them to look outside the box to achieve the best they can, providing additional reading and research suggestions. Matthew and James have continued to study History at A-Level, with Matthew planning to read Modern History at University. They continue to be inspired by Mr Foster’s love and enthusiasm for the subject. When Matthew and James look back on their school years and are asked who inspired them, I can say with confidence that Mr Foster will be one of the teachers they never forget.”

Mr Foster started at King’s as a graduate rowing coach in 2018. He began classroom teaching in 2020, completed a PGCE as a Secondary History Teacher and two years as an Early Careers Teacher through to July 2024. He is now in his third year as a qualified teacher.

Emily Casey, whose daughter, Polly, was taught by Mr Foster, said: “Mr Foster has a wonderful way of teaching, which makes the written word come alive. He inspired Polly to really love History as a forever subject and not just an A-Level. Feedback from essays was instantaneous, and always constructive and encouraging. He answered any questions that Polly had immediately, regardless of time - in evenings, weekends, or holidays. He was immeasurably patient, hugely confidence giving, and enabled Polly to really believe in herself. With his help, she earned a place to read Music at Oxford.”

Sarah Robson, whose son, Alfie, is being taught A-Level History by Mr Foster, said: “Mr Foster is consistently excellent. He provides Alfie with comprehensive, thoughtful, and personalised academic and pastoral support, and always with a sense of professionalism and kindness, which engenders respect and trust. His assistance with Alfie’s personal statement was invaluable, and his responsiveness to any requests Alfie makes is exemplary, insightful, and hugely appreciated.”

Alfie himself said: “Mr Foster goes above and beyond to provide support. The perfect example of this was how helpful he was in guiding my personal statement, which after many drafts and funny conversations, has resulted in me getting an offer from my first-choice University to study History. As well as helping me academically, Mr Foster has supported me so much with my general confidence. Mr Foster encouraged me to put myself forward as a school prefect and has helped model a relaxed but involved leadership style, which I have tried to emulate.”

Mr Foster is also our Head of Year 11. 

Mrs Thomas said: “Mr Foster sets the tone for his team of tutors and supports them in supporting the pupils. This is a fairly new role in school that Mr Foster put himself forward for, and now we wonder how we managed previously! Mr Foster takes the time to build positive relationships with all stakeholders in school, and he has shown huge wisdom in dealing with a wide range of issues. Mr Foster is also always willing to share his expertise with colleagues, such as with IT support or creating and sharing dynamic resources.”

Mr Foster leads our HPQ programme for Year 10 and 11 students and is involved with our Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) scheme for older pupils.

Steve Bailey, parent of Alexander, said: “Alexander had extremely valuable and regular feedback from Mr Foster, and we have been frankly amazed at the skills Alexander has learned. Whatever subject he goes on to study we are confident these skills will stand him in very good stead at University, and he will without doubt owe Mr Foster a debt of gratitude for both the independent research skills and the passion for study with which he has been imbued whilst following this course."

Mr Foster is heavily involved in our co-curricular and academic enrichment programme, including helping to run History Café and An ‘Other’ Club, which benefit not only pupils who are studying History, but students who are eager to learn at every opportunity.

James, quoted earlier, said: “Mr Foster’s History Cafes are very popular, and we have had to move to a bigger classroom before! I believe this is a testament to how popular he is among the students.”

Mr Foster is involved in our sports programme too, including as a rowing coach.

Henry, quoted earlier, said: “Mr Foster is such an inspiration and is well-liked by all rowers for his energetic coaching and informative debriefs. He has inspired me to work as hard as I can both academically and sports-wise through his constant positivity and encouragement.”

Mr Foster always does his best to attend school events, even if his presence is not necessarily required. 

James, quoted earlier, said: “Mr Foster can always be seen in the audiences of concerts and competitions throughout the school year. He gives up his personal time to support what we all do outside the classroom, which we really appreciate.”

Katie Moretti, mum of Julia and Laura, said: “Mr Foster is a talented and dedicated teacher who invests a huge amount of time outside school hours reviewing and commenting on coursework and projects, as well as running extra-curricular programmes, supporting pupils outside the classroom, and giving up time on his weekends to watch school sports fixtures. I know in the future my daughters will remember him and the positive impact he had on their education.”

Lisa Jeremy, quoted earlier, said: “If and when things got tough for our boys, Mr Foster was steady and reassuring. He reminded them that setbacks are part of growth and that resilience matters more than a single outcome. He inspired them - not just to do well in History, but to be thoughtful, informed individuals, building confidence and nurturing with consistent encouragement and creating laughter whilst making memories that will remain with them. For that, we are deeply grateful."

Mrs Thomas said: “Mr Foster is a young man who could have made a success of any career, and he has chosen that career to be teaching. Through his interactions and conduct he shows students, especially teenage boys, how to be good men.”

Speaking about his Bronze Award, Mr Foster said: "It is a great feeling to be recognised with this award. I am very lucky to work with a brilliant set of colleagues and pupils who inspire me to provide the best support possible, and I am really pleased that this has had a positive impact.

"The most rewarding part of teaching is helping young people realise what they are capable of, whether that is in the classroom, through sport, or in wider school life. Seeing pupils grow in confidence, overcome challenges, and achieve things they did not think possible is incredibly satisfying.

"I love teaching at King’s because it offers so many opportunities for pupils and staff alike. There is a genuine culture of ambition, support, and enthusiasm, and I feel fortunate to work alongside colleagues who care deeply about helping pupils succeed.

"A successful day for me is one where pupils leave having learned something new, feeling more confident than when they arrived, and knowing that someone is invested in their progress. Whether through making them more interested in a part of History than they maybe expected, supporting a pupil pastorally, or supporting them at a fixture, concert, or production, I want to ensure pupils feel challenged, supported, and motivated to achieve their best."