The Education Estates® People's Awards are judged by a panel of respected sector leaders, drawn from across architecture, construction, education, and local government. Each judge brings first-hand experience of what it takes to deliver outstanding work across the education estate, and a genuine understanding of the challenges nominees have overcome to get there.

Every nomination is reviewed against the criteria, with judges looking for evidence of impact, leadership, and collaboration rather than scale or budget alone. The panel meets to discuss and agree the shortlist and winners together, ensuring every decision reflects a broad range of sector perspectives.