- 15 March 2026
- Apprentices & Events & Press Release &
New for 2026, Kleek Apprenticeships hosted their first-ever live Hairdressing and Barbering Competitions!
Hairdressing and barbering apprentices from across England showcased their creativity, technical skill and professionalism in a series of live heats designed to test their techniques and push them to the next level in their apprenticeship journey.
Each category challenged apprentices to demonstrate their precision, creativity and finishing skills, reflecting the techniques they develop throughout their hairdressing or barbering apprenticeship.
Competition Categories
Apprentices competed in the following categories:
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Year 1: Commercial curly blow dry on a below-shoulder mannequin head
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Year 2: Evening hair-up
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Level 3: Themed hair-up – Bridal or 1960s inspired
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Barbering: Classic cut – clean tapering and smooth fades
Regional Winners
Congratulations to our regional winners from Kleek academies and work-based learners.
Kleek Academy Maidstone: Paige Horton (Year 1), Sophie Keasby (Year 2), Phillipa Castell (Level 3)
Kleek Academy Colchester: Lyla Day (Year 1), Chloe Russell (Year 2), Lola Peckham (Level 3)
Kleek Academy London: Gabriela Zdanowicz (Year 1), Amber Cole (Year 2)
Kleek Academy Stockton: Lily Bain (Year 1), Imogen Garner (Year 2), Lilly Johnson (Level 3)
Kleek Academy Darlington: Lottie Dent (Year 1), Scarlett Lewis (Year 2), Sienna Farrell (Level 3)
Kleek Academy Newcastle: Layla Warner (Year 1), Sophie Carmody (Year 2), Sinead Leather (Level 3), Daniel Eyin (Barbering)
Work-Based: Georgia Thompson (Year 1), Ruby Kendrew (Year 2), Bethany Lewlsey (Level 3)
National Winners
To mark National Apprenticeship Week, Kleek proudly announced the five overall national winners of the Live Kleek Hairdressing and Barbering Competitions:
Year 1: Gabriela Zdanowicz – HOB Salons Stanmore
Year 2: Ruby Kendrew – Secrets Hairdressing North Duffield
Level 3 Bridal: Sinead Leather – Satchi Salon Sunderland
Level 3 1960s: Sienna Farrell – Forty7 The Salon
Barbering: Daniel Eyin – Smile Turkish Barber Hexham
Next stop, AHT Regional Heats!
Apprentices from across the country delivered outstanding work across every category, highlighting the high level of talent developing within hairdressing and barbering apprenticeships.
Competitions like this give apprentices the opportunity to build confidence, develop their technical skills and gain experience working under pressure, all key skills for a successful career in the hair and barbering industry.
Our national winners will now go on to compete in the regional heats organised by the Association of Hairdressers & Therapists, continuing their competition journey and gaining further industry recognition.
Everyone who took part should be incredibly proud of their achievements, and the team at Kleek Apprenticeships is excited to see what the future holds for these talented apprentices.
