World Class Schools Quality Mark first event
The first event for the World Class Schools Quality Mark took place at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University, on Thursday February 6th 2014. In attendance were the ‘early adopter’ World Class schools, who will be the first schools in England to be awarded the World Class Schools Quality Mark.
Welcoming the participants, Paul Chirico, Senior Tutor of Fitzwilliam College, said how pleased he was that the college was hosting the event and how Cambridge was always interested in what makes learners outstanding.
Activities, centred around consultation on what makes a student World Class, were led by students from the ‘early adopter’ schools. Each head teacher was not only accompanied by a student that they deemed to be World Class, but also a parent and a business partner, interested in the World Class agenda.
Ed Newman, a parent from Wren Academy, stimulated debate with his proposal that parents want their children to develop curiosity about the world and a respect for ethics and morality, while Jane Cornthwaite, Young Enterprise Business Adviser at Sandringham School, discussed the competencies employers most value in potential employees.
The highlight of the event was undoubtedly the extra-ordinary talent of the World Class students attending. While Harry Stone from Bury St Edmunds County Upper School impressed upon his audience the importance of students believing in themselves and having a desire to learn, Marguerite Frisby from Clapton Girls’ Academy discussed with a group of head teachers the differences between a World Class school and a World Class student.
Dr Jerry Toner, Director of Studies for Classics, Churchill College Cambridge, who was treated to an impressive presentation by student Ssuuna Golooba-Mutebi, from Nower Hill High School, commented, ‘I am just amazed by the confidence, professionalism and high-level communication skills these students possess. They absolutely stole the show.’
‘Early adopter’ schools, who will be awarded the Quality Mark later this year
- have been deemed ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted
- are outstanding with regard to a specific context, for example, regionally, or within a given specialism
- in comparison to national averages, have a track record of outstanding pupil achievement at Key Stage 4
- develop World Class students in ways that are ground-breaking
- represent a diversity of outstanding provision nationally
- demonstrate a commitment to bringing about improvement through partnership.
Media contact: Miranda Perry
Encl: four images
Notes: ‘Early adopter’ schools
- Ashcroft High School, Luton
- Head teacher: Monica Austin
- Student: Matthew Hall
- Bury St Edmunds Academy Trust, Suffolk
- Head teacher: Vicky Neale
- Student: Harry Stone
- Clapton Girls’ Academy, Hackney
- Head teacher: Cheryl Day
- Student: Marguerite Frisby
- Claremont High School Academy, Middlesex
- Head teacher: Terry Malloy
- Students: Amar Shan, Sriluxmi Srimurgan
- Nower Hill High School, Middlesex
- Head teacher: Chris Livesey
- Student: Ssuuna Golooba-Mutebi
- Sandringham School, Hertfordshire
- Head teacher: Alan Gray
- Student: James Riding
- The Forest Academy – Beal High School, Redbridge
- Executive head teacher: Sue Snowden
- Head teacher: Will Thompson
- Wren Academy, Barnet
- Head teacher: Michael Whitworth
- Student: Fred Newman
