Congratulations to St Mark’s CE Academy in London, Salesian School in Surrey and Chorlton High School in Manchester, who have become the latest schools to be recognised for ‘transforming’ practice in all areas of the Framework for Exceptional Education. This prestigious recognition celebrates the commitment shown in all three schools to creating an inclusive, high-performing environment where all students thrive.
Their practice in each strand was reviewed by another school in the Leading Edge network and a member of the Leading Edge team. To achieve all 12 strands represents a significant achievement and is a testament to the work of teachers and leaders in all of the schools.
St Mark’s CE Academy, London
The team at St Mark’s CE Academy have led the school on an inspiring improvement journey over a number of years. Their Ofsted report last year recognised the school as ‘outstanding’ in all areas – their report opens with the comment “Pupils flourish at this school.”
Within the school community, they talk about the “journey of transformation” taken by every student and every member of staff. Great care is taken to value the contribution of every individual, students and staff alike. Senior leaders have skilfully led development across all key areas of practice, carefully building the expertise of all colleagues and maintaining an unwavering focus on the needs of students. As Jennie Khan, Senior Deputy Principal puts it “teachers deserve the best because students deserve the best teachers.”
Quite rightly, the staff and students at St Mark’s Academy, are proud of the community they have built. There is a strong sense of moral purpose, underpinned by a clearly articulated vision. As one member of staff put it during a moderation visit, “the vision is always present, it’s alive. You can see it day in, day out.”
Chorlton High School, Manchester
At Chorlton High School, their motto is ‘Successful, Creative and Happy.’ Visitors commented on their vibrant school community and the quality of leadership. One moderation report noted “rich experiences enable students to thrive, aspire, enjoy, lead and stand together.” A peer review report commented “classroom visits showed students actively engaged in their learning and passionate teachers dedicated to their roles.
Zoe Morris, Headteacher of Chorlton High School, highlighted how the framework has been instrumental in the school’s success. “We’ve used the Framework for Exceptional Education as an evaluation tool, encouraging staff to be reflective and critical of their practice,” she explained. “The framework has helped us ensure that all aspects of the school work seamlessly to support every stakeholder.”
The school prides itself on delivering “ambitious, imaginative, and cutting-edge practice” that provides exemplary learning opportunities. By adopting a holistic approach, Chorlton High School ensured complementary areas such as “Principled Curriculum” and “Leadership with Moral Purpose” were developed cohesively, benefiting the entire school community.
A key aspect of their journey was the opportunity to collaborate with other schools, sharing and reflecting on best practices. This exchange allowed Chorlton High to identify strengths, evidence their effectiveness, and make targeted improvements.
“Using the FfEE has taken us beyond a standard quality assurance framework,” noted Morris. “It has kept our practices fresh, continuously examined, and improved.”
Salesian School, Surrey
The ethos of Salesian School is rooted in the teachings of St John Bosco – in particular building on the principle “show children they are loved.” From this principle comes an absolute determination that every aspect of students’ experience is as good as it can be and that every student is supported to grow in confidence. Salesian School is very inclusive and supports a large number of young people with additional needs. Staff are rightly proud of the way in which the needs of every individual are met.
This emphasis on care is also extended to the staff, ensuring that every member of the team is “known and noticed.” Bespoke CPD supports a creative and aspirational approach to learning and teaching.
One of their moderation reports states: “The ethos of the school is a powerful one. Salesian is an exemplar for others to visit to experience the quality of reflection which underpins the work of the school, and care afforded to its community of students and staff.”
This focus on care, was also noted by one of their peer review schools: “the school demonstrates a strong commitment to fostering positive relationships with students, parents, governors and external partners, underpinned by a deep-rooted ethos of collaboration and continuous improvement.”
Rebecca Matthews, Assistant Headteacher, says that they have enjoyed their participation in the Framework for Exceptional Education, feeling that the framework connected well with their ethos and that they really valued the honesty and openness of all of the schools they connected with during the peer review process.
To mark the outstanding achievement of all three schools, they were each presented with a plaque.
More about the Framework for Exceptional Education
The framework is available at no charge to SSAT member schools. It provides an ideal tool for quality assurance and action-planning.
The framework has been fully updated this academic year, with the support of school leaders from the Leading Edge network. Thank you to everyone who contributed, in particular, colleagues from Bingley Grammar School, Bishopshalt School, Churchdown School Academy, Kennet School, Langley Grammar School, St John The Baptist School, St Mark’s CE Academy, St Paul’s Catholic College and Royal Latin School for their invaluable help.
Accreditation of ‘transforming’ practice is available as part of SSAT Leading Edge membership. Leading Edge schools can apply for accreditation in up to four strands of the framework per year. Accreditation involves a peer review with another school and a visit from a member of the Leading Edge team.
