Awards
National Online Safety Certified School
By demonstrating our commitment to keeping children and young people safe online through the completion of a comprehensive online safety training programme we have successfully gained accreditation. The National Online Safety Certified School Accreditation is awarded for a whole school community approach to protecting children in the online world. James Southworth, co-founder of National Online Safety, said: “Congratulations to everyone at Hill West on becoming a National Online Safety Certified School. By completing our training programme, the school has shown its strong commitment to implementing an effective whole school approach to online safety.”
Primary Science Quality Mark; GOLD
The Primary Science Quality Mark (PSQM) is the only national award scheme to develop and celebrate the quality of science teaching and learning in primary schools. Schools achieve the PSQM award through a year-long process of initial audit, followed by action and reflection. Jane Turner, Primary Science Quality National Director explains, “gaining a Primary Science Quality Award is a significant achievement for a school. The profile and quality of science teaching and learning each awarded school is very high. Children are engaging with great science both in and outside the classroom, developing positive attitudes towards science as well as secure science understanding and skills. Science subject leaders, their colleagues, head teachers, children, parents and governors should be very proud”. We obtained this award in May 2018.
The Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA); GOLD
Gold: Rights Respecting is the third stage of the Rights Respecting Schools Award. It is granted by Unicef UK to schools that have fully embedded children’s rights throughout the school in its policy and ethos. Achieving the gold ‘rights respecting’ means that t that:
- We have explicitly adopted a child rights approach based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and have embedded it in school policy, practice and culture.
- Children, young people and adults in our school have a thorough understanding of child rights, and rights respecting attitudes and language are embedded across our school.
- RRSA has had a positive impact on children and young people’s learning and wellbeing
- Students see themselves as rights respecting global citizens and are advocates for social justice, fairness and children’s rights at home and abroad. are beginning to see themselves as rights respecting global citizens and advocates for fairness and children’s rights, both locally and globally.
https://www.unicef.org.uk/rights-respecting-schools/getting-started/gold/what-is-gold/
Pathway to Podium; GOLD
The Pathway to Podium initiative has been designed to recognise and encourage schools’ contribution to Physical Education, school sport and physical activity (PESSPA). It celebrates the positive work that schools are delivering in terms of PESSPA and supports schools to improve their offer for the benefit of children and young people.
Pathway to Podium is available for all schools across Birmingham and was designed to use the 2022 Commonwealth Games as a tool to increase the opportunities for young people to be active for a minimum of 60 minutes every day.
Pathway to Podium will provide a set of criteria across 5 key areas of PROFILE, PARTICIPATION, PERFORMANCE, PEOPLE and PLACES.
Schools will complete an initial self-assessment on each of the 5 key areas and receive a rating (bronze, silver or gold) based on their responses. Schools will need to evidence key strategies they have implemented, the impact this has had on the outcomes and progress for young people and their plans for future development.
Schools are encouraged to re-assess on a yearly basis to evidence improvements and prioritise further developments.
sportbirmingham.org/pathway-to-podium
Good Travel Plan 2021; SILVER
Modeshift STARS is the Centre of Excellence for the delivery of Effective Travel Plans in Education, Business and Community settings. The scheme recognises schools, businesses and other organisations that have shown excellence in supporting cycling, walking and other forms of sustainable and active travel. National STARS accreditation is awarded to those who go above and beyond in developing, implementing and monitoring an Effective Travel Plan to bring about a change in travel behaviour and reduce the number of single occupancy vehicle journeys to, from and between their sites.
Launched in 2008, the STARS Education scheme is supported by the Department for Transport and has seen over 1,400 schools in England achieve accreditation since its inception. As of January 2020, 69 local authorities are participating in the scheme with well over 3,500 schools registered nationally.
The CPD Mark
The CPD Mark is a national quality mark designed to improve Continuing Professional Development standards throughout the education sector.
Achieving the CPD Mark has enabled us to:
- celebrate and extend our CPD provision
- exceed the expectations of national inspection bodies
- ensure the best return on investment in staffing
http://www.cpdmark.co.uk/the-cpd-mark-outline.htm
The ArtsMark
The Artsmark is a creative quality standard for schools, accredited by the Arts Council England. Artsmark has been designed by schools, for schools, to align with School Improvement Plans and support core EBACC and STEM priorities, giving the curriculum breadth and balance. As well as recognising schools that are making the arts come alive, the Artsmark award is a practical and valuable tool for enriching a school’s arts provision whatever the starting point. It is designed to ensure every child and young person has the opportunity to experience the richness of the arts by promoting formal education institutions to deliver rich and high quality provision. The Artsmark provides a clear framework for teachers to plan, develop and evaluate arts, culture and creativity across the curriculum.
http://www.artsmark.org.uk/about-artsmark
Investors in People
Since 1991 Investors in People has set the standard for better people management. The internationally recognised accreditation is held by 14,000 organisations across the world. The Standard defines what it takes to lead, support and manage people well for sustainable results. Based on 25 years of leading practice, the Investors in People Standard is underpinned by a rigorous assessment methodology and a framework which reflects the very latest workplace trends, essential skills and effective structures required to outperform in any industry. The Standard explores practices and outcomes within an organisation under three performance headings: leading, supporting and improving.
http://www.investorsinpeople.co.uk/About/Pages/default.aspx
Basic Skills Award
The basic skills Quality Mark is an award that celebrates and supports continuous improvement in literacy and numeracy. It is awarded to a setting or school to recognise their provision, practice and performance in literacy and numeracy, and is valid for three years. A school or setting must demonstrate a whole school approach to improving standards in literacy and numeracy, with evidence of the impact of its approaches. It provides a framework for self-evaluation and continuous improvement of the basic skills of all pupils in a school, including those who underachieve and those who under-attain. ‘The ability to read, write and speak in English and use mathematics at a level necessary to function and progress at work and in society in general.’ Without good communication, literacy and mathematical skills, individuals are severely disadvantaged throughout their lives – as learners, in the workplace and as parents, consumers and citizens.
http://www.qm-alliance.co.uk/Towards-the-Quality-Mark/Primary/Context.html
