An award is an accreditation of good practice in an aspect of the school’s work. This frequently reveals a striving for excellence that is the hallmark of the best of our schools. It is often linked to an assessment by independent experts against nationally defined criteria. They carefully consider the evidence provided by the school and look at its structures, systems and procedures.

The Health Schools Award, for instance, requires the school to demonstrate that it lays the foundation for children and young people to understand and adopt healthy lifestyles. This is central to achieving well being for individuals and communities. The Basic Skills Agency Quality Mark requires schools to prove that they are addressing ten key “elements and criteria” in ensuring that learners achieve as well as they can and gain the basic skills that underpin all of their learning. Artsmark is a national scheme, managed by the Arts Council, that provides a benchmark for arts opportunities in schools so that young people have access to a wide range of experiences in art, dance, drama and music and schools adopt a broad and balanced curriculum.

What is most important for us on the Isle of Wight is the way in which the activities that flow from these and other awards enrich the life and learning of the children and young people in our schools. We all need goals and targets. For many of our schools and the learners within them, the awards provide both. It is the aspirations and priorities of each school that define which awards they choose to aim for. Achieving a national award is a recognition of high quality work and commitment and a good reason for the whole school community – staff, learners, parents and governors - to celebrate their success.