Shropshire college is one of just 39 worldwide to win World Class School Accreditation

A Shropshire school has been awarded High Performance Learning World Class School Accreditation - one of only 39 schools worldwide to hold the distinction.

Ellesmere College has been recognised for the hard work and dedication in demonstrating a world class quality of education throughout the school after two years of rigorous assessment.

High Performance Learning (HPL) is an international movement delivering educational change, working with schools and teachers to provide a flexible learning framework, building cognitive competences and designed to achieve academic and lifetime success.

Professor Deborah Eyre, Founder and Chair at High Performance Learning, said of the accreditation: “Truly world-class schools understand that while grades are important, producing students who are intellectually and socially confident, work-place and life-ready with a global outlook and concern for others is our true aim.

“Ellesmere College has worked hard to strengthen its practice and to move closer to the vision of every child becoming a high performer.”

Ellesmere College employs the HPL approach through the whole school system - from Lower School to Sixth Form.

It reflects what is already known about advanced thinking skills and learning behaviours, helping pupils to develop skills and attitudes like confidence, agile thinking, perseverance and a greater awareness and concern for the society we live in - ensuring they are fully prepared for the path of study, work and life which lie ahead.

A report by the HPL assessor found: "The HPL journey at Ellesmere College has been well considered, well planned, embedded and expertly delivered within the teaching framework of the school. From the outset HPL was seen as part of a holistic education that would ensure that all Ellesmere students are 'Life:Ready'.

“The school also prides itself on the broad co-curricular provision that provides a wealth of incredible opportunities to its students."

Brendan Wignall, Headmaster at Ellesmere College, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the High Performance Learning World Class School Accreditation and are in elite company with only 38 other schools holding this status globally.

“The HPL World Class School Award Scheme delivers a flexible teaching and learning framework that systematically builds cognitive competencies leading to academic and lifetime success.  It is a programme we have fully embraced, has been hugely successful and something visitors to the College are asking more about because they have seen that we use it and are keen to learn more.

“It reflects what we know about advanced thinking skills and learning behaviours, helping our pupils to develop skills and attitudes like confidence, agile thinking, perseverance and a greater awareness and concern for the society we live in - ensuring they are fully prepared for the path of study, work and life which lie ahead.

“HPL is a progressive approach and one which doesn’t limit our thinking and expectations to examination success, although they are of course still extremely important.”

Vicky Pritt-Roberts, Deputy Head Academic and HPL Lead at the College, added: “We strongly believe every child has it in them to be an effective learner and HPL provides a greater level of confidence and self-belief for our pupils to strive to be the best they can possibly be, becoming better equipped to deal with life’s journey.”

The school has established a network of eight mentors under the scheme to work with staff and students in academic areas.

Daniel Bottom, Head of English and one of the HPL mentors at the school, said: “Being part of the programme in no way changes what we teach but it does influence the approach we adopt in showing pupils how to learn.”

HPL has proved to be a successful programme which dovetails with any subject or curriculum - helping to achieve academic excellence alongside a broader set of values and attitudes while supporting pupil wellbeing.