School Achievement Awards Scheme

Schools succeed through team effort as well as individual effort. School Achievement Awards are intended to celebrate and reward those efforts and encourage further improvement.

The majority of awards are given to schools where pupil performance shows substantial improvement over time (typically a four year period) or where it can be demonstrated that pupil performance in a specific year is better than at most schools in similar circumstances.  Awards are also given to schools leaving special measures.

All maintained schools, non-maintained special schools (NMSS), city academies and city technology colleges (CTCs) in England are eligible for an award.  About 30% of schools win awards each year.