STAFF and students at Lymm High School are celebrating after being officially designated a ‘World Class School’.
The school was invited to apply for the World Class Schools Quality Mark (WCSQM) and Lymm High School is one of just 12 secondary schools to have been successful in receiving the prestigious accreditation this year.
WCSQM is a UK charity that works to accredit the best non-selective state schools across the UK with the World Class quality mark accreditation. Specifically, it is concerned with developing the skills, competencies and characteristics that young people need to thrive in an ever-changing global economy. According to the charity, the starting point for applications is that schools “have a track record, data and evidence, internal and external, that indicates at their next Ofsted inspection they would be deemed ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted”.
However, a lot more than this is required for a successful bid. The arduous process involved a team of Year 12 students (ably assisted by Mr Hayes, Head of Halls and Ethos) spending weeks compiling a comprehensive report to demonstrate how Lymm High Students are ‘World Class’.
This involved looking at a wide range of areas, including things like: how highly literate students are scientifically and culturally; the extent to which students are excellent ‘life-long’ learners; leadership, including student leadership; preparation for higher education and future careers; and links with other countries and organisations. The students also had to put together a video to illustrate how a typical week at Lymm High School facilitates the development of world-class learners.
Mr Hayes said: “The student team did an incredible job of leading the application process and are themselves a prime example of why Lymm High School students are ‘world class’.”
Headteacher Gwynn Williams said: “This is a significant achievement and we are all very proud of what it says about our school community. Particular thanks go to the students who did such a fantastic job of leading this bid.”
The students involved in the project included Ciara Bennett, Evie France, Beau Harry, Thomas Lea, Emma Parkinson and Jack Powell. As part of the process, they needed to work with a partner primary school.
“Working alongside Sacred Heart primary school really showed us the value of communication and teamwork. Working as the research analyst I spent a lot of time listening to feedback from different schools and coming to a group decision everyone could be happy with”, said Thomas Lea.
“This experience was a real eye-opener”, said Jack Powell. “It taught me the intricacies of communication and teamwork and was a golden opportunity for everyone involved. It was really great seeing everyone working as a team especially considering the wide range of skills needed.”
Evie France was Project Manager: “I was given the opportunity to lead an amazing team. Working with a primary school on this final project challenged me and enabled me to gain valuable skills.”
Being a WCSQM school will open up some great opportunities for both staff and students over the next few years. Having the accreditation gives the school access to the WCSQM framework that will help all students to develop and demonstrate world-class skills and characteristics across areas including learning, leadership, community and the workplace.
“The values of the organisation very much align with our own in terms of working to make sure that students leave us not just with excellent academic qualifications but also as well-rounded, socially responsible young people equipped with the knowledge and skills required to thrive in the modern world”, said Mr Williams.
