Holme Grange School, Berkshire named fourth NACE Challenge Ambassador School
Holme Grange School earns NACE Challenge Ambassador status, showcasing sustained excellence in high-quality provision for more able learners and contributing to NACE initiatives.
The National Association for Able Children in ÍÑ¿ã°É (NACE) has named Holme Grange School the fourth school to be granted NACE Challenge Ambassador School status, and the eighth school to be accredited for the fourth time with the NACE Challenge Award.
NACE Challenge Ambassador School status recognises the sustained excellence of schools accredited with the Challenge Award on three or more occasions, which have made significant contributions to NACE’s CPD, research and resource-sharing initiatives. As more schools gain Challenge Ambassador School status, Holme Grange School will become part of a network of similarly minded school leaders across the UK and beyond, facilitating the exchange of effective practice, and supporting continued school improvement.
The Challenge Award is given in recognition of school-wide commitment to high-quality provision for more able learners, within the context of challenge for all.
NACE CEO Rob Lightfoot said: “Holme Grange School has worked consistently hard to maintain the NACE Challenge Award for over 10 years. It has continued to display a thorough commitment to developing a culture in which all learners are challenged and supported to reach their full potential.”
The award is based on the NACE Challenge Framework, which sets out criteria for high-quality provision for more able learners within a wider ethos of challenge for all. The framework is available as part of the NACE Challenge Development Programme – a suite of resources developed by NACE to help schools evaluate and improve their provision for more able learners.
The NACE assessor reported: “Academic excellence is valued but it is not restrictive and supports attainment across the curriculum. A culture of researching the ‘how’ not merely the ‘what’ of teaching is being pursued in varied and exciting ways. This includes the effective use of an exceptional range of professional development opportunities such as training on neuroscience for teachers with clear impact. Students embrace challenge and aim to achieve ‘Confidence and Success for All’. Challenge is not just for the more able. All students are encouraged to challenge themselves and reach their potential. The pastoral care of students is a key component of the success of the school. Teachers often go ‘above and beyond’ which was recognised by an older student who said a strength of the school was, ‘the availability of the teachers and how open they are to supporting you’. Talents are nurtured by staff with a rich array of enrichment opportunities available, meaning students flourish across and beyond the curriculum.”
Improving provision for the more able remains a priority for many schools as a key focus. The experience and evidence gathered by Challenge Award-accredited schools also shows that effective strategies to improve provision for the more able are likely to have a positive impact on the achievement of a much wider group of learners.
To attain the Challenge Award, schools must complete a detailed self-evaluation using the NACE Challenge Framework, submit a portfolio of supporting evidence, and undertake assessment by a NACE associate. To progress to Ambassador School status, schools must engage more deeply with NACE’s work – including contributions to research, resource-sharing, leadership and CPD initiatives.
CEO Rob Lightfoot said, “Holme Grange School will continue to play an important role within our international community of Challenge Award-accredited schools, displaying a commitment to meeting the needs of more able learners and sharing their expertise for the wider benefit of the education community.”
February 2024