Latest news with #WorldsBestSchoolPrizes
BBC News
9 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Two London academies shortlisted for World's Best School Prizes
Two "inspirational" London academies have been shortlisted for the World's Best School Prizes, which celebrate schools around the world that drive positive Academy West London, a state secondary in Feltham is a top 10 finalist in the Supporting Healthy Lives category while One Degree Academy, a state-funded nursery and primary in Enfield, is in the Overcoming Adversity winners of the awards, organised by educational platform T4 Education, will be announced in the deputy mayor for children and families, Joanne McCartney, said: "Both schools are shining examples of the life-changing impact education can have in our capital." Vikas Pota, founder of T4 Education and the World's Best School Prizes, said young people faced a "more precarious future than ever" as artificial intelligence continued to be developed and amid growing challenges of climate change."A good education, with humans at its heart, has never been more important," he said."It is in schools like Rivers Academy West London and One Degree Academy where we find the innovations and expertise that give us hope for a better future. "Leaders and schools around the world have so much to learn from these inspirational London institutions." There are five categories for the World's Best School Prizes:Community Collaboration Environmental Action Innovation Overcoming Adversity Supporting Healthy Lives The winners will be chosen by a judging panel and all 50 shortlisted schools across the five categories will also be part of a public vote, which opened on Wednesday, to determine the winner of a Community Choice Award. All the winners will be announced in winners and finalists of the prizes will be invited to the World Schools Summit in the United Arab Emirates in November.
The National
13 hours ago
- General
- The National
Three UAE schools named as finalists in global contest
Three UAE schools have been named as finalists in a global contest that highlights institutions for their innovation, environmental awareness, community collaborations and much else. Dubai British School Jumeirah Park, Arbor School in Dubai and Applied Technology Schools – Umm Al Quwain Campus are named in the top 10 in different categories of the World's Best School Prizes. Run by T4 Education, the World's Best School Prizes were founded in 2022 with the aim, organisers say, of sharing 'the best practices of schools that are changing lives in their classrooms and far beyond their walls'. The contest is split into five categories, with DBSJP shortlisted for Community Collaboration, Arbor School for Environmental Education and ATS-UAQ for Innovation. The other categories are Overcoming Adversity and Supporting Healthy Lives, with the winners in each category to be chosen by a judging panel and announced in October. There is an additional Community Choice Award selected by public vote. Along with the other finalists, the three UAE schools will be invited to the World Schools Summit in Abu Dhabi on November 15 and 16, when they will share their experiences with education experts from around the globe. Alan Williamson, chief executive of Taaleem, which runs DBSJP, said the company was 'immensely proud' that the school had 'deservedly' been named as a top 10 finalist. 'This international recognition reflects the outstanding work of the school's dedicated teachers, talented students and highly supportive community,' he said. 'Their unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation and inclusion exemplifies the very best of Taaleem's educational values.' DBSJP, which has a kindergarten, primary school and secondary school, has been named as a Community Collaboration finalist for what T4 Education described as 'a community-driven approach that integrates families and the broader community into the learning journey'. This, the competition organisers said, meant every child had 'a personalised pathway to success'. 'Driven by community involvement, the comprehensive model gives equal weight to sports, art and academia to ensure every child is seen and every talent is nurtured,' T4 Education said. 'With academic achievement a primary focus in the region, the role of sports and the arts in shaping personal development has often been neglected and the school sought to address this.' T4 Education praised the school for its inclusivity efforts, especially for children with special needs. Top-class education Arbor School, a kindergarten, primary school and secondary school in Al Furjan, Dubai, secured its place as an Environmental Education finalist for integrating eco-literacy into its curriculum. The aim is to develop children who can tackle real-world problems in areas such as waste reduction and energy efficiency. 'Embedding sustainability, ethical stewardship and environmental education into its learning model was a direct response to the critical role education plays in addressing ecological challenges,' T4 Education said. The school campus has six biodomes, described as 'living laboratories', where pupils can learn in a hands-on way about sustainability, ecosystems and plant cultivation. Pupils have been involved in projects such as the Dubai Oyster Project, for which they worked alongside conservation groups and local restaurants to restore reefs off Dubai, and have their own eco-council, eco-ambassadors and what the school calls eco-influencers. The school has tried to reduce its environmental footprint by cutting waste, conserving energy and having buses powered by biodiesel. ATS-UAQ secured its Innovation finalist spot thanks to a career-focused and project-based curriculum. "This recognition holds deep meaning for our community, where passionate teachers and ambitious students work together each day with the dream to rise, lead, and inspire," said Rasha Diab, vice principal of Applied Technology Schools - UAQ. "Being named among the top 10 most innovative schools globally affirms that with unity, purpose and belief in education, excellence can thrive anywhere. It also reflects our commitment to preparing the next generation of scientists, engineers and technicians who will lead the UAE's innovative and future-focused industries — a vision that drives all we do at ATS schools." Pupils are prepared for industry through 'clusters', which include workshops, hands-on learning experiences and brainstorming sessions, allowing them to focus on fields such as business, AI, health sciences or education. 'This vocational and technical training, combined with a curriculum that blends core academic subjects, ensures graduates are accepted into top universities and thrive in careers directly related to their chosen cluster,' T4 Education said. Vikas Pota, the founder of T4 Education and the World's Best School Prizes, said a good education 'has never been more important'. 'It is in schools like Dubai British School Jumeirah Park, Arbor School and Applied Technology Schools – Umm Al Quwain Campus where we find the innovations and expertise that give us hope for a better future,' he said. 'Congratulations on becoming finalists for the World's Best School Prizes 2025. Leaders and schools around the world have so much to learn from these inspirational UAE institutions.' T4 Education describes itself as a global platform that brings together more than 200,000 teachers in at least 100 countries, offering professional development and networking.
Khaleej Times
13 hours ago
- General
- Khaleej Times
3 UAE institutions among 10 finalists for World's Best School Prizes 2025
Three schools from the UAE have landed among Top 10 finalists for the prestigious World's Best School Prizes 2025. This is the first time the country has had three schools reach the final stage. Dubai British School Jumeirah Park (DBSJP), Arbor School, and Applied Technology Schools — Umm Al Quwain Campus (ATS-UAQ) have each earned recognition across key categories — Community Collaboration, Environmental Action, and Innovation respectively — marking the first time three UAE schools have reached the final 10 in the same year. What qualifies these schools in top 10? In an interview with Khaleej Times, Rebecca Coulter, Principal, Dubai British School Jumeirah Park (DBSJP) explained that DBSJP stands out for its strong belief in education as a shared journey, built on deep partnerships between students, staff, families, and the wider community. Coulter highlighted that their academic success, inclusive practices, and wellbeing initiatives all stem from a collaborative ethos. She said, 'Our nationally celebrated inclusion programme is a direct reflection of our collaborative ethos. As the first school in the UAE to achieve both the Inclusion Quality Mark and Centre of Excellence status, we ensure all voices are heard. From working closely with parents of determination to co-creating support strategies with specialist teams, we make inclusion a shared responsibility and a daily reality.' 'Our co-curricular and enrichment offer is deliberately inclusive and outward facing. With over ninety clubs and a calendar filled with cultural celebrations, community iftars, sustainability drives, and service initiatives, our school is a place where people connect across backgrounds and generations,' added Coulter. Alan Williamson, CEO of Taaleem, said, 'We are immensely proud that Dubai British School Jumeirah Park has deservedly been named a Top 10 finalist for the World's Best School Prizes 2025. This international recognition reflects the outstanding work of the school's dedicated teachers, talented students, and highly supportive community. Their unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and inclusion exemplifies the very best of our educational values.' Meanwhile, Arbor School earned its spot for embedding eco-literacy within its curriculum, empowering students to tackle pressing environmental challenges through hands-on learning at its biodomes, regenerative gardens, and other sustainability-focused initiatives. Gemma Thornley, Principal, Arbor School said, 'Arbor School is uniquely positioned with an integrated curriculum that intertwines the National Curriculum for England with a bespoke ecoliteracy programme. Our standout initiatives include the Centre for Abundance, where students work alongside experts in sustainability, science, and systems thinking to address real-world problems. Our Living Campus, which features biodomes, regenerative gardens, and native habitat areas, provides immersive, hands-on learning environments where children explore food systems, climate adaptation, and ecological resilience,' told KT. She added, 'Beyond curriculum, our student-led eco-committees, community conservation projects, and the integration of environmental justice across subjects ensure that sustainability is not confined to science lessons, but interwoven throughout the student experience.' Applied Technology Schools-Umm Al Quwain Campus-ATS-UAQ (ATS-AQ), a public secondary school in Fallaj Al Mulla – Umm Al Quwain, UAE, which has integrated AI, engineering, and sustainability into its project-based curriculum to transform the way students are solving real-world challenges and learning crucial life skills to become workforce-ready, has also been named among the top finalists. Five categories The winners of the five World's Best School Prizes — for Community Collaboration, Environmental Action, Innovation, Overcoming Adversity, and Supporting Healthy Lives – will be chosen by an expert Judging Academy based on rigorous criteria. In addition, all 50 finalist schools across the five Prizes will also take part in a Public Vote, which opened today, to determine the winner of the Community Choice Award. All six winners will be announced in October. Vikas Pota, Founder of T4 Education and the World's Best School Prizes, said, 'In a world being turned upside down by AI, as technology reshapes the way we learn and renders jobs that have existed for centuries obsolete, amid growing challenges of climate change, conflict, poverty and populism, the world our young people are entering has never felt more precarious. And a good education, with humans at its heart, has never been more important. 'It is in schools like Dubai British School Jumeirah Park, Arbor School, and Applied Technology Schools-Umm Al Quwain Campus-ATS-UAQ where we find the innovations and expertise that give us hope for a better future. Congratulations on becoming finalists for the World's Best School Prizes 2025. Leaders and schools around the world have so much to learn from these inspirational UAE institutions.' The winners and finalists of these global schools' prizes will be invited to the World Schools Summit in Abu Dhabi on November 15-16, where they will share their best practices and unique expertise and experience with policymakers and leading figures in global education.
