So what makes a Supplementary School really Special?

Special Distinction supplementary schools share best practice

At today’s session OYA! and Afghan Association Paiwand Education Project presented why they deserve the Special Distinction Quality Framework Award and inspired others from Sheffield, London and Milton Keynes.

The NRC’s Special Distinction Award is expected to show exceptional all-round high quality. A supplementary school with a Special Distinction Award will be an example to others in teaching and learning; day to day management; and good governance. Its evidence will centre on successful, imaginative programmes of study that help children and young people achieve excellent results. A comprehensive, up-to-date and regularly reviewed Business Plan will support management committee minutes as the main source of other evidence.

To gain a Special Distinction Award you need to have already gained a Gold Award and be a registered charity, Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) or Community Interest Company (CIC).

A key feature of this level of award is a partnership project that runs with other organisations (this could be a mainstream school or other statutory agency, a network, museum or gallery, or another supplementary school). We are looking for the sharing of best practice in a particular area of your choice. This could be:

• imaginative use of resources
• pioneering new types of learning
• bringing about positive changes in other people’s attitudes towards teaching and/or supplementary education
• management within supplementary schools.

Staff and volunteers of schools at Special Distinction level are expected to work with other supplementary schools to disseminate good practice in supplementary education. Schools will also be expected to disseminate what they have learnt through their partnership project to further share the experience with other supplementary schools.