Congratulations to all our 2024 winners

Winner: Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi, China

Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi’s trailblazing ‘Holistic AI for All’ programme has pioneered new paths for successful AI integration within schools.

The college has evidenced transformational successes in teaching and learning, where AI has been used as a powerful tool to effectively enhance education. Students are encouraged to use AI to augment and support their learning which has led to increases in writing scores, homework completion rates, and better knowledge retention in math.

They faced obstacles with the implementation, as there was a temptation to solely rely on AI for generating pieces of work. They were able to address this by prioritising ethics training and reinforcing the importance of originality. For example, the school displayed posters promoting ethical AI use and encouraged students to view it as a tool, not a complete product.

Not only has the careful use of AI benefited students, but the college was also able to work it into teacher practices. For example, they used AI to automate bureaucratic tasks allowing more one-on-one time with students. The reduction in workload has also helped teachers focus on what they love - teaching.

Their use of AI predates the pandemic, showing their belief in the technology comes before many of the debates around AI today.

Judge Olli-Pekka Heinonen said, “They have really started to integrate the possibilities of AI into teaching and learning practises before the AI bus got rolling, showing that they have been ahead of the curve and discussion. What I felt valuable is that it’s not just a tool, but they have also considered the ethical considerations of AI.”

Winner: The British Vietnamese International School Hanoi, Vietnam

The incredible work of The British Vietnamese International School has been exceptionally inspiring. The work to support and develop The Floating Village on The Red River in Hanoi, one of the poorest communities in Vietnam, has been transformative- not just for the people of the village, but also the students and their ability to lead and support inequality reduction.

The village is made from temporary floating houses along the river’s flood plain, where the land is deemed unsuitable to build on. It lacks regular access to clean water and electricity, and due to its location, the village is difficult to access due to a lack of roads.

With these challenges in mind, The British Vietnamese International School took action to engage with their local community and improve the wellbeing of the people in the village. These improvements include building a library with over a thousand books for children and adults where educational opportunities are limited, the repairing of many floating homes with a plan in place to repair the remaining ones over the coming years. They’ve championed the use of renewable energy through a solar power system, a new road has connected the previously cut-off village to the rest of Vietnam, rubbish has been cleaned up and a refuse collection system integrated, alongside improvements to agricultural land for farming, and the construction of a children’s playground.

The British Vietnamese International School started this development in 2021 through organised initial visits to the village with staff and students. They were able to collect data to support their planning and develop an action plan, in consultation with local people.

Judge Rob Ford said, “This school has literally taken every good aspect of community engagement and impacted every student, teacher, and parent. What they’re doing with this project is living and breathing community initiative.”

Winner: St Christopher’s School, Bahrain

St Christopher’s School, Bahrain, has developed their ‘Future Ready Curriculum’ to make their students role models for the world. This is in line with their vision for fully equipping students to be prepared for the challenges and opportunities the world can offer.

The school developed a curriculum that is a holistic framework to equip students with modern knowledge, skills and understanding. These learning experiences encompass subject-based and experimental learning opportunities, such as enrichment, theme days, and assemblies. It allows teachers to develop specific opportunities to progress competencies within the domains of Academic, Meta-cognition, Service, Enterprise, Digital, and Wellbeing.

Through using this curriculum, they’ve been recognised on a national level, used the system to enter staff plans for all subjects along with year groups and whole school events, hosted a summit attended by 700 adults and children, and partnered with schools across Bahrain to share best wellbeing practices.

Passion amongst staff was high for the opportunities this curriculum provides for students. They created a publicly accessible mini-site and bespoke planning system to help plan and measure the success of their learning and additional learning experiences.

The curriculum was developed with wellbeing in mind. They sought to reimagine the curriculum with wellbeing as one of the essential elements. By using school leaders and their understanding of Positive Education, PERMA (Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishments), and Character Strengths, they were able to underpin their approach to wellbeing and mental health.

Judge Debra Forsyth said, “The extensive background research that went into planning this initiative and justifying its inclusion as part of the school's core curriculum, is outstanding. The whole-school nature of the initiative at St. Christopher's gives it wide-ranging impact at the school. Furthermore, the openness with which the school has shared all of their work externally allows for even greater impact of the initiative on a wider stage.”

Winner: Dulwich College (Singapore)

Dulwich College (Singapore) has led amazing innovations on how schools can measure inclusivity to create actionable change.

A core element of this process is an annual survey students complete that provides summative, quantitative data. By getting student input, they incorporate the student voice and then take it directly to the Senior School Leadership Team to develop actionable plans for the future.

This initiative started with a small student group that recognised a need for greater gender equality within the school. As the group grew and evolved it expanded beyond gender to include age, race, and religion. A second student group emerged, focussing on LGBTQI+ support and advocacy. This led to ‘Express Yourself’ week where they invited speakers and ran awareness raising activities. The school now incorporates Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as one of their six core College Guiding Statements.

There were challenges they had to overcome to make this initiative work, not least recognising Singapore’s traditionally conservative values. This was addressed by ongoing training from external experts, the setting up of a discussion group running free inclusivity sessions for educators across Singapore, creating staff affinity groups, improving recruitment practices to recruit more diverse staff, and the training of recruitment staff to avoid unconscious biases. 

Dulwich College (Singapore) has shown how student groups can successfully transform attitudes at schools, while working in tandem with a teaching cohort dedicated to creating a school that supports diversity, equity and inclusion. They have ensured their changes have not been surface-level, by training and supporting staff to ensure they have the knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy to develop student led inclusion, justice, and anti-racist systems while also building a sense of belonging within the community.

Judge Liz Free said, “Dulwich college has a systematic approach. They have an embedded practice throughout the school that is directly impacting the diversity effort which carries through every facet of the school’s work.”

Winner: Joanna Povall - Wales International School, UAE

Within the year since she arrived at Wales International School, Joanna has made it her mission to evolve the school into one of the top educational institutions of the future.

Joanna has led and initiated a data-driven approach, regularly analysing standardised test scores across grade levels and subject years before taking a data led approach. Through this process, they have already seen increases in average test scores, observed increased collaboration among teachers, and heard from teachers who feel more empowered to share their own best practises and collaborate on internal strategies.

Prior to her arrival at Wales International School, parents had little to no engagement activities other than parents’ meetings and a small National Day celebration. Joanna successfully developed further engagement with parents through new initiatives, patience, and a commitment to fostering positive relationships. These new initiatives with the school include a new open-door policy where parents can come in at any time, a weekly newsletter for parental engagement, a community coffee morning every Wednesday, as well as ‘Stop, Start, Continue’ surveys to take on board suggestions.

The change to the school since Joanna joined has been transformative. She’s integrated technology, project-based learning, and differentiated instruction to better meet the diverse needs of the school’s students. She has actively encouraged professional development opportunities for teachers and fostered strong partnerships with parents, community organisations and stakeholders. This all demonstrates how Joanna champions a student-centred approach, where the individual needs and interests of each student are at the forefront of educational planning. 

Judge Kirsty Anderson said: “It really feels like Joanna Povall has really shifted everything within that school in terms of their ambition, their expectations, and the way they see themselves. It felt like her passion was running through everybody and she was the beacon for that.”

Winner: Emma Dawson - North London Collegiate School Dubai (UAE)

Emma’s leadership as Assistant Principal Pastoral Care has had a tremendous effect, leaving a lasting mark on students through her ability to inspire students and teachers alike.

Her initiatives in student-wellbeing, pandemic response, and creating a safe and supportive environment were noted for their positive impacts on student wellbeing and academic success. Her work on student wellbeing led to the development of a successful program that collaborates with student leadership and the counselling team. Her students feel listened to, giving them the emotional support and security to equip them for academic success and improved learning outcomes.

Other students and teachers can tell how much she loves pastoral leadership despite its challenges. She is known for her sensitive and compassionate approach to students, especially when providing and addressing the unique challenges of living and teaching in regions affected by conflict and unrest - and the impacts this can have on student welfare and well-being.

She has been commended by students and teachers alike, for acting as a central pillar of success at the school, embodying the school’s vision in her actions. She actively participates in school shows, performances, sports fixtures, demonstrating her commitment to the school community.

Along with her fantastic student wellbeing support, her work on the Student Listening Service (Sadiq) has provided a supportive and approachable environment for their peers.

Judge John Gwyn Jones MBE said, “She is highlighted as a strength within the school who is very committed to student wellbeing.” He also commended her for her support of diversity within the school, and the opportunities she provides for positive feedback to the staff.

Winner: Wiesbaden Campus - Frankfurt International School, Germany

Innovative and empowering, Frankfurt International School’s ‘Day H’ gives students an opportunity to take control of their learning and chase down what they’re interested in.

Unlike most schools which operate on a 5-day cycle, to achieve Frankfurt International School’s new goals, they changed to an 8-day rotation. This is how the school incorporated Day H, a Flex Day program that fosters student freedom and collaborative working.

Day H students can choose activities on that day that match their interests and passions, whilst giving them an opportunity to collaborate and lead workshops, deliver presentations, and participate in cross-divisional and grade-based projects.

The initiative required a fundamental transformation of the school’s schedule, turning it from a five-day structure to a rotating eight-day cycle. Teacher leaders and consultants collaborated on a programme that ensured it wouldn’t be overwhelming to students or teachers. This gave way for a schedule that allowed flexibility, project-based learning, and community-building events.

Enthusiasm from students is told to be high, with them saying Day H is their favourite day of the week. It helps foster their confidence, especially with new opportunities for students who typically avoid public speaking, to embrace challenges through the programmes embedded self-assurance. It’s given students a chance to be leaders, think critically, problem solve, and balance challenging academic content with real-world initiatives. 

Judge Natasha Hilton said, “Day H demonstrates exceptional opportunities for students to collaborate, work in groups, lead their own learning, and take ownership of their learning. It is clearly inspired by the children and their opportunities to lead what areas they would like to explore.” 

Winner: Rainbow International School Uganda

Rainbow International School is the leading SEND provision in Uganda.

Located within Uganda’s capital of Kampala, Rainbow International School made a bold and innovative commitment in 2022 to their SEND vision. In a region where SEND education often falls behind along a higher lack of awareness of special needs, Rainbow International School Uganda has become a beacon for other schools in the region.

The school takes all areas of education and has incorporated successful ways to be more inclusive. They’ve adapted curriculums providing opportunities for students with and without special needs to collaborate. It also includes accessible facilities, behaviour support strategies, meaningful and specialised support services, student advocacy, inclusive extracurricular activities, and anti-bullying initiatives.

The school offers interventions on the development of fine motor skills, memory and processing, guided reading, life skills and literacy, numeracy support, occupational therapy, and speech and language sessions. This has all been possible thanks to their supportive culture, their investments in professional development, parental engagement, data gathering, and intervention strategies. This has all led Rainbow International School Uganda to succeed in their bold commitment to SEND.

Rainbow International School has also made great efforts in staff development, with ongoing training for evidence-based practices, and mentorships for less experienced staff.

Judge Vanita Uppal OBE said, “A school with a clear, powerful and impactful vision, the superb execution of which has shattered many glass ceilings and defied cultural barriers. Rapidly becoming a beacon for schools in the region, the most impressive part of the application was its transformative impact and the potential for sustaining this successful provision.”

Winner: Horizon English School, UAE

While schools focus on giving their students the best possible outcomes, attention to teachers and teacher wellbeing can often fall behind. Horizon English School has tackled this through a data driven approach with proven results.

Horizon English School has found success through data gathering and high levels of staff engagement at all levels.  This has been formulated using the PERMA framework (Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishments), where each dimension is measured and evidenced to find real improvement. They host an annual Voice of the Employee survey that gathers data on culture of care, how staff performance and development is supported, the workplace environment, and leadership at the school. This data is then used to support continuous development and provides them with a foundation so they can build upon the prior years’ results.

Along with their data driven approach, they also support activities that drive engagement between staff. For example, they host a tea and toast event for staff every Friday, host annual team activities at the start of each year, and regularly check in with new staff.

A key indicator behind their success has been their retention of staff. They say that in a region where staff retention can be low, they’ve been able increase staff retention to the point where the average international school’s teacher turnover rate is almost double their own.

Judge Chris Seal said, “This was an ambitious initiative; supporting teacher wellbeing is something that is talked about a lot but rarely done in a sustainable way. The school showed tangible outcomes that impact were measurable and the positive impact on staff clear to see.”

Winner: GEMS Wesgreen International School – Sharjah, UAE

GEMS Wesgreen International School has taken an incredible student-centric approach to boosting the mental health of their students, through the teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) program. Their vision is to foster an inclusive and supportive school environment where all students recognise the value of mental health, feel they are empowered to seek help, recognise the value of seeking help, and are able to find the tools they need.

The school implemented an evidence-based training program for teens (tMHFA), allowing students to be an informal first responder and identify peers who are struggling. It empowers students to speak up, promotes positive actions, and reduces negative stigmas surrounding mental health.

Through the implementation of their program, they have seen a pronounced decrease in bullying and a decline in the bystander effect. They’ve also seen an increase in confidence from students willing to intervene in instances of bullying. This confidence increases their willingness to seek help and improves school attitudes towards wellbeing.

The school tracks their processes which support mental health on a month-by-month basis to analyse and predict trends, with measures then put in place as lesson materials from school counsellors.

Judge Ruth Sanderson said, “What they had seen was the programme’s impact in reducing bullying and really empowering students themselves to actively intervene in moments of distress. It really showed the effectiveness of the programme they implemented, and their emphasis on students as pioneers.”

Winner: Dulwich College (Singapore)

Leading not just in Singapore, but globally too, Dulwich College Singapore has taken environmental sustainability to heart and placed it within the college’s six core Guiding Statements.

At the centre of their ambition and support for sustainable solutions has been the construction and development of their seven-story building, named The Greenhouse. The state-of-the-art education facility provides creative learning spaces, an auditorium, a STEAM workshop, a teaching kitchen, a media suite, three black box theatres and more – all while being net-zero. It achieves sustainability using extensive energy efficient systems enabling the building to run on renewable energy. The Greenhouse is also the first international school building in Singapore to be certified Green Mark Platinum Zero Energy by the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore. 

However, the schools’ sustainable aspirations don’t stop with The Greenhouse. They have also reduced their energy use by over 200,000kWh/year through changing mindsets, habits, and the actions of the school community. They’ve reduced waste from their food and catering services company through an uptake of plant-based meals. They’ve implemented signage encouraging less food waste, seen an increase in composted food, and a reduction in single-use items. These are only some of the actions and results Dulwich College Singapore has enacted to fulfil their sustainable vision for the school.

Judge Colin Bell said, “They’ve put their life and soul into this massive new build which is a seven-story project. They’ve done it in a way where they’ve put their money where their mouth is. Not only that, but their Environmental, Social, and Governance Report was absolutely spot on in terms of providing evidence of sustainability. Everything provided me with a real sense of optimism and hope about what’s happening with the international community.”

Winner: Hayley Langusta - Brighton College Abu Dhabi

As an Inclusion Teacher Assistant for Brighton College Abu Dhabi, Hayley Langusta has won Teaching Assistant Support of the Year through her dedicated approach to the development and wellbeing of her students.

Haley goes above and beyond in taking many approaches to support students. She monitors students and adjusts their learning plans, fostering teamwork with teachers by using data analysis to tailor her teaching strategies. Hayley runs a daily phonics group, implemented daily intervention groups, forges strong connections with pupils and families, collaborates with parents and caregivers, all the while researching new methodologies to better support the children she works with.

With energy, care, and an approach that fits the needs of individual students, Haley has demonstrated innovative and remarkable ways in how she cares for her students. Another area that defines her approach to a student’s educational journey is how she closely collaborates with parents and caregivers to nurture a child’s needs. She also uses her mental health background to explore social and emotional aspects of a child’s development and gives holistic support.

She has been commended on her innovative approach to language development, implementing a program for Early Years which has transformed the way children engage with language and communication. As well as this, her work in phonics also stands out, helping children from having no initial sounds awareness to confidently blending CVC (consonant, vowel, consonant) words.

Judge Samantha Horwood said, “Hayley really showcased her unwavering commitment to students’ wellbeing and growth, and how she goes the extra mile to look into things that might benefit the learners. You can really see that she wants to be able to make a difference for all children.”

Winner: Marlborough College Malaysia

Challenged by COVID and losing over a third of their pupils to border closures, Marlborough College Malaysia has been able to bounce back and, in several areas, are already achieving results beyond pre-pandemic levels.

Academically, their last academic season had the best iGCSE results in the school’s history, with a record number of pupils getting into top Universities and Colleges around the world. They have been listed in Spear’s Schools Index top 125 Independent Schools in the World for the third year running, and received awards for strategic leadership. They employ a comprehensive tutor system to ensure no pupil gets left behind and run an extremely extensive Co-Curricular programme.

In wellbeing, they are committed to the principles of Positive Psychology and developed their own unique model to explore the strengths of the school, encompassing 4 dimensions of Body, Mind, Spirit, and Community. Through careful wellbeing tracking, their initiatives have led to a successful Wellbeing in Schools Conference last year and they have been awarded COBIS Beacon School status for Student Welfare.

They are proud to call their staff their greatest asset. The college runs programmes for induction and professional development, has an initiative that allows staff to apply for professional learning days, promote new roles internally first for better career progression opportunities, run a mentorship initiative, encourage high levels of communication, and more.

Marlborough College Malaysia has shown tenacity and drive in order to give their pupils a comprehensive education that cares for the important facets of wellbeing, creating a community that helps them succeed.

The judges unanimously voted Marlborough College Malaysia as the International School of the Year. They have shown their dedication in passionately driving academic, wellbeing, and co-curricular activities to help their pupils succeed.