A BRADFORD primary school which has had a huge transformation in the last two years is delighted to have been awarded a prestigious accreditation. 

Carlton Mills Primary in Manningham has been awarded the 'World Class Schools' accredition.

Only 140 schools across the UK meet the requirement for the World Class Schools Quality Mark (WCSQM), awarded by the education charity.

The Quality Mark assessment framework grades the students, not the school, for their demonstration of World Class skills and competencies. The premise is that if the school is truly World Class, then its students should be able to demonstrate this in whatever context they find themselves.

Carlton Mills is one of just a handful of non-selective state schools awarded the Quality Mark in the 2023 academic year, following a challenging assessment process in which students worked to identify and demonstrate their World Class characteristics using the WCSQM character development framework as a benchmark.

The framework highlights characteristics across individual areas including leadership, community, learning and workplace for secondary students, and ‘I learn’, ‘I am’ and ‘I feel’ for primary students. Over time students demonstrated how they had met each characteristic, either at school, at home, or in their local community, uploading evidence and a summary for each completed characteristic via the WCSQM internet-based app, BeWorldClass.

Once a significant number of students are proving World Class characteristics, WCSQM assesses the students’ completed portfolios via a student-led assessment process.

Claire McDonald, Head of School, said: “Carlton Mills has been on a rapid journey of school improvement over the past two years supported by Carlton Academy Trust. 

"We are absolutely delighted to be awarded the World Class Schools Accreditation. Our pupils are World Class and we are so proud that they have been noticed for the amazing work they are doing, the phenomenal progress that they have made and the contributions that they make to our school and community in Manningham.”

Miranda Perry, Director at WCSQM “At WCSQM we wholeheartedly believe it is the students that make a school, and a school that prioritises the development of World Class characteristics in its students will always be World Class.

"The skills and competencies these students have demonstrated will help them excel in any environment and make them ideal candidates for whichever further education / career pathway they choose to take.

"These are the World Class citizens of the next generation, and we’re incredibly proud to award them for their achievements so far.”