CGS under same leadership as world class school

Campbeltown Grammar School (CGS) is currently under the same leadership as the only school in Europe in the running to be crowned one of the world’s best schools.

 

It has been announced that Dunoon Grammar School is in the final three for the World’s Best School Prize for community collaboration.

 

The Cowal school's head teacher, David Mitchell, is also interim head teacher at CGS, a role he took on in April when acting head teacher Sam Stewart left her position.

 

Launched this year by T4 Education, in collaboration with Accenture and American Express, the World’s Best School Prizes are awarded to schools that have developed expertise in five key areas: community collaboration, environmental action, innovation, overcoming adversity and supporting healthy lives.

 

The awards celebrate schools for the pivotal role they play in developing the next generation of learners and for their enormous contribution to society’s progress, especially in the wake of Covid-19.

 

The winning schools will be awarded a share in the $250,000 total prize money, with each winning school being awarded $50,000 to keep improving their work and strengthening their school and community.

 

Dunoon is up against EMEB Profª Adolfina J M Diefenthäler, a school in Novo Hamburgo, Brazil, and PCMC English Medium School, a school in the village of Pune, India, for the community collaboration award.

 

Vikas Pota, Founder of T4 Education and the World’s Best School prizes, said: 'The World’s Best School Prizes showcase the expertise of inspirational schools from around the world.

 

'Congratulations to Dunoon Grammar for being named a top three finalist for the first ever World’s Best School Prizes. Teachers everywhere will be inspired by the example of this outstanding Scottish school.'

 

Councillor Yvonne McNeilly, Argyll and Bute Council’s policy lead for education, said: 'This is an incredible achievement for everyone involved, and is a day that will go down in history.

 

'The prestigious community collaboration award is extremely highly sought after, so it is truly outstanding that Dunoon Grammar has made the final three.

 

'I am constantly overwhelmed by the school’s endless successes and I have every faith that, with the support and backing of communities across Argyll and Bute, Scotland, the UK and indeed Europe, we can take this award home.'

 

Mr Mitchell said: 'This truly is fantastic news for our wider school community. To be the only European school in the final three of the community collaboration category of the World’s Best Schools Prizes is fantastic recognition for our school.

 

'I’d like to thank Vikas Pota and all the team at T4 Education for recognising our school in this way.'

 

Paul Gallanagh, principal teacher at Dunoon Grammar School, added: 'We now need your support. We need the people of Scotland, the UK, Europe and beyond to access the T4 Education website and vote for Dunoon Grammar School in the community collaboration category of the prestigious World’s Best Schools Prizes.

 

'We’d also like you to join us in our #jigforjoy challenge – a fun way we can all celebrate this achievement on social media. Check out the Dunoon Grammar School social media channels for more information.'

 

The school first celebrated the news at an event featuring glitter cannons, an open top bus, pipers and Highland dancers in Dunoon Town Centre when it was announced last Thursday (September 22).

 

The top three finalists for each of the five World’s Best School Prizes have now been entered into a public advisory vote and members of the public have until October 2 to tell judges who they think should win each prize at worldsbestschool.org.

 

The winners will be announced on October 19 during World Education Week.

 

All shortlisted schools across the five prizes will share their best practices during events at World Education Week and through School Transformation Toolkits that showcase their 'secret sauce' to innovative approaches and step-by-step instructions on how others can replicate their methods to help improve education everywhere.