This document outlines plans to develop a culture of excellence at a school. It discusses establishing clear criteria for defining excellent work, providing opportunities for students to pursue work of excellence across subjects, and recognizing and celebrating examples of excellent work and work ethic. Suggestions include designating certain projects for excellent work, stamping student work that meets excellence standards, and displaying excellent work in a "Corridor of Excellence" to inspire others. The goal is to create a school-wide culture where excellence is the norm for all students, regardless of their backgrounds.

2. What do our students
need to know?
The national curriculum
Examinations
How will our
students learn
effectively?
What do we
want our students
to become?
Pedagogy
Skills
Attitudes
Aspirations
Our curriculum
of excellence

3. –Ron Berger excerpt from 'An Ethic of Excellence'
“The key to excellence is this: It is born from a
culture. When children enter a family culture, a
community culture, or a school culture that
demands and supports excellence, they work to fit
in to that culture. A culture that transcends race,
class, and geography; it doesn't matter what colour,
income or background the children come from.
Once those children enter a culture with a powerful
ethic, the ethic becomes their norm. It's what they
know.”

11. Do we nurture an
ethic of excellence?

12. Year 7 Curriculum Feedback
• Very keen do develop more open ended, deeper
learning opportunities
• New DT projects highlighted
• Majority of students commented on the 'Beach
combing' project as an example of excellence.
• Clear and higher expectations required
• Many still excited by learning @LQ
• Some felt the level of expectation and challenge
was higher at primary

15. Designing Curriculum
Opportunities for Excellence
• All departments should design learning opportunities,
which allow students to pursue work of excellence
• This work should be defined as such, using clear
criteria and expectations
• All subject areas could promote 2 or 3 opportunities for
students to submit work of excellence each year
• Work should be expected to be as perfect as the
student can create and be publicly displayed
• Multiple drafts of learning and heavily critiqued work
should be the norm

17. Recognising an Ethic of Excellence
• Departments/School provide students with an ‘ethic of
excellence’ card to be stamped or signed at any time a
student produces work of excellence or has demonstrated
an exceptional work ethic despite level of difficulty
• Student’s work, which is awarded this ‘stamp’, is
automatically recorded in student’s portfolios on the VLE
• Students can receive junior and senior ‘Learning
Excellence’ awards. This could be linked to colours.
• All students should expect to receive this award by the
end of KS3 and 4 respectively
• Students can request work to be awarded an ethic of
excellence

21. Passage Presentations
• Collate a portfolio of best work from all subjects to publicly
present
• Students present their achievements as a narrative of their
progress
• Students discuss both academic and personal growth
• Present to community body; made up of staff, students, their
parents and members of the local community
• The presentation should explain why students are ready to move
onwards and upwards, reflecting on their learning achievements
• Students pass or have to retry

23. The ‘Corridor of Excellence’
• Will be somewhere where work of excellence can be
displayed by all subject areas.
• It should be a source of inspiration for both students
and teachers.
• The school becomes a living museum, archiving
excellence for all to see.

25. –John Hattie
“The greatest single issue facing further
enhancement of students is the need for teachers to
have a common perception of progress”

26. A Culture of Excellence

29. –Ron Berger excerpt from 'An Ethic of Excellence'
“The key to excellence is this: It is born from a
culture. When children enter a family culture, a
community culture, or a school culture that
demands and supports excellence, they work to fit
in to that culture. A culture that transcends race,
class, and geography; it doesn't matter what colour,
income or background the children come from.
Once those children enter a culture with a powerful
ethic, the ethic becomes their norm. It's what they
know.”

31. –Us!
LEAD COLLABORATE. DRIVE. PASSION. PLAN.
RESEARCH BEST PRACTICE. MONITOR. INVOLVE
STUDENTS, STAFF, PARENTS. PROFESSIONAL
CULTURE. COMMUNICATE, COORDINATE,
COLLABORATE. TIME TO PLAN AND PREPARE
FULLY, NOT HALF HEARTED ATTEMPTS. SKILLS/
TRAINING. RESOURCES. HIGH EXPECTATIONS
BUILT ON KNOWLEDGE OF EXISTING ABILITIES
AND LEVELS. LEADER TO DRIVE DEVELOPMENT
FORWARD AND KEEP VISION ALIVE AND
UNCLOUDED BY DAILY JOBS LIST. ADAPTED
TIMETABLE FOR EXTENDED LEARNING
EXPERIENCES. PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
ALL CHILDREN TO EXPERIENCE EXCELLENCE.