This award recognises schools working in partnership with the community and other public sector bodies on projects that bring specific benefits to the local community.

2024 Winner: Lawley Village Academy

Shropshire's Lawley Village Academy sits between an assisted living care home and a nursing care home. Over the past 3 to 4 years, children and staff have worked hard to make strong and long-lasting community links with the carers and residents in both homes. The ongoing relationships prove to be a weekly highlight in the community, as well as being an opportunity for children to learn from the residents. Care staff have observed and reported exceptional levels of increased positive mental health, who look forward to the children bounding through the doors each week.

Commended

Etone College, Warwickshire
Northfleet School for Girls, Kent
Newent Community School and Sixth Form, Gloucestershire
Windsor Academy Trust, West Midlands
East Ward Primary School, Greater Manchester

2023 Winner: Dunoon Grammar School, Argyll

Serving a rural community in Scotland, Dunoon Grammar has been recognised for its work to tackle a lack of opportunities for young people in the area. After evaluating the community’s needs and gaps in the workplace, the school facilitated over 50 skill-based courses to empower students to work in professions vital to the local economy. A practical, experience-based curriculum allows students to learn about crucial industries such as travel, tourism and maritime studies.

Commended
Berkhamsted School, Hertfordshire
Newent Community School & Sixth Form, Gloucestershire
Swillington Primary School, West Yorkshire

2022 Winner
Shaftesbury Park Primary School, London

Commended
Wellington School, Somerset
Coppice Valley Primary School, North Yorkshire
Forest Hill School, London

2021 Winner
Castledon School, Essex

Castledon is integrated into the local and wider community and as such provides a meaningful student and community relationship, which is beneficial to all. In the last two years, the school has dedicated 144 working days to its local nature reserve. A variety of students help the local ‘happy hub’, a charity that supports the community by providing help to the homeless and people struggling with mental health.The school also runs a community cafe called Poppies, which is based in four different locations throughout the week, and has branched out into supporting local farms.

Commended
Heene Primary, Worthing / Sussex Partnership NHSFT
Bournehall Primary School / Hertfordshire Constabulary
St. Mary's CEVC Primary School / Avon and Somerset Constabulary 
St. Stephen’s Primary School / Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHSFT

2020 Winner
Wrenbury Primary School, Cheshire

A partnership between Wrenbury Primary School, Wrenbury Medical Practice and Wrenbury Nursing Home involved Year 4 children visiting a Medical Practice to promote awareness about immunisation in their local community. Wrenbury Nursing Home also provided the children with personal stories of life pre-vaccination from some of the residents. The school followed their immunisation activity up by presenting what the children had learnt to parents and grandparents at their Summer term Sharing Afternoon. The children involved then went on to lead an assembly on the importance of immunisation.

Commended

Eastbury Community School and The Sydney Russell School, Essex
Hanson School, West Yorkshire
Downshall Primary School, Essex
Darwen Aldridge Community Academy, Lancashire

2019 Winner 
Gilbrook Primary School, Wirral

Gilbrook has recognised that parents are as vulnerable as children, suffering from mental health problems, social deprivation and poor literacy skills. The school has forged links with a range of professionals to help support community cohesion. All children can access the school’s breakfast club; a parents’group supports families with benefits and housing issues. Working with local MPs, prisons, scout groups and other community organisations will help to improve outcomes for families.

Commended

New College Leicester 
More than 2,500 local people make use of the New College Leicester’s sports facilities each week. Key relationships have been established with voluntary and professional clubs which have resulted in an explosion of sports participation that is helping to address wider social issues like wellbeing and community safety. Leicester Riders Basketball Club and Leicester City Football Club Community Trust use the facilities in a project to keep youngsters off the streets.

The Hayling College, Hampshire
The Hayling College, Hampshire, hosts the Heart of Hayling Boxing Academy which this year has seen an average of 150 young people a week come to train. Hampshire Police works closely with the academy - young people who are known to the police are welcome and there are even plans to assist with various court orders as part of rehabilitation. Donations to the Academy will be used to sponsor elite boxers and to help to create new coaches.

Marine Academy Primary, Devon
Marine Academy Primary has introduced ‘The Dudes Club!’, where dads, stepdads, grandads, uncles and other male role models can spend quality time with their children at the school. Children take part in a range of activities including a football training session with Plymouth Argyle, a boot camp session with Discovery Martial Arts, toasting marshmallows at a fire pit and making props for a Dudes Club photo. The well attended events created a community buzz.

Acklam Grange School, Middlesbrough
AGS ‘Then, Now and Forever’, the final strand of the AGS Remembers project, was launched with a community engagement evening. Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the AGS Wall of Remembrance is a recognised war memorial and permanent feature of the community. Positioned outside of the inner courtyard so anyone can freely visit, it stands as a symbol of respect and a promise to educate future generations.

2018 Winner
Eastbourne College, East Sussex

As a major employer in the area and a significant part of the local economy, Eastbourne set up The Eastbourne Schools Partnership (ESP), which works to provide community, educational and sporting activities involving pupils, staff and the general public. ESP now comprises 12 schools and colleges and accounts for 14,000 children in the surrounding area.

Commended

Heswall Primary, Wirrall
Lutley Primary School, Werst Midlands
Bolton School, Greater Manchester
Parklands Primary School, Leeds
Wimboldsley Primary School, Cheshire

2017 Winner
Beddington Park Primary School

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Community Action Support Hub, founded by Beddington Park Primary two years ago, unites local agencies, charities and services to improve the well-being of children and adults in the region. This year the school launched the Community Database, which contains information on various local and national organisations who can support families.

Commended

Kilgarth School
Beddington Park Primary School
Richmond Hill Primary School
Shrewsbury High School
Parkwood E-ACT Academy
Wolverhampton Grammar School

2016 Winner
Shrewsbury High School, Shropshire

Shrewsbury High has become a Shropshire ‘hub’ for preparing potential medics thanks to its utilising of Keele University’s Medical Outreach Program and Shropshire Careers Service. The collaboration has ensured prospective medical students gain the right advice and direction on offer.

Commended

Beddington Park Primary School, Surrey
Parkwood Academy, Sheffield
North Liverpool Academy
Nansen Primary School, Birmingham
Plymouth School of Creative Arts, Devon

2015 Winner
Seaford College, West Sussex

Seaford College’s community work has been hugely recognisable this year with the school receiving an award at the ‘Making a Lasting Difference’ South Region Awards for the ‘Community Project of the Year.’ The award recognised Seaford College’s involvement in the Whyke Estate, Chichester, as part of the school’s Community Action Day in July. Students and staff carried out a variety of tasks to help those who are registered as vulnerable, due to physical disability, learning difficulties, or old age. It is likely that Seaford College will go through to the National Awards, and the school looks forward to returning to the Whyke Estate as part of the Community Action Day in 2015.

Commended

Anson Primary School, London
Epsom College, Surrey