Cambridge House Grammar School was recently awarded the Centre for Competitiveness EFQM Model of Excellence Award at Gold Standard. The EFQM Excellence Model is a framework for organisational management systems, promoted by the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) and designed to assist organisations in their drive towards being more competitive. The EFQM Excellence model has been a blueprint for organisations across and beyond Europe to develop a culture of excellence, access good practices, drive innovation and improve results.

The EFQM framework can be used to help organisations develop their vision and goals for the future in a tangible, measurable way.

The school was invited by RTU to engage with this process:

• To help develop our vision and goals for the future

• To achieve the highest level possible on the EFQM

Excellence Award as recognition of our successful leadership and management model

• To self evaluate and support future planning

The model recognises that there are many approaches to achieving sustainable excellence in all aspects of performance. It is based on the premise that excellent results with respect to performance, customers, people and society are to be achieved through dynamic leadership driving policy and strategy which is delivered through people, partnerships, resources, and processes.

Below are set out 8 areas which illustrate our school’s journey to excellence where modern organisations aim to deliver quality provision:

• Achieving results that please stakeholders

• Creating sustainable customer value

• Visionary and inspirational leadership coupled with constancy of purpose

• Managing an organisation through processes

• Maximising the contributions of employees through staff development and involvement

• Challenging the status quo and supporting innovation and improvement

• Developing and adding value added partnerships

• Responding effectively to stakeholders expectations

The EFQM award is a highly prestigious accolade and demonstrates high quality commitment to innovation and improvement. In an educational climate of intense scrutiny and accountability, it is important that we continually strive to add to our portfolio of achievements and maintain our acclaimed, influential and impressive reputation.