How does professional development shape outcomes beyond academic performance and long-term student success? The pursuit of academic excellence is incomplete without investing in teachers’ professional development. Only empowered educators can truly deliver what stakeholders, such as parents, demand—not just high test scores but holistic development. This is exactly what Uphall Primary School offers. It ensures that educators are continually supported so they can deliver high-quality teaching that inspires students to thrive beyond academics. Led by its principal, Dr. Kulvarn Atwal, this diverse primary school, where 60 different languages are spoken, has been transformed from a failing institution, twice graded “requiring improvement” by Ofsted, to a performer with outstanding outcomes. This turnaround was achieved with the same teachers who were there during its lowest points, by virtue of what is mentioned in Dr. Atwal’s research as “learning-focused leadership.” At its core, Uphall operates as a thinking school, where the principal’s energies are not wasted on administrative drudgery or isolated office work. It is channelled instead into creating an expansive learning environment for educators. This model addresses broader industry challenges, including a recruitment crisis that is bleeding talent across Europe and falling enrolment in London schools. Professional learning is the single most important factor impacting student outcomes, surpassing even home influences and socio-economic backgrounds. Uphall makes it a priority and delivers results that eclipse national averages. For instance, 77 per cent of its students with disadvantaged backgrounds achieve the expected standard in reading, writing and math by age 11, compared to 47 per cent nationally. Even more striking, these students outperform advantaged children across the UK, proving the model’s efficacy. This narrative explores how Uphall’s investment in human potential creates a sustainable model of education that fosters agency, well-being, and long-term thriving.
Oxford Summer Courses
Why Rigorous Learning Still Works
Harry Hortyn, Founder and Executive Director
Oxford Summer Courses asks something increasingly uncommon of its students. They are expected to arrive at classes having completed preparatory reading and reflection, not having mastered the subject, but ready to engage. Arguments are provisional, tested through discussion and debate, while silence usually signals that preparation has fallen short. Sessions don’t begin with instruction, but with exposure: to ideas in formation, incomplete and open to challenge. This posture defines Oxford Summer Courses’ academic model. Founded in 2010, it runs in-person academic summer programmes for students aged nine to 24 across Oxford, Cambridge, and other UK university cities. Its approach is deliberately tutorial-based, requiring students to participate actively. The idea of spending a summer reading closely, writing carefully, and defending one’s ideas in tutorial rooms can feel almost anachronistic. Yet for a growing number of students, that intellectual friction, the sustained effort of preparation, discussion, and revision, is precisely the point. How Learning Is Treated Oxford Summer Courses has one clear premise. Learning deepens when students are required to think aloud, articulate uncertainty, and revise their assumptions in response to sustained feedback. Summer is treated not as a pause in academic seriousness, but as an opportunity to intensify it. “Students are expected to take responsibility for their ideas,” says Harry Hortyn, founder and executive director. “The work begins before the session, and the learning happens through discussion and feedback.”.
Girls School
For many high-achieving schools, excellence is measured by results. Long hours, constant assessment and daily ranking against peers are treated as the necessary price of success. On paper, the model works. Yet a critical reality often goes unaddressed—pressure does not shape every student in the same way. During adolescence, when confidence is still forming, sustained academic intensity can discourage intellectual risk-taking and limit exploration. The Abbey, an independent girls’ school, approaches learning through a different lens. Academic results matter because they open doors, but equal weight is placed on how students walk through them. Classrooms encourage girls to think aloud, test ideas and engage without fear of failure. “Joy is not treated as a byproduct of achievement, but as something we actively promote,” says Dr. Sarah Tullis, head. “When fear is removed as a motivator, curiosity has space to surface and confidence grows without performance anxiety dictating behaviour.” Care and challenge move together through structures that ensure every student is known as an individual rather than managed as an average. Small pastoral groups and close relationships with tutors allow concerns to be identified early. Constant dialogue between academic and wellbeing teams functions as a diagnostic system rather than a reactive layer of support. When difficulties arise, they are approached as moments for learning. Over time, consistency builds trust, giving girls the confidence to take risks and speak up when things go wrong.
Private School in Europe
Education today is no longer just about excelling in exams or securing a place at a prestigious university. It is about shaping individuals who are academically capable and also morally grounded, compassionate and equipped to navigate an increasingly complex global landscape. That’s where Dollar Academy steps in. At the heart of this coeducational day and boarding school lies a set of core values that guide students through their educational journey, ensuring they grow into well-rounded, empathetic individuals. Work Hard, Get Involved, and Be Kind are not just buzzwords—they are principles that shape character, encourage curiosity, and foster a sense of purpose. Ian Munro, its head of school says, “We are providing a holistic education that balances academic rigor with character development. This enables our students to become intellectually curious, morally grounded and ready to contribute to the world beyond the school gates.” The emphasis on hard work, engagement, and kindness fosters a culture where students strive for excellence and also learn to support and uplift one another. Adapting to a Changing Educational Landscape Dollar has seamlessly integrated the advancements bestowed by the advent of personalized learning and digital innovation into its curriculum while maintaining its focus on personal connections and character education. The school utilizes cutting-edge technology to tailor the learning experience to each student’s needs. By balancing technological integration with strong relationships between staff and students, Dollar ensures that the emotional and social aspects of education remain central to the student experience. The school’s dedication to character development is embedded throughout its programs, from service learning and outdoor education to leadership opportunities and global citizenship—and shines through the success stories of its students. One such story is of a student who entered the school through its bursary programme. Initially lacking confidence and unsure of their direction, this student flourished within Dollar’s supportive environment. Through expert teaching, a rich co-curricular offering, and a focus on developing leadership skills, the student graduated with top academic results and also secured a scholarship to a leading international university. Today, that student is pursuing a career in human rights law—a testament to Dollar’s ability to empower students to find their voice and make a meaningful impact on the world.
Private Schools
Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Education
Dr. Nadirah Nayo, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Pasadena Unified School District
Catholic Schools
Transforming Student Transportation with Equity and Strategy
Maureen Edozie, Executive Director, Transportation, School District of Philadelphia
Christian School
AI: an Intelligent New Approach to Teaching?
James Carroll, Director of Education UK, Cognita
Private High Schools
Business Schools Struggling to Justify their Worth
Ronan Gruenbaum, Dean of International Affairs & Program Development, Hult International Business School
Educational Tourism
Elevating Education with Purposeful Tech-Integration
Dr. Alexandra Read, Head of Learning Technology, Girls' Day School Trust (GDST)
IN MY OPINION
Hospitality and Service Industry Training
Nourishing the Future with Innovation, Sustainability and Leadership
Kaci Kelly, Director of Child Nutrition, Ocean Springs School District
LAST WORD
Hospitality and Service Industry Training
Beyond the Lunch Line: Transforming School Meals for Impact
Orlando Orozco, Child Nutrition Director, Moorpark Unified School District
IN FOCUS
UK Summer Schools: Bridging Academics and Personal Growth
UK’s top summer schools stand out through rigorous academics, holistic development, and global outlook, delivering meaningful, future-ready learning experiences.
Unlocking Opportunities: The Rise of UK Primary Schools in Europe
UK primary schools in Europe offer strong academics, cultural diversity, and long-term benefits, appealing to families seeking quality education.
EDITORIAL
Advancing Education With Intent and Discipline
Our cover story recognizes The Abbey as the Top Independent Girls School 2026. The Abbey’s approach places equal weight on academic achievement and on the development of confidence, treating pastoral care as an enabling structure rather than a reactive layer. Through small-group systems, sustained dialogue between academic and wellbeing teams, and a learning culture that encourages intellectual risk-taking, the school has created conditions where curiosity and challenge reinforce rather than undermine one another. Its learner profile framework further anchors this model, helping students understand how they learn and shape individual pathways with intention.
This issue also highlights how summer learning, when designed with structure and expectation, can become a serious extension of academic growth. Oxford Summer Courses, recognized as Summer School of the Year in the UK 2026, operates on a tutorial-based model that requires preparation, discussion, and revision, positioning summer as a period of intensified academic effort rather than an academic pause. By prioritizing argument, feedback, and intellectual accountability, the organisation sustains a rigorous learning environment that values depth over convenience.
Leadership voices in this edition address a central question facing education today: how to evolve with technology without losing academic and human purpose. Dr. Alexandra Read, Head of Learning Technology at the Girls’ Day School Trust, emphasizes technology integration grounded in pedagogy, risk management, and human judgment, arguing that AI must amplify, not replace, human experience. Ronan Gruenbaum, Global Director of Undergraduate Learning and Development at Hult International Business School, explores how higher education must shift from knowledge transmission toward cultivating human capabilities that differentiate graduates in an AIshaped economy.
This edition spotlights, Uphall Primary School, recognized as UK PRIMARY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR 2026, a thinking school that strengthens outcomes through continuous teacher learning, dialogic instruction and a rights-respecting culture.
Together, these contributions reflect a shared priority of disciplined leadership, coherent learning design, and education that prepares learners not just to perform, but to think, adapt, and lead.
