Back to blog listing
Blog

Congratulations to this year’s Firefly schools in the Sunday Times Parent Power Survey

Many congratulations to all the schools who made it to the Sunday Times Parent Power Survey. We were very pleased to see so many Firefly schools made it this year within the Independent, State and Scottish Independent schools list! Not only that, but fifty-five Firefly schools made it into the top 100 Independent schools. Two of the top five State schools are Firefly schools, as are 50% of the top 10 independent Scottish Schools.

Learning can be messy, Firefly liberates teachers to guide and continuously adapt the learning journey. It engages the whole school community, enabling continuous, teacher-led dialogue between students, parents and leaders so that the focus is on what really matters: student learning and achievement. We’re proud to work with some of the best performing schools in the UK. 

Each of these schools is doing incredible things for and with their students. We’ve decided to highlight the three top-performing schools in each category, and shed light on some of the unique opportunities they provide their students.

 

Queen Elizabeth’s School: Exploration Beyond the Curriculum

We’ve mentioned in previous blogs the importance of linking learning to the real world. Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet, the top-ranked state school in the Sunday Time’s rankings, truly brings this to life with the unique opportunities they provide QE’s students. 

In addition to taking advantage of the city of London for school trips, regularly touring law courts, the Houses of Parliament and embassies, QE also ensures that learning is aligned with real-world trips. Geography classes are coupled with visits to the geysers of Iceland. History classes are supplemented by trips to St. Petersburg. Language emersion is also a typical route QE students can take through their exchange programs with France and Germany. QE truly stands out by its commitment to align all elements of student life with their learning.

QE expands these opportunities with their extra-curricular activities, from robotics, where their teams have won multiple awards, to their Combined Cadet Force, where students take part in a wide range of adventurous and educational activities sponsored by the Corps of Royal Engineers.

 

St. Paul’s Girls School: Individualised Learning

Among other things, St. Paul’s Girls School stands out through its unique approach to providing individualised attention for students through its Tutor System. Students are assigned to a tutor alongside a group of 13-15 other students. This system enables a tutor to develop a close bond with the student, providing support whenever is needed. By also being the main contact for parents, the tutors are able to provide holistic support for the student. St. Paul’s was the Sunday Times’ number one independent school this year!

 

George Heriot’s School: A Focus on Equity

From its founding in 1628, as a school for “fatherless bairns”, George Heriot’s School maintains its strong focus on equity. This is not only shown through its charitable support for less fortunate families, but it is embedded within their teaching practices as well. George Heriot’s boasts a robust Support for Learning department that works throughout the school from Nursery to S6. It aims to ensure all students achieve their full potential and to raise the standards of attainment for all. This takes place through consultation, direct tuition, cooperative teaching and staff development. George Heriot’s school was the top achieving independent Scottish school this year.

George Heriot’s equitable ethos finds its way into student’s activities as well, as they boast an active Feminist Society and Charity Committee. This is also coupled with a diverse set of extra-curricular activities, in which GH students excel, such as competing in a world solo drumming championship.

These are just some of the schools using Firefly and providing outstanding opportunities for their students, helping them to achieve their full potential. We are proud to be a part of their modern learning experience.

Sign up for our newsletter

Never miss out on top tips from leading schools and best practices to take your teaching and learning to the next level!

By completing this form you agree to the terms and conditions of our privacy policy.