Success Looks Different returns for a second year

Applications for the Success Looks Different award, which recognises schools that actively celebrate the successes and achievements of their pupils with additional support needs, opens today.

Returning for a second year, Success Looks Different asks schools to share how they are supporting the achievements of their pupils with additional support needs outwith formal exams and assessments.

Developed by Scotland’s national Inclusion Ambassadors group, the intention of the award is to highlight and celebrate education settings that support and champion children’s rights and can evidence inclusion practices embedded within their school ethos, values and practice.

In the words of the Inclusion Ambassadors, it is important that these inclusion practices reflect real, meaningful and genuine practices and are not just “to tick a box”.

Lucy Johnson, Senior Children’s Rights Officer with Enquire, which manages the award, said:

“We are delighted to be running Success Looks Different for a second year and it feels significant to be launching it as the 2023 exams are still taking place.

“We know that for many children and young people, particularly those with additional support needs, success doesn’t always come in the form of exam results or formal assessments. Success Looks Different provides a platform for schools to share some of their innovative work and demonstrate how they are truly inclusive communities, supporting and celebrating all of their pupils.

Last year we heard some great examples of how success was celebrated in a lot of different forms, as well as examples of pupils co-producing initiatives or new approaches. We look forward to hearing more examples of good practice this year.”

The award is open to all publicly funded schools in Scotland. A winner will be awarded in the categories of primary, secondary and special schools. For the first time, an early learning and childcare category has also been introduced.

Schools and early learning settings can click the link below to find out more and self-nominate by completing a short entry form:
childreninscotland.org.uk/inclusion-ambassadors-success-looks-different

Entries will close on Monday 3 July 2023 at 5pm. Winners will be announced in September 2023.

For more information contact: Jennifer Drummond, Senior Communications and Engagement Officer, Enquire - jdrummond@childreninscotland.org.uk

Editor Notes

• The Inclusion Ambassadors is a national group, funded by the Scottish Government. It was established to give young people with additional support needs a voice in decisions about education policy. The current Inclusion Ambassadors group is made up of secondary school-age young people with a wide range of additional support needs. The group currently represents 16 different local authority areas across Scotland. The group is managed by Children in Scotland and Enquire.  Click here for more: https://childreninscotland.org.uk/inclusion-ambassadors/
• The Scottish Government’s Additional Support for Learning Action Plan was published in October 2020 in direct response to Angela Morgan’s Review of Implementation of Additional Support for Learning (ASL Review). The Success Looks Different Award directly supports recommendation 1.1.3: that the successes and achievements of children and young people with additional support needs be recognised, celebrated and promoted.
  Click here for more: https://www.gov.scot/publications/additional-support-learning-action-plan/
• Success Looks Different 2022 Winners. The Winners of the first ever Success Looks Different Awards, held in 2022, were: Braehead Primary School, Stirling (Primary), Alva Academy, Clackmannanshire (Secondary), Cedarbank School, Livingston (Special School).
  Click here to read more Comments from last year's winners are available on request.