Leigh Academy Wilmington has been awarded the British Council’s prestigious International School Award in recognition of its work to bring the world into the classroom.
The award celebrates the achievements of schools that do exceptional work in global education. Bringing an international dimension into the curriculum is at the heart of the British Council’s work with schools, so that young people gain the cultural understanding and skills they need for life and work in today’s world.
The 2026 award ceremony took place in Westminster on Monday 2 February and was attended by Members of Parliament and representatives from schools around the UK.
Leigh Academy Wilmington’s international work includes: a collaborative digital exchange with India, our French and Colombian pen-pal programmes, the ‘Made in Japan’ project, the ‘War for Water’ environmental study, and our prestigious Ambassadors’ event held in July 2025.
On hearing the news that Leigh Academy Wilmington had received the award, Principal Michael Gore said:
“We are immensely proud to receive this prestigious recognition. At Leigh Academy Wilmington, we strive to provide an education that transcends borders, equipping our students with the empathy and global perspective required for the modern world. This award is a testament to the dedication of our staff in embedding an international ethos into every aspect of our learning.”
Scott McDonald, Chief Executive of the British Council, said: “The school has earned this prestigious award through its inspirational international work and links with schools abroad. The International School Award is a chance for schools to be recognised for their important work bringing the world into their classrooms. The desire to build on their international work shines through and it is with utmost pride that we celebrate their achievements.
“By embedding an international dimension in children’s education, these schools are preparing their students for successful lives in the UK or further afield, empowering them to be global citizens, and are creating vital opportunities in an increasingly global economy.”
Over 6000 International School Awards have been presented to successful schools in the UK since the scheme began in 1999.
The International School Award encourages and supports schools to develop:
● An international ethos embedded throughout the school
● A whole school approach to international work
● Collaborative curriculum-based work with several partner schools
● Year-round international activity
● Involvement of the wider community.
The British Council International School Award started in 1999 to recognise the schools leading the way in instilling and developing a global dimension into the learning experience of all children and young people. It is managed by the British Council.
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2024–25 we reached 599 million people. www.britishcouncil.org
For more information, please visit: www.britishcouncil.org. You can also follow the British Council Schools social media channels www.twitter.com/Schools_British and www.facebook.com/Schools.BritishCouncil.
Yours faithfully,
Michael Gore
Principal
