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Dunoon Grammar is in the running to become the World’s Best School after reaching the final 10 of The T4 Education World’s Best Schools Award for Community Collaboration.

Head Teacher David Mitchell made the announcement at a special ceremony in the school this morning (Thursday) as delighted pupils, staff and guests raised the roof in celebration.

Dunoon Grammar is the only school in Scotland to reach this stage of the competition, and they will now go head to head with another nine schools across the globe for the coveted title at the awards final in October.

The Community Collaboration Prize recognises schools that have developed close partnerships within their community, and Dunoon has been shortlisted for its wide range of local, national and international projects, including:

• A Covid-19 recovery programme that saw young people in the school live streaming bingo and other games into care homes.
• Working with local members of the community to design a lasting monument to those who lost their lives during the pandemic, and identifying a suitable area to erect it.
• Running events in local primary schools when children could not attend clubs out with the school during lockdown.
• Designing coded digital solutions to the climate crisis and presenting them to world leaders at COP26 in Glasgow
• Visiting communities in Malawi, Costa Rico and Ghana to build education and health facilities.

As though today’s achievement was not enough, the school also won the Gaelic Education Award at yesterday’s Scottish Education Awards for its work in developing a positive culture of continuous improvement in relation to Gaelic Medium and Gaelic Learner Education.

����ֱ��’s Policy Lead for Education, Councillor Yvonne McNeilly, said: “Just when I think that Dunoon Grammar can’t get any better, they only go and get shortlisted for the Best School in the World! Wow - it’s not very often that I’m left speechless, but on this occasion I truly am.

“I have witnessed first-hand the hard work carried out by the school in our local community, and it makes me extremely proud, not just in my capacity as policy lead and local councillor, but as a resident. The school is very much at the heart of our community and I know I speak on behalf of our whole town when I say congratulations to everyone involved and I wish you all the very best of luck in the final.”

Head Teacher at Dunoon Grammar, David Mitchell, said: “This is an amazing day, not just for our school, but for our whole community.  I would like to thanks all our local partners who play an important role in the development of our young people. We are truly grateful for their continued support – it makes my job so much easier.

“Our staff, parents and pupils truly amaze me every day with their commitment and drive to make Dunoon Grammar School at the heart of the community. I really appreciate all their efforts.”