Lawn Manor Academy in Swindon has been honoured with a national Silver Award from the Skills Builder Partnership for its systematic work to develop essential skills alongside academic subjects.
Making skills visible in everyday lessons
The accolade recognises the school’s effort to teach and assess abilities such as teamwork, problem solving and speaking within the fabric of the school day. Rather than treating these attributes as an optional add‑on, Lawn Manor has introduced deliberate practice across tutor time, fortnightly lessons for Key Stage 3 and in subject classrooms, supported by staff training.
Students use reflection workbooks to record progress, set personal targets and develop awareness of their strengths and weaknesses. Practical elements including mock job interviews and careers events aim to connect classroom learning with the expectations of employers.
How the award was achieved
School leaders said the Silver Award reflects sustained work to embed essential skills into routine school activities and to provide pupils with opportunities to practise them in realistic settings. All teaching staff receive guidance on how to weave these competencies into subject lessons and extra‑curricular provision so that development is consistent across the timetable.
"Congratulations to Lawn Manor Academy on their Skills Builder Silver Award. It’s been a privilege working with them as they build essential skills into the work of their school," said Dr Michael Englard, UK CEO at Skills Builder Partnership.
The Skills Builder Partnership highlighted the link between stronger essential skills and improved labour market prospects, noting that deliberately developing and practising these skills increases young people’s chances of securing better work as adults.
Context and significance
The award places Lawn Manor among fewer than 60 schools and colleges to receive gold or silver recognition this year for essential skills provision. For many education leaders, the development of these transferable skills has become a priority as schools seek to prepare pupils for a labour market that prizes adaptability and clear communication alongside formal qualifications.
Embedding such skills can also help bridge the gap between classroom learning and employer expectations. By structuring practice and assessment, schools aim to make progress tangible and provide evidence that students are building capabilities valued by higher education and industry.
| Award | Detail |
|---|---|
| School | Lawn Manor Academy, Swindon |
| Recognition | Skills Builder Partnership Silver Award |
| Sector context | Fewer than 60 institutions received gold or silver awards this year |
- Essential skills emphasised: teamwork, problem solving, speaking
- Methods used: tutor time, fortnightly Key Stage 3 lessons, reflection workbooks
- Real‑world practice: mock interviews, careers events and staff training
The award will be of interest to parents and employers monitoring how schools are adapting curricula to meet contemporary skills needs, and to policymakers concerned with how education prepares young people for employment.
For Lawn Manor Academy, the recognition provides external validation of a programme designed to make essential skills development explicit, measurable and a regular part of students’ school lives. The next challenge for the school will be sustaining and extending this approach so that gains are maintained as pupils progress through their education.
As interest grows in how schools can best prepare pupils for work, examples such as Lawn Manor’s are likely to be used as models by other institutions seeking practical ways to combine academic learning with structured development of transferable skills.
