Aylesbury School achieves national accreditation for excellence in education technology

Elmhurst School, part of Great Learners Trust, has been awarded a prestigious accreditation in recognition of its excellence in the strategic use of education technology to enhance teaching, learning and school leadership.

Awarded by NAACE – the National Association for Education Technology – the accreditation formally recognises schools that are “demonstrating commitment to continual improvement through the use of education technology”.

Following an independent assessment against the NAACE EdTech Review Framework, Elmhurst has been certified with the NaaceMark for Excellence in Education Technology, with the accreditation valid for the next three years.

The review praised Elmhurst’s clear vision, strong leadership and carefully planned approach to educational technology, recognising how digital tools are embedded across the curriculum to enrich learning and support inclusion.

It highlighted the school’s deliberately balanced approach, where younger children continue to benefit from play-based, practical and outdoor learning before technology is introduced progressively to develop creativity, collaboration, problem-solving and digital confidence.

Assessors found that technology is having a measurable impact on pupils’ engagement, independence and achievement. From coding, animation, digital storytelling and virtual reality to creative projects using variety of digital tools, pupils demonstrated confidence in explaining how technology supports their learning across subjects. The report also identified how long-term digital projects build resilience, perseverance and pride, while preparing children with the skills they will need as they move through secondary education and into the workplace.

Elmhurst was commended for using technology to strengthen inclusion, communication and safeguarding. Accessibility features help remove barriers for pupils and families, while robust online safety systems and a carefully managed approach to emerging technologies, including AI, provide a secure digital environment.

The review further recognised the role of technology in strengthening parental engagement, improving collaboration across the school and Trust, and streamlining administrative processes to reduce staff workload. It also cited Elmhurst as an outward-looking school that is well placed to share its expertise across Great Learners Trust and continue contributing to best practice in education technology.

“It was clear that Elmhurst has invested considerable time in reflecting on its practice, and this was evident in the quality of the evidence, the clarity of the conversations and the consistency between the school’s stated vision and what was seen in practice,” said NaaceMark Assessor Patrick Flynn. “A particular strength is the way the Great Learners Trust vision has been translated into a school vision that is both strategic and rooted in the needs of Elmhurst pupils.

“Overall, the evidence shows a school where educational technology is well led, well implemented and increasingly embedded. It is improving learning experiences, strengthening communication, supporting safeguarding, reducing workload and helping pupils build confidence for the future. The strongest feature is not any single piece of software or hardware, but the consistency of purpose behind the school’s decisions.”

Rachel Lee, Executive Headteacher at Elmhurst School, explained: “This NaaceMark Accreditation is a fantastic achievement for our whole school community. It reflects the commitment of our staff to continually develop their practice, the enthusiasm of our pupils to embrace new ways of learning and the confidence our families place in us. Technology has become a powerful enabler, helping us to provide richer learning experiences while ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed.”

Kirsty Needham, Headteacher at Elmhurst School, added: “The greatest measure of success is the confidence we see in our pupils every day. Whether they are creating, collaborating or solving problems, they are becoming increasingly independent learners who are proud of what they achieve. We are proud that innovation at Elmhurst always goes hand in hand with high expectations, inclusion and a strong commitment to children’s wellbeing and safety.”

Sarah Baber, CEO of Great Learners Trust, commented: “This accreditation is a wonderful achievement for everyone at Elmhurst and reflects the school’s commitment to continually improving the opportunities available to every child. At Great Learners Trust, we believe that the best ideas should be shared, and Elmhurst’s work demonstrates how thoughtful, well-planned use of technology can enrich learning, support inclusion and strengthen teaching. We look forward to building on this success by sharing that expertise across our Trust so that even more children benefit from innovative, high-quality education.”

NAACE is a community of teachers, school leaders, advisors, consultants, and commercial partners working across all areas of UK education who share a vision for the developing role of technology in education. As a professional association, it supports schools to embed the use of technology by collating the latest research in its Advancing Education Journal, providing access to its EdTech Review Framework to support schools in their EdTech journey, and gathering evidence of good practice from schools that have been awarded NaaceMark.