Kingswood Recognised for Innovation, Social Impact and STEM Excellence

It’s been a standout season of recognition for Kingswood, with national accolades highlighting the school’s bold approach to education, commitment to cutting-edge STEM and powerful community outreach. From reimagining what learning looks like beyond the curriculum, to leading the charge in STEM innovation or tackling loneliness in the wider community, Kingswood continues to prove that education here is about so much more than exams. Here’s how we have been recognised on the national stage recently.

‘Thinking Beyond the Curriculum’ Award Winner – Talk Education Awards for Innovation in Education

This week Kingswood was named as the winner of the Thinking Beyond the Curriculum award at the Talk Education Awards for Innovation in Education. The nomination recognises our Advanced Electives Programme, which was launched in 2024 as part of our commitment to ensuring that Kingswood pupils leave us at the end of Year 13 not only academically accomplished, but ready to thrive in higher education and in the real world.

Through seminar-style electives that are discussion-based and mirror the pace and depth of university learning, students are empowered to go beyond exam syllabuses while developing essential life skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, communication and adaptability.

Courses include Innovation and Enterprise, International Relations, Creative Musicianship and The Psychology of Behaviour, among others, and are designed to be intellectually stretching, engaging and deeply relevant to real-world challenges.

The Week’s Best of the Best – Top School for STEM

Kingswood has fast established itself as a leader in STEM education. As the South West’s first Formula One in Schools Centre of Excellence, one of only nine centres in England – and one of just two hosted within a school – Kingswood is a hub for innovation, engineering and collaboration.

The F1 in Schools programme (now known as STEM Racing) challenges pupils to design, manufacture, test and race miniature F1 cars. Pupils form their own teams, develop branding and sponsorship strategies, and present their work to panels of industry experts.

Kingswood’s role as a Centre of Excellence extends well beyond our own pupils. The school supports wider community access by offering mentorship, use of advanced manufacturing tools such as CNC routers, and hosting testing events on its dedicated racetrack. This outreach enables pupils from across the South West to participate, regardless of the resources available at their own schools.

By combining cutting-edge technology with hands-on learning, Kingswood’s Design, Technology and Engineering offering exemplifies outstanding STEM education, engaging pupils in ambitious, hands-on learning and preparing them for future success in science, technology and engineering.

Muddy Stilettos – Giving Something Back Finalist

The ‘Giving Something Back’ category celebrates schools making a real impact beyond their own community. Kingswood earned this recognition for a series of initiatives aimed at connecting with older members of the Bath community in response to the loneliness epidemic. Six times a year, the school opens its doors to welcome up to 50 local guests—many in their 70s, 80s, and 90s—for an afternoon of refreshments, entertainment and most importantly, meaningful interaction with the school’s pupils

Pupils take charge of the events, deciding what entertainment to provide which has included everything from bingo to poetry recitals and theatrical performances. One highlight of the programme was the ‘Big Bath Quiz,’ featuring questions that covered the local area through the decades. The quiz sparked fond memories in many of the guests, some of whom live with Alzheimer’s.