School Award Success for Abbot’s Hill

Abbot’s Hill has been recognized by both the Muddy Stilettos’ School Best School Awards AND the Independent School of the Year Awards, for excellence in STEM Education, Learning Support and commitment to Diversity, Equality, Inclusion and Justice.

Muddy Stilettos School Awards 2025

We are extremely proud to have been recognised by the Muddy Stilettos’ Best Schools Awards 2025 in TWO categories.

Alongside this accolade, we are humbled to have been named alongside other leading schools as a FINALIST in the Excellence in STEM category. Our STEM programme continues to go from strength to strength, with an expanded range of partnership activities, the introduction of a STEM scholarship, and an increase in girls moving on to study STEM subjects at A Level. 

We have sought to embed a culture of participation and excellence, encouraging curiosity, innovation and real world impact through a curriculum that is inspiring, inclusive and forward-thinking.

Hero Brown, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Muddy Stilettos said:  “It’s clear that you are doing something different and exciting in the education space… Congratulations to you and your team on your achievement — it’s so very well deserved, especially as we have had our most competitive year ever for school entries.”

We’re absolutely delighted that the judges have recognised something we’re passionate about – that supporting different learning styles never comes at the expense of pushing academic boundaries. Our commitment to both personalised support AND academic excellence is what Abbot’s Hill is all about.

Thank you Muddy Stilettos, and congratulations to the other finalists and highly commended schools.

Independent School of the Year Awards

Abbot’s Hill School has been shortlisted in the prestigious Independent School of the Year Awards, in partnership with Independent School Parent Magazine.  Our shortlisting is in the category celebrating Diversity, Equality, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ)

The Independent Schools of the Year awards are designed to give independent schools an opportunity to celebrate and showcase their extraordinary achievements, and 2025 has been no exception. The innovative and life-affirming student experience which independent schools provide to their students is awe-inspiring and the stories told in the entries are both moving and humbling.

A record number of nominations was received again this year and Chair of the judging panel, Dr Helen Wright said: “Reading through this year’s entries, the judges have been particularly struck by the resilience and determination shown by the UK independent schools’ sector in the face of unprecedented challenge to their existence. Meantime, globally, independent schools are facing up to political uncertainty with equal levels of fortitude. Independent schools across the world, it is clear, are working harder than ever to ensure that their students – and the whole community – will develop into well-rounded human global citizens who are able to make the most of their own skills in order to contribute positively to humanity.” 

The DEIJ Award celebrates schools who can demonstrate a sustainable approach to creating and operating a robust DEIJ policy and a responsive and ongoing commitment to core DEIJ principles and good practice.  Abbot’s Hill’s entry focussed on the establishment of a robust Inclusion Strategy, implementing annual student inclusion surveys, and creating a Student Inclusion Committee that puts young people at the centre of change.  The Senior Student Inclusion Committee is a powerhouse of awareness, delivering assemblies on Black History Month, Pride, neurodivergence, and anti-bullying. June 2025’s Culture Day was a student-led celebration of our community’s rich diversity, and a huge success. Read more about our 2025 Culture Day here

Our work is not complete – we continue to update our Accessibility Plan, develop our PSHE curriculum to include lessons exploring discrimination and equality; work is ongoing in supporting staff knowledge around neuro-divergence/SEND, but every staff member understands their role in creating an inclusive environment. 

Today, we are a school that doesn’t just respond to inclusion challenges—we proactively educate and empower students to be informed and prepared to shape a more equitable future. Our students have found their voice, and we’ve found our purpose.

Head, Sharon Schanschieff said of the accolade “Being shortlisted for the Independent School of the Year award for Diversity, Equality, Inclusion, and Justice reflects Abbot’s Hill’s continued commitment to fostering an environment where every individual is valued and celebrated. At our school, diversity is not just accepted; it’s embraced as a core strength that enriches our community and broadens our students’ perspectives.”