First members of the London Schools Gold Club
Two Wimbledon schools are among the first to become members of the Mayor's London Schools Gold Club.
Ursuline High School in Wimbledon and Wimbledon Chase Primary School on a list of 111 schools which have been hailed for their efforts to drive up standards.
London Schools Gold Club is a new scheme set up to recognise exceptional schools that have succeeded against the odds in improving pupils' aspirations and achievements.
Each school is being recognised for their individual very specific approaches to ensuring their pupils will do well, based on the principle that children with pupil premium funding should be doing at least as well as the national average.
The Gold Club follows the launch of the London Schools Excellence Fund, a £24m fund which sees high performing schools working with partners to help raise standards of teaching in other schools.
Mayor Boris Johnson said: "Our finest schools recognise the importance of competition, rigour, creativity, discipline, and progression on the basis of academic merit. But there are still those out there who think it is enough to pat ourselves on the back and say London is 'good enough'. No - we can do better! We owe it to our children and the success and prosperity of our city demand it.
"I want to support the best schools and teachers to share their good ideas through my Excellence Fund and the Gold Club scheme. London has unleashed a new era of educational innovation in the UK – with a new generation of great teachers and the freedom to try out ideas - in teaching methods, curriculum, use of technology, the format of the school day, working with leading universities and businesses."
November 29, 2013