Through the Better School Quality Award, the Swedish National Agency for Education and SIQ - Institute for Quality Development highlight schools that run exemplary systematic quality work and can thus act as role models for other schools to be inspired by. Both Framtidskompassen's preschools and the two programs at Virginska gymnasiet in Örebro are characterized by a strong focus on the whole, where students, guardians, staff and other stakeholders are involved in a continuous development work to achieve high goals.

The awards will be presented by Peter Fredriksson, Director-General of the Swedish National Agency for Education, during the national conference Bättre Skola, which will be held in Upplands Väsby on January 15-16, 2020.

- These schools show the importance of long-term leadership, clear and systematic ways of working and a culture where both students and staff become co-creators of success," comments Mats Deleryd, CEO of SIQ - Institute for Quality Development.

Schools have been evaluated against the SIQ Management Model, a research-based quality model that places great emphasis on both the choice of working methods, the results achieved and continuous improvement.

- I am incredibly happy and proud that our preschools are receiving this great award! Framtidskompassen's primary schools received the award in 2015 and now that our preschools will also receive the award in 2019, it feels fantastic! In our activities, we grow and learn with our dreams as a driving force. Our success factor is to work systematically based on our common culture with the clear values that we all represent in Framtidskompassen. It is in preschool that the foundation for lifelong learning is laid and we are pleased that our good work is being recognized. The staff is our most important resource and it is their commitment, knowledge and desire for continuous improvement that has made this possible!" says Lena Stjärna, Head of Preschool at Framtidskompassen.

- We are extremely happy to receive this award! Our main focus is on our students' results and to constantly improve the activities for and together with our students, based on a coaching approach. The award is a great confirmation that our long-term strategic quality work really permeates our entire operation. Distributed pedagogical leadership means that all employees are bearers of and develop our culture and structure. This makes a difference for our students," comments Anna Karin Anfelt, principal of Virginska gymnasium's Commerce and Administration and Crafts program.

The Judging Committee's justifications for this year's Quality Awards:

The Future Compass preschools in Vellinge

The Future Compass preschools in Vellinge are characterized by a strong focus on long-term business development for those they serve, in terms of social, ecological and economic sustainability. The business is characterized by excellent collaboration within and outside the business, with clear routines and committed leadership.

The preschools have a clearly anchored vision and values and a strong employee perspective that gives everyone the opportunity to contribute to the joint development of the preschool's work processes based on interest and competence. Based on a clear understanding of the conditions of their own operations and their relationship with other operations, they have built up a culture where continuous improvement is a natural part of everyday life.

Framtidskompassen's preschools are role models in sustainable business development and a very worthy recipient of the Better School Quality Award 2019.

Virginska Gymnasiet in Örebro, Trade and Administration Program and Crafts Program.

The two programs at Virginska Gymnasium deliver very high quality to students and stakeholders and have succeeded in involving and engaging their staff in an outstanding way. They have clear strategies and practices in place to meet the expectations of students to achieve professional qualifications, and to ensure that all students feel safe during their education.

This leads to very good results for both students and staff, but also results that are sustainable in the long term from several perspectives. Through a coaching approach and close cooperation with future employers, the school has created systematic learning at all levels.

The Virginska gymnasium is a strong role model in terms of culture, structure and systematics and a particularly worthy recipient of the Better School Quality Award 2019.

2019 Recognition for successful business development

In addition to the two award recipients, Nya Rydsskolan in Linköping receives a Recognition for successful business development, for its work to reverse a trend in a short time and create the conditions for good results in a socially vulnerable area.

- "Nya Rydsskolan shows that it is possible to succeed despite tough conditions, if you just choose to work in a structured and systematic way and really believe in people's ability to meet the challenge," says Mats Deleryd.

The Committee of Judges' justification for the Recognition of successful business development:

New Rydsskolan in Linköping

Nya Rydsskolan is a role model in its way of working with students' results, security and faith in the future and has created results with a positive trend. The school's strengths include a structured and goal-oriented work with participation and continuous skills development for all its employees, and a value-creating collaboration with other social actors.

In this way, they manage to create a school environment in a socially disadvantaged area with high expectations for all students, which creates the conditions for passing grades and, by extension, eligibility for upper secondary school. By making employees even more involved in the improvement work, the school can continue to reduce student absence, increase the percentage of passing grades and create high satisfaction and well-being among both students and employees.

Nya Rydsskolan in Linköping is a role model in leadership and culture, and a very worthy recipient of SIQ's Recognition for Successful Business Development 2019.

The judging committee for the Better Schools Quality Award 2019

• Matz Nilsson, Chairman of the Swedish School Leaders' Association (Chairman of the Judges' Committee)
• Per-Arne Andersson, Director SKL
• Ulla Hamilton, CEO of the Swedish Association of Independent Schools (Friskolornas Riksförbund)
• Ebba Kock, President of the Swedish Students' Union
• Anne-Christine Svahn, former principal and recipient of the Better Schools Quality Award
• Lars Sörqvist, CEO Sandholm Associates AB

For further information please contact:

• SIQ - Institute for Quality Development, Mats Deleryd, 070-346 37 25, mats.deleryd@siq.se
• Virginska gymnasium, Principal Anna Karin Anfelt, 019-21 64 95, anna.karin.anfelt@orebro.se
• Framtidskompassen preschools, Principal Lena Stjärna, 0733-555917, lena.stjarna@framtidskompassen.se,
• Nya Rydsskolan, Principal Caroline Andersson, 072-240 09 79, caroline.andersson@linkoping.se