Bishop Burton College has been named as the winner of the prestigious 2011 UK Excellence Award. The announcement was made at a glittering ceremony held in London yesterday (13th October) and attended by HRH Princess Anne.

The Award is one of the highest accolades any organisation in the UK can achieve. Launched in 1994, it recognises organisations which have demonstrated excellence in all areas of operation.

Entrants for the award are assessed against the EFQM Excellence Model, a management framework used by over 30,000 organisations in Europe and beyond. It enables organisations to assess their degree of excellence, and helps them to understand their key strengths and the areas in which they need to improve.

A quote from the British Quality Foundation Website stated:

"The College is a truly inspirational place, due in no small part to the visionary leadership of the Principal Jeanette Dawson. The continuous improvement culture that is all pervasive across the College, coupled with the ‘Freedom within a Framework' mantra, encourages everyone to be innovative and creative, and therefore to be a key driver of the College's long-term success."

College principal Jeanette Dawson was thrilled to be accepting the award on behalf of the College.

"The whole process [of entering the Award] has invigorated us and created a genuine buzz about the place," she said. "The EFQM Excellence Model offers a workable frame on which you can pin sound business theories, efficient processes and coherent values."