Two Croydon schools met with the minister for London schools in the capital last week to pick up an award for challenging high-achieving pupils.

The NACE (National Association for Able Children in Education) Challenge Award was handed to Ashburton Junior School and The Archbishop Lanfranc School by Andrew Adonis at a ceremony in Westminster involving 19 schools from 16 local authorities across England.

The award is given to schools that challenge their pupils with high abilities while enabling the whole class to flourish and many schools across the UK are now using the NACE framework.

Chief Executive of NACE Julie Fitzpatrick said: "The Challenge Award takes years to achieve. Headteachers and governors say it is the most rigorous and constructive self-evaluation and development process to help schools improve. It can only be achieved if there is clear evidence that gifted and talented education is embedded in all aspects of the school's work and if there is challenge in lessons for all pupils."