Whitmore High School recognised in Best Workplaces for Development 2026 List
Whitmore High School has officially been named as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces for Development 2026 by Great Place To Work UK.
The UK’s Best Workplaces for Development List recognises organisations that make employee development a central part of workplace culture.
The listed workplaces provide employees with opportunities to grow professionally, develop new skills and progress within their careers.
By being included on the list, Whitmore High School has demonstrated its commitment to creating an environment where professional development is valued and actively encouraged for every member of staff. The recognition highlights organisations that understand development is not one-size-fits-all and that meaningful investment in people leads to stronger engagement, wellbeing and performance.
This latest national recognition follows Whitmore High School’s success last year when it was named one of the UK’s Best Workplaces in Education and Training 2025 in the small and medium category.
Whitmore High School’s inclusion on the 2026 list reflects its continued commitment to professional learning, innovation and staff wellbeing. Over recent years, the school has continued to invest in tailored professional development opportunities, leadership pathways, coaching and mentoring programmes, collaborative teaching practices and staff wellbeing initiatives designed to support colleagues at every stage of their careers.
Innes Robinson, Executive Headteacher at Whitmore High School, said: “I am proud to see that we are among the top performing school for development in the UK. This recognises the way our staff are all striving to be better, every day; they make the most of the huge range of opportunities to both develop themselves and others, which makes us the excellent school our children and families deserve."
Cllr Rhiannon Birch, Cabinet Member for Education, Arts and the Welsh Language, said: “Congratulations to everyone at Whitmore High School on this outstanding national recognition. Being named one of the UK’s Best Workplaces for Development reflects the school’s strong commitment to supporting and investing in its staff – which in turn has a direct impact of the quality of learning too.
“High-quality professional development is essential to ensuring that teachers and support staff can continue to thrive, innovate and provide the very best experiences for learners and this award demonstrates the positive culture that exists at Whitmore High School, where colleagues are encouraged to develop their skills, progress in their careers and support one another to succeed.”
Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place To Work UK, said: “Learning and development go beyond enabling people to do their jobs well today – they signal that employees matter and that their future within the organisation is taken seriously. When individuals can clearly see how they can grow and progress, they’re far more likely to feel motivated, engaged and committed. Without that visibility, both performance and retention can suffer.
“A strong approach to development is inherently forward looking. It reflects an investment in long-term potential, helps people feel recognised for who they are and what they can become, and reinforces a positive, inclusive workplace culture. Each year, we’re proud to recognise organisations that are creating environments where both people and businesses flourish – and meaningful learning opportunities are central to that success. That’s why we’re so excited to reveal this year’s UK’s Best Workplaces for Development.
“Congratulations to Whitmore High School for being part of our 2026 UK’s Best Workplaces for Development List.”