One of the town’s largest schools features in a national publication highlighting best practice.

Sittingbourne Community College is one of 14 across the south of England to be included in the 2015/16 secondary education edition of The Parliamentary Review.

The publication is produced by the government and sent to thousands of policy makers as a blueprint for success.

VIDEO: Head teacher Fiona Trigwell talks about the school's success

It highlights what has been done to improve the college and says its reputation has improved to such an extent that its size will increase by 60 pupils a year from September 2017.

Changes are singled out such as how pupils’ work is marked by teachers, who now celebrate success by identifying what went well and then make suggestions for further progress by saying “it would have been even better if you had done x”.

Senior leaders are said to “drop in” and observe lessons to give feedback to colleagues, who are also encouraged to take up coaching and do research into the science of teaching.

Recruitment of staff has been helped by a subsidised MA programme offered by Swale Academies Trust that SCC belongs to.

All pupils are catered for on an individual basis which extends beyond the classroom to include emotional support where necessary.

Learning leaders help pupils on a one-to-one basis, particularly in the run up to exams if it is felt they could under achieve.

Literacy skills have been improved thanks to the employment of three librarians and a reading programme.

Fiona Trigwell, head teacher since December 2013, holds lunchtime meetings with pupils who are encouraged to share ways in which the school can further improve.

Welcoming the school’s inclusion, she said: “It was an honour for Sittingbourne Community College to be chosen for this year’s edition of the Parliamentary Review.

“We were selected because of the outstanding progress the school has made in raising standards.

“It is fantastic that the hard work of students and staff has been recognised at such a high level.”

• SCC has about 1,200 pupils and more than 250 staff. Skill levels of starters in Year 7 is significantly below national average. Some41% of pupils are entitled to free school meals