Highcliffe School in Dorset, UK, has won the top award at the prestigious eLearning Awards.

As first prize winner of the Young Digital Poland Award for 'best use of ICT in education', the school received a cheque for €5000 and a crystal trophy at a glittering ceremony in Prague, Czech Republic, on 18 November 2004.

Their project, 'MyHighcliffe', is a Web-based system that allows pupils to access information about their school life and academic progress. The system is also used by parents.

"MyHighcliffe is very well made, original and truly innovative in both concept and realisation," said the President of the eLearning Awards jury, Professor Derrick De Kerckhove.

The winning project had been identified from a record number of over 1000 entries sent in from more than 30 European countries. The eLearning Awards, an initiative of European Schoolnet, has been running for four years.

The award ceremony was hosted by Czech TV personality Lucie Výborná. It was held at European Schoolnet's annual EMINENT conference, attended by policy-makers and other key players in the field of ICT in education.

A total of 10 shining examples of the use of ICT in education were announced. These included seven special award categories, sponsored by partners of the eLearning Awards.

The top three entries were:

1st prize: Young Digital Poland Award for Best Use of ICT in Education
Highcliffe School, Christchurch, UK
MyHighcliffe
Prize: €5000

2nd prize: Young Digital Poland Award for Best Use of ICT in Education
Fundacio Collserola, Barcelona, Spain
Sotazero
Prize: €3000

3rd prize: Young Digital Poland Award for Best Use of ICT in Education
Middenschool 2, Gent, Belgium
De 1ste... De Beste!
Prize: €2000

The winners in the special award categories were:

The Microsoft Award for Best Learning Object
Széchenyi István Gimnázium, Dunaújváros, Hungary
Sound of strings
Prize: €4000

The Intel Award for Mathematics and Science
CEIP Lluis Vives, Castelldefels, Spain
Unitat didàctica de geometria per a Cicle Mitjà de Primaria
Prize: €4000

The ECDL Foundation Award for best use of ICT by a Municipal or Regional Education Institution
CIRCLE, Gloucestershire LEA Ethnic Minorities Achievement Service, Gloucester, UK
irespect
Prize: €3500

The Nisai Education Award for Culture
Vilniaus Karoliniškių gimnazija, Vilnius, Lithuania
Gerbkime žodį!
Prize: €3000

The Oracle Award for Global Reach through the use of ICT
Istituto Comprensivo Val Lagarina di Milano, Milan, Italy
Nyandiwa calls Italy: Italy answers! - Nyandiwa chiama Italia: l'Italia risponde!
Prize: €3000

The Blackboard Award for School Collaboration
Realschule Lindlar, Lindlar, Germany
CEWIP: Common European Words, Idioms and Proverbs
Prize: €3000

The Auralog Award for Languages
The English vowel sounds for kids
IC Don Milani Latina - Scuola Infanzia, Latina , Italy
Prize: ‘Tell Me More Education’ software, retail value € 10000