Branksome Hall has won two prestigious CCAE (Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education) Prix d’Excellence awards, in the company of some of Canada’s leading universities.

Branksome’s Communications team captured the Silver Award for Best Podcast and the Bronze Award for Best Website, proving that strategic innovation, creative storytelling and agile execution can triumph in a marketing and communications field that included some of the country’s higher education heavyweights.

The CCAE Prix d’Excellence is the premier national awards program recognizing outstanding achievements in alumni relations, communications, marketing, and fundraising among Canadian educational institutions.

Silver Medal: PrincipalED Podcast Redefines Leadership

Securing the Silver Prix d'Excellence for Best Podcast, Branksome Hall’s PrincipalED was recognized for its sophisticated approach to community building and thought leadership during a pivotal leadership transition.

Launched in February 2025 to introduce the school’s new Principal, Grace McCallum, the podcast departs from traditional, one-way institutional updates. Instead, it leans into unscripted, "courageous conversations" regarding the future of girls' education, adolescent mental health and values-based leadership.

The series debuted with New York Times-bestselling author and psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour, setting the bar high for subsequent episodes, which have since featured a diverse roster of global experts, Olympic gold medalists, entrepreneurs, and student leaders.

What caught the judges' attention was not just the high-calibre content, but the sustainable, front-loaded budget strategy. By initially partnering with external vendors to build robust internal capacity, Branksome's Communications team smoothly transitioned the show into a highly professional, cost-effective, in-house production model.

Bronze Medal: A Dynamic, User-Centred Digital Home

Branksome Hall also claimed the Bronze Prix d'Excellence for Best Website for its ambitious, ground-up redesign of branksome.on.ca.

Launched in the summer of 2025, the new website reflects a masterclass in digital consolidation and user experience (UX) design. The school migrated to an open-source WordPress platform to achieve unparalleled mobile responsiveness, lightning-fast load times, and WCAG 2.2 accessibility compliance.

The project successfully streamlined more than 300 webpages down to a highly intentional structure of 142 engaging landing pages. The redesign also dissolved fragmented satellite sites, seamlessly integrating Branksome's community camp, swim, and venue rental operations under a single, unified brand identity.

Featuring animated typography, dynamic student-in-action cutouts, and specialized modules highlighting the school’s premier innovation frameworks—including the Chandaria Research Centre and the upcoming Innovation Centre and Studio Theatre (iCAST)—the site sets an impressive benchmark for institutional web design.

Sharing the Impact of a Branksome Education

The dual wins underscore Branksome Hall’s unique position as a JK-12 educational community that does not simply keep pace with digital trends, but sets them. By taking home silver and bronze in open categories alongside university winners, the school has demonstrated that digital innovation and creative courage are the ultimate metrics of success.

“To be recognized by the CCAE alongside some of the top universities in the country is an incredible achievement,” notes Principal McCallum. “We are fortunate to have such a talented team representing our school and sharing the impact of a Branksome education with our community and beyond.”