Applebee Wood Community Specialist School has achieved the Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence status.
Committed to Fostering Inclusion
Applebee Wood Community Specialist School is a popular school, catering for children aged 4 to 16 years, who experience generic learning difficulties. All of the children have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Located at the core of the local community, Applebee Wood Community Specialist School is deeply committed to fostering inclusion through its specialist knowledge, expertise and passion.
The school delivers a comprehensive, tailored, diverse, and personalised approach to inclusive education. It equips students with the confidence and skills to actively participate in society, fully preparing them to tackle the challenges of adulthood, including navigating the workforce and pursuing further education.
Taking children from entry at the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) through to 16 years of age, the school demonstrates a fervent commitment to advancing inclusion, enhancing the learning journeys and achievements of students across all stages and ensuring individual needs are thoroughly addressed. It provides a curriculum that fosters continuous progress and meaningful growth opportunities for the children. This is led by example with a passionate and dedicated Headteacher in Michelle and Assistant Head in Holly, who both champion the school’s ethos, vision and inclusivity.
Culture of Openness
During the IQM assessment process, everybody our Assessor spoke to, helped provide a comprehensive array of evidence to support the evaluation. Our Assessor received a warm welcome upon entering the school premises, where staff showcased a culture of openness, inclusion, and self-assessment. School leaders are well-informed about the institution’s areas of excellence and have outlined precise strategies for ongoing improvement.
While gathering evidence from teachers, it was clear that they feel valued. They feel trusted to be professionals, to make the right decisions for their children. They feel moments of crisis are handled with care, judgment and dignity. They feel the whole Applebee Wood team works together to meet the needs of the child and families with support from Special Educational Needs (SEN) experts and outside agencies. They feel they affect and help shape whole school priorities by writing individual subject School Evaluation Forms (SEFs,) providing them with ownership in planning and managing budgets.
The children at Applebee Wood are delightful! When asked “What makes your school special?”, they replied, “the teachers, the school itself, it’s like a family, the dogs,” (Willow and Buddy the two much-loved therapy dogs). They said the teachers were helpful, caring, kind, patient, quite funny, they get along with them, they help them read, they are supportive and help us understand. They “find a way to make it right for us”.
Embraces Inclusivity and Diversity
Applebee Wood Community Specialist School embraces inclusivity and diversity, offering a range of formal accreditations, qualifications, and extracurricular activities tailored to the needs and interests of all students. They are proud to integrate inclusive exams, the Duke of Edinburgh award, and Picture News assemblies into their curriculum, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to excel and thrive.
Teaching assistants (TAs) and Pastoral staff talk with passion, care and integrity, both about fellow colleagues and the children in their care: “I love it, it’s not really like work, it’s good fun, and I love working with the children”; They point out qualities that exist throughout the school: “resilience, teamwork, support, relationships and diversity”; They love how “children can be who they are. They don’t have to pretend”; “Children go from being isolated (due to exclusion in mainstream settings) to included”; “Children and staff learn to be more tolerant”; “We can all be diverse whatever our religion, beliefs or gender.”
The words from the Chair of Governors, nicely summarise what Applebee Wood Community Specialist School is about. There is a “passionate care for everybody in the building”. That care stretches beyond the walls of the classroom; there is wraparound support for everybody. “It’s a really special place to be, I love being here. Hearing people say how happy they are and not wanting to move. Learning and development start the moment you walk in the building.”
Find out more about the IQM Inclusive School Award
If your school is interested in obtaining the IQM Inclusive School Award or you wish to talk to a member of the IQM team please telephone:
028 7127 7857 (9.00 am to 5.00 pm)
or email: [email protected] for further details.
Want more information on the IQM Award? Click here to request your free IQM information pack.