Avenue Primary Academy Achieves IQM Flagship Status

August 28, 2026

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Avenue Primary Academy has achieved IQM Inclusive School Award with Flagship Status in recognition of its inclusive practice, continued expansion of specialist provision and commitment to ensuring that pupils of all abilities can learn alongside one another. The assessment highlighted a school where the motto of “nurturing individuals, building futures” remains visible across both the mainstream school and its specialist provision. 

The Explorer Base 

The successful outcome of the school’s target to develop the ASD Base can be evidenced from the continued impact of the Satellite Base which opened in September 2024. Currently divided into Key Stages with sixteen pupils in each base housed in four classrooms, such is the demand for places in the provision that the school will expand again from September 2026 to include a further sixteen pupils. The Head of School for Base Provision explained the scale of the school’s success, as a fully inclusive school which now offers complex needs provision for pupils with autism who would: “otherwise require a specialist school setting” and described the provision as the: “strategic delivery of personalised education for these pupils.” The curriculum for the Base provision has been carefully designed to ensure that it follows the national curriculum but is also adapted to meet the needs of the cohort to reflect their complex needs.  

Building Stronger Foundations 

Senior leaders have invested time to ensure the continuing professional development of staff at all levels using the local authority Virtual School’s Building Stronger Foundations Programme which now fully underpins the school’s behaviour policy. Within this approach, Senior leaders are committed to ensuring that the school values of pride, perseverance, respect, resilience, teamwork, and equality are held in mind. One senior member of staff described this as making sure that there is a: “shared language of understanding across our school.” Staff also shared the school’s journey to a relational trauma informed approach to behaviour. One member of staff commented: “our children know what they are going to get in terms of their behaviour. When behaviour slips, they know that the consequences will never be humiliating and will always be fair.” During the assessment visit staff explained how they operate a: “zone of fabulousness” where every child is seen as everyone’s responsibility. 

Colourful Semantics 

At the meeting with the mainstream SENCo and the EYFS lead, the impact of Colourful Semantics on pupils’ sentence construction and early writing was reviewed. Staff described how they have seen a positive impact of this system in breaking down sentences into their component parts. The EYFS lead described how it is used in Reception classes mainly through talk to give pupils: “a framework for speaking in full sentences.” During the assessment visit, pupils were observed confidently exploring the different parts of sentence construction. As one Year 1 pupil explained: “I am getting better at making sentences by myself and I can use adjectives.” 

An Inclusive Community 

Avenue Academy Primary Academy is a large four form entry school with a Nursery offering part time and full-time places. In addition to this there is an ASD Opportunity Base and a Satellite Base in Wallington. The school currently has a cohort of one thousand and fifty-five pupils, with places in the specialist base provision for one hundred and twenty pupils. The assessment recognised the school’s: “shared sense of purpose, strength of commitment to uphold the school’s reputation for delivering outstanding, inclusive education.” The Executive Headteacher described the school’s approach as ensuring pupils receive: “highly positive and consistent interactions with adults.”  

Pupil Voice 

During the assessment day, pupils from the Avenue Ambassadors, School Council and the Trailblazer Base spoke positively about their experiences. One pupil explained that the school does everything it can: “to help us all fit in with each other.” Pupils described the site as: “exciting and varied.” Trailblazer Base pupils also spoke about their interests and what they like about the school. One pupil said: “the teachers here are kind.” Earlier in the review, pupils had also described the school as: “friendly, safe and helps us to learn together.” Several pupils referred to the school as highly: “inclusive” and a place where: “everyone is treated the same and it’s fair.” 

Parent and Staff Voice 

Parents, Governors and the PTA continue to be greatly supportive of all the school does to consistently go above and beyond for each child to feel part of the community and valued for their individuality. Parental partnerships remain strong, with Base families saying that they: “feel heard” and that they: “appreciate the space that has been created for their children at the Satellite site.” Staff also spoke positively about working at the school, describing it as: “an extended family where we are all able to develop.”  

The impact of the school’s approach was perhaps best summed up by one parent, who said: “Avenue is a warm, nurturing environment. It provides for the children. There is a genuine sense of care and support from the staff which helps create a positive and encouraging atmosphere for learning and personal growth.” 

Find Out More About IQM 

If your school is interested in achieving IQM Inclusive School Award, contact the IQM team on 028 7127 7857 or email admin@iqmaward.com. 

To find out more about IQM and request a free information pack, visit www.iqmaward.com.