Brook Acre Achieves IQM Centre of Excellence Status

August 27, 2026

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Brook Acre Community Primary School has achieved IQM Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence Status in recognition of its deeply embedded culture of inclusion and its commitment to ensuring that every child feels valued, supported and able to thrive. The assessment highlighted a school where inclusion is woven through every aspect of school life and where nurturing relationships provide the foundation for success. 

Inclusion in Its DNA 

Brook Acre is an inclusive school that understands that secure bonds and nurturing relationships are the foundations of growth and applies this relentlessly in every area of school life. “We provide a home for anyone in the community, regardless of their needs or any trauma they have experienced” 

Brook Acre provides a safe and nurturing environment in which these pupils can thrive. 

When inclusion is so well embedded into the everyday life of a school, it can be difficult to capture the extent of this on paper. “You will just feel it.” And that was certainly the case. Brook Acre is a school that has inclusion ‘in its DNA’. 

A Place to Learn and Be Happy 

‘Learn and be Happy’, is the tag line beneath the school’s name on its website and letterheads. This characterises Brook Acre so well, not only because it describes what actually happens for its pupils, but also because it is a beautifully simple and honest distillation of what is really important for every child. This reflects one of the school’s key strengths: the ability to quickly get to the heart of what is important and to put this into action. 

The school’s commitment to the whole child is particularly evident. Wellbeing, emotional literacy, resilience, empathy and character development are woven throughout school life and embedded within learning. Connection Time, myHappymind, Zones of Regulation, ELSA support, sensory provision and pupil leadership roles are all in evidence within the school environment and contribute to a nurturing school in which children feel safe, valued and ready to learn. 

Relationships That Transform Lives 

The level of care and attention to the excellent relationships that oil the wheels of the school’s success does not stop at the school gate. All staff show a profound understanding of the importance of the whole family to the ultimate success and life chances of learners. They proactively build strong relationships with parents and apply the respect and care that is part of school life to these relationships. 

Staff describe themselves as a “family” and work collaboratively to support the pupils and their families. There is a collective responsibility amongst the staff to look after the pupils and give them the best Brook Acre experience possible. All adults who work in the school are kind, caring, nurturing, motivated and highly proactive. 

A School Full of Opportunity 

Pupils appreciate the wide range of opportunities and experiences they get such as visits and residentials, and they particularly enjoy the ‘Winter Warmer’ in which they get to sleep over at school and toast marshmallows on a campfire. They contribute to their school through leadership roles, including a very active school council and also frequent pupil voice activities which influence everything from teaching and learning to the play equipment available outside. 

A Community Built on Care 

The most powerful evidence of the impact that the school has on pupils’ behaviour is perhaps the voice of families whose children have experienced challenges in other settings.  

“The school is accepting and non-judgemental. They got to know my child properly and discovered that he is clever.” 

“You told me straight away that he would never get sent home from here and within weeks you had built his confidence and trust.” 

The school’s strong values-led practice is informed and underpinned by a highly evidence-based rationale. This enables the right interventions to be available to the right pupils at the right time. The aim is always for every pupil to be as fully integrated as possible in every area of school life. Support is intense when it is needed, is gradually reduced when this is appropriate and is part of the normal everyday experience for all pupils. 

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.