Burley Oaks Achieves the Inclusive School Award

November 9, 2017

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Burley Oaks Primary in Bradford has recently received the national award for Inclusion.

Source of Evidence

This report is based on the two-day visit, talking to a range of people within the school including pupils, governors, parents, school leaders, and teachers, teaching assistants and community representatives. A short learning walk was undertaken. The documentation provided was studied.

This summary and report should be read in conjunction with the school’s thorough self-evaluation document.

Context

Burley Oaks Primary School is a two-form entry primary school with pupils entering in Reception and leaving at the end of Year 6. It is one of two community primary schools serving the village. There are approximately 430 pupils on role with 6% being pupil premium pupils, and 7% receiving SEN support. The vast majority are from the white British ethnic group. The school deprivation factor is low at 0.05. The school is oversubscribed.

Valuing External Quality Assurance

The last full OFSTED in 2007 found the school to be outstanding. More recently this has been followed by various reviews including a review from the Red Kite alliance in June 2017. This review found leadership and management, personal development, behaviour and welfare, and early years to be outstanding with teaching and learning and pupil outcomes good. The school values external quality assurance and has also recently received the ICT mark as well as the Sainsbury’s Gold sports mark.

Belong, Believe, Achieve

The school motto “Belong, Believe, Achieve” is at the centre of the website and seen all around the school describes well the values that permeate the behaviours of staff and pupils evidenced during the visit. In particular the sense of belonging is evident in the words and actions of the pupils, the parents, and the school staff.

Ethos of Care, Compassion and Creativity

The ethos of care, compassion, and creativity was reflected in the interactions between members of the school community and in each discussion with staff, pupils, and parents of the school.

Motivating Pupils to Learn and Achieve

The Headteacher has a relentless focus on making sure that every child at the school has an experience of school that will motivate them to learn and achieve in a happy, stimulating, challenging and caring environment with an exciting, broad and creative curriculum.

Displays around school celebrate the uniqueness of every child but within the context of belonging.

Inclusion Focus

The inclusion focus of the school is further reflected in the shape of the leadership team with a large part of the Deputy Head’s role being focused on inclusion. A specific inclusion leader is being established to cover for the deputy head during her period of maternity leave.

Focus on Every Student

The focus on every student means that both attainment and progress at the school is good across both key stages.

Pupils with additional needs receive extremely bespoke and carefully planned support that provides for their needs but also is extremely inclusive.

The importance of individualised support is a vein that runs deep throughout the school. for example, the school employs a health mentor who provides a counselling service for individual children according to need.

Support for Vulnerable Pupils

As well as support for known groups such as Pupil Premium and SEN, the school has also set up a “Vulnerable” group of pupils who need additional support and whose progress needs monitoring.

Extra-Curricular Activities

The range of extra-curricular activities gives opportunities for pupils to develop diverse interests and to participate and develop skills. Care is taken to make sure that every pupil takes part in whole school shows and concerts.

Valuing Differences

Children at the school spoke about the valuing of difference, and it is clear that the inclusion agenda extends to developing a culture where difference is celebrated. Opportunities for developing this culture are taken. There is a link with a primary school that has a different ethnic composition. Assemblies take place where children learn about pupils or parents with additional needs. Opportunities to learn about different cultures are taken when there are children in a class from a different nation.

A Culture of Respect and Inclusion

Credit must be given to the Headteacher of the school, her Deputy Head, and the staff in developing such a culture of respect and inclusion throughout the whole school community.

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: info@inclusionmark.co.uk for further details.

Want more information on the IQM Award? Click here to request your free IQM information pack.