Chilton Community Primary School Achieves IQM Centre of Excellence Award

September 1, 2026

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Chilton Community Primary School has achieved the IQM Centre of Excellence Award in recognition of its commitment to inclusion, belonging and ensuring that every pupil can thrive. The assessment highlighted a school where children are loved, known and celebrated, and where every member of the community is valued as an individual. 

A School Where Everyone Belongs 

Chilton Community Primary School serves a diverse and, at times, complex community in Stowmarket, Suffolk, with higher-than-average proportions of pupils with English as an Additional Language, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Rather than seeing this as a pressure, staff described the school as “an anomaly to our area” with a sense of real pride. As one leader put it, “differences are beautiful” and this belief shines through in everything the school does. 

The school’s values of Respect, Believe and Achieve are not simply displayed around the building. They are understood and demonstrated by pupils, staff and leaders alike. There is a strong sense that every child matters and that the school is determined to ensure all pupils are known as individuals. 

Relationships across the school are a notable and distinctive strength. A member of the senior leadership team is present on the gate each morning, creating an immediate and daily point of connection with pupils and families. Staff speak with consistent warmth about the children in their care and pupils respond to this with confidence and trust. 

Learning Without Barriers 

The curriculum at Chilton Community Primary School is ambitious, well-structured and carefully designed to meet the needs of all learners. Pupil work is displayed with pride throughout, from published writing to year five art displays to the school council board. 

Reading is central to the life of the school. Books are, as one member of staff described them, “quite aspirational” and are carefully chosen to reflect the full breadth of human experience. 

One teacher described the school’s aim as wanting “to take away the barriers to learning” and to “try and make it as accessible for all, without making it obvious.” 

Knowing Every Child 

Staff know the children here in a way that goes far beyond the professional. They know each child’s interests, their home circumstances, when a weekend might be difficult and how to use that knowledge to connect with a child who is struggling. A child who loves planes. A child who loves snakes. These details matter at Chilton and staff carry them with care. 

The Squirrels provision is a highlight of the school’s approach to bespoke and therapeutic learning. Here, as staff explained, the approach is entirely “led by the child and what they need.” Staff work with extraordinary sensitivity, guided always by how the child is feeling and what they need on that particular day. 

The school liaises closely with Speech and Language Therapy and other professionals to ensure children receive the best possible support. This reflective and person-centred approach ensures that inclusion is responsive rather than formulaic. 

Opportunities to Thrive 

Leaders have taught older pupils how to play cooperative games so that they can then role model those experiences for younger children. Year Six pupils take on the role of games coordinators and take enormous pride in this responsibility. 

The outdoor space itself is generous, welcoming and carefully considered, with a large field, climbing equipment and even a mud kitchen for pupils of all ages. 

The school’s aspiration for its pupils is evident in initiatives such as careers day, educational visits, enrichment activities, music opportunities and experiences well beyond the classroom walls. Leaders have worked hard to ensure that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, can access these opportunities fully. 

A Community Built on Trust 

Partnerships with parents, carers and families are a significant and celebrated strength at Chilton Community Primary School. Staff work hard to ensure that families feel listened to and supported. As one member of staff put it simply, “we try not to judge. We just want to support them. We are there for them as well as the children.” 

Communication is a particular strength. Leader’s spoke of relationships that are “built on trust” with “always a two-way dialogue with parents.” 

One parent captured the spirit of Chilton in a single powerful sentence: “my kids feel happy, which makes me feel happy.” 

The trust between families and leaders is genuine, deep and clearly hard-earned. One parent whose child joined mid-year spoke of “an art of knowing every parent and child” and confirmed that this art is something Chilton truly possesses. 

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.