Church Road Primary School has achieved the Inclusive School Award with Flagship status.
Wealth of Opportunity for Pupils
Church Road Primary School is a larger-than-average school with an increasingly diverse community. The number of pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) is higher than average and continues to grow. They have witnessed an increase in the number of pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL) and embrace the wealth of prospects and learning opportunities that this brings with it. Since the last assessment, the Headteacher and school leaders recognise that mental health and wellbeing continue to be a key priority and they particularly identify increased parental and pupil anxiety. They are actively seeking to further strengthen their provision in this area and plan to make this the focus of their Flagship School Status project.
In line with many schools nationally, increasing numbers of pupils with complex Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) needs are stretching the capacity of the team. However, school leaders are proactive in striving to ensure that pupils receive the support and provision required to meet their needs. They have provided specialist training to staff and have increased the capacity of the SEND team in response to this. The school aims to give every child the opportunity to develop to their full potential by providing a safe, secure and respectful environment in which they feel confident to explore and learn.
At Church Road Primary School, there is a wealth of opportunities for pupils to develop their leadership skills thus enabling them to become responsible, respectful and active citizens. During the assessment, our Assessor had the opportunity to meet with many pupils during a learning walk as well as a focus group of pupils who held a range of responsibilities around the school. In all cases, our Assessor was truly welcomed and made to feel valued as a visitor. The children spoken with were clearly proud of their school and relished in sharing the many aspects of school life that they enjoy.
Positive and Happy Memories
The ‘Learning Detectives’ gave a confident presentation about their role in the development of teaching and learning. Once a term they carry out Learning Detective Observations, “looking for all the positives that are happening in classes”. They fed back that they had observed pupils who enjoyed their learning, who actively participated and demonstrated “good thinking” when asking and answering questions. This was very much in line with what was observed as our Assessor visited each class around the school. Members of the school council described how they discuss with school leaders what needs to improve in the school and are actively involved in many aspects of school life. Pupil leaders described how they support the Headteacher in assemblies and fund-raising events. They stay late in school during Parents’ Evenings to signpost parents and answer any questions they may have. Pupils at Church Road Primary School feel valued and respected. During their time at the school, they are provided with a wealth of positive and happy memories that they will take forward with them after they leave.
In lessons observed during a learning walk, the atmosphere for learning proved to be calm and focused. All pupils were thoroughly engaged in their lessons including those with SEND and other needs who were well supported. The children met in every classroom were warm, welcoming and confident. Our Assessor witnessed first-hand their kindness and respect; and believes this was a genuine and tangible sign of the warm, caring and supportive culture that has been cultivated within the school.
Leaders at the school are constantly striving to build upon and strengthen their already rich and innovative curriculum. The curriculum at Church Road Primary School is enhanced through a plethora of wider opportunities and visits both in the local area and beyond. There is extensive information about the curriculum available for parents/carers via the school website, as well as through newsletters and regular information meetings. Each subject has its own curriculum page with a ‘How to Help at Home’ section which empowers parents to confidently support their children in their learning and demonstrates the school’s commitment to fostering parental links.
The English curriculum at Church Road is very bespoke to the school and reading holds a prominent place. Pupils have access to a range of high-quality texts both in school and to read at home. Class authors are carefully chosen to engage pupils and build on their knowledge across all year groups. The development of reading and writing has been a key priority for the school and leaders shared with me the many successes they have achieved in this area. This is reflected in their outcomes at the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Whole school training on writing has impacted positively and leaders shared the positive feedback received from staff who were involved in the training. Church Road’s ambition for its English curriculum is that it is engrained into everything that they do. They recognise that, through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually.
British Values
British Values are embedded throughout the curriculum and pupils experience many opportunities for discussion and debate as well as opportunities to learn about concepts such as democracy. All curriculum areas provide a vehicle for furthering understanding of these concepts, particularly Religious Education (RE) and Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) curriculums. Staff and Governors have received training on the Protected Characteristics in line with the Equality Act 2010 and diversity is celebrated. Special events are built into the school calendar to celebrate key events such as Eid, Diwali and Chinese New Year. The RE curriculum is representative of all cultures and the rich resources in the local environment such as places of worship are taken advantage of through visits out and visitors into school. The school’s provision for Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development is a highlight of life at Church Road Primary School.
The learning environment is stunning and has recently been enhanced by the installation of high-quality wall graphics depicting Church Road values and fundamental British Values as well as highlighting other key areas of the curriculum. Working walls in every classroom depict the latest curriculum foci and there is a clear commitment to developing subject-specific vocabulary. The use of visuals alongside key vocabulary across the curriculum is used to support multi-sensory approaches and reduce cognitive load through dual coding. The use of knowledge organisers is embedded and children met talked confidently about their use and how they support them to remember key information. Leaders have invested in providing high-quality outdoor spaces that have been designed to enhance learning as well as support mental health and wellbeing.
During discussions, school leaders shared a presentation highlighting the plethora of opportunities on offer for pupils. They have participated in a range of events and celebrations to showcase their talents in areas such as sports, dance and drama. They have fostered strong links with other local schools and organisations such as Bolton Music Services. Their annual careers week supports the pupils to ‘think big’ and raise their aspirations. Visitors during this event offer insight into a range of careers and vocations to motivate and inspire pupils to recognise the opportunities available to them in the future. Pupils at Church Road Primary School are constantly provided with opportunities to understand the wider world and the concept of being a ‘Global Citizen’. Curriculum leaders regularly review the curriculum considering this and are always seeking new opportunities to further widen global links.
Staff Feel Valued and Recognised
Pupil and staff mental health and wellbeing continue to be a key driver at Church Road. The staff wellbeing working party has set up several initiatives to ensure that the staff feel valued and recognised for their work. Regular celebrations, staff meet-ups and socials are organised and the Headteacher’s commitment to seeking out innovative approaches to support her team is clear. For pupils, wellbeing is high on the agenda and several initiatives and adjustments have been implemented to provide impactful provision for pupils requiring support in this area. During the IQM visit, our Assessor was able to meet with the learning mentor who plays a critical role in supporting pupil wellbeing. He described how their in-house referral system allows for any member of staff to refer a pupil they identify as needing support. Pupils receive regular, bespoke sessions depending on need. The learning mentor is well respected in the school community and parents I met with shared how impactful his work has been for their children.
What our Assessor was delighted to observe throughout the assessment was the respect and value that pupils demonstrated to each other. They enjoyed sharing the successes of their peers as much as their own. Pupils talked enthusiastically about how, when they notice someone demonstrating kindness, they can nominate them in the Kindness Box and these are shared with the school community during assemblies. One pupil described how being mentioned in assemblies made them feel “happy and proud”.
Our Assessor added, “It was an absolute privilege to visit Church Road Primary School for a second time to carry out this Centre of Excellence review. I was able to meet with a wide range of stakeholders and experience firsthand the caring and inclusive ethos of the school. The Headteacher and her team are clearly committed to fulfilling their aim to give every child the “opportunity to develop to their full potential.” The pupils and other stakeholders that I met throughout the day were warm, welcoming and clearly felt valued and proud to be a member of this school community. The quality of learning seen throughout the school and the wider opportunities on offer are clearly in line with a holistic approach to pupil development. Pupils are seen as individuals with unique talents and needs and are given opportunities to develop intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically.”
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.
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