Delph Side Community Primary School has achieved the Inclusive School Award.
SEN Support Base
Delph Side Community Primary School is based in Tanhouse, Skelmersdale. It currently has 246 pupils on role, from Nursery to Year 6, including their Key Stage 2 (KS2) Special Educational Needs (SEN) base.
The area of Tanhouse has been identified as an area of extreme deprivation and children start their journey at Delph Side significantly below the national standards of where they are expected to be. 60% of pupils are entitled to Pupil Premium (PP) funding, compared to the national average of 22.5%. 20% of pupils are registered on the school’s SEN register, 12 of which have Education, Health, and Care plans (EHCPs). In January 2022, the school opened an SEN support base for KS2 pupils. 6 pupils are currently accessing support and education here.
Children attending Delph Side are largely White British with currently 36 pupils of differing ethnic origin. The school has some children who have English as an additional language (EAL) on role.
‘Sanctuary’
For the academic year 2022-23, Delph Side’s pupil attendance was above national average, 94.1% compared to 92.5%. A member of staff described the school as “a sanctuary” and during the IQM assessment day, it was evident that the pupils enjoyed attending school. Staff have devised an attendance tracker which is populated each day by the office staff and highlights reasons for absence, the impact of the first day’s action response call, if needed, the wellbeing call and if required as the result of the call, staff attending the pupils’ homes. As all staff strive to establish positive relationships, staff visiting the homes can vary depending on who is best placed to support that family.
In October 2019, Delph Side Community Primary School was presented with the Gold Award for Primary School of the Year – making a difference, at the Pearson’s Teaching Awards.
In January 2020, Delph Side retained its Ofsted grading of ‘good’.
Core Values
Everything that happens within Delph Side Community Primary School, revolves around its core values; ‘Enjoy, Embrace, Evolve – We Make a Difference’. These values are part of everyday life and conversations. They are displayed on the interactive teaching screens in the classrooms, as part of displays in the classrooms, in frames around the corridors and even within toilet areas, explaining what and how the values mean to all stakeholders at all levels and what this looks like within day-to-day life, not just at school but in their lives too.
Delph Side Community Primary School impacts on the whole family and not just the children who attend. This whole family approach includes home visits before children start school, to enable staff to understand the greater needs of the children and provide or signpost parents/carers to support as and where necessary and also when support is required to enable the children in accessing their daily learning. When asked to describe the school in one word, a member of staff said “community, because we are so much more than just teaching.”
Delph Side Community Primary School not only serves and meets the needs of its pupils, but also of the wider community, including staff and parents. One parent told our Assessor; “we are one big, blended family.” This was very evident when talking with parents. The parents spoke about the “wonderful,” “safe” and “welcoming” school which their children attend each day. They feel they are kept very well informed of their children’s needs and progress, through face-to-face conversations and platforms such as ‘See-Saw.’ One parent said; “I put a message on to See-Saw, and I got a reply straight away. They always have time for you.”
Staff Know All Children
During the assessment day, it was evident that all staff know all children, not just by name but their individual needs and their families. Supporting the whole family plays a major role at Delph Side; from supporting parents and carers with enabling the children to access school each day, providing a sustainable uniform boutique, weekly parents’/carer’s coffee mornings, communication via accessible social media platforms and an open-door policy. Staff talked about the investment that is made in Delph Side children; “everyone knows every child. We all know them so that we can play a part in making them good human beings. Whatever we do, is for the benefit of the children.”
Staff work extremely hard to ensure that children become the best that they can be. When asked how school and staff ensure that the needs of all children are met, a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) told our Assessor that “staff are very keen to develop their own professional development so that this positively impacts on the environment and children.” Our Assessor was told that “staff want to be better,” “everything we do is based around building and sustaining positive relationships, not just within staff and children but with families too.” Another member of staff described Delph Side as a “family, because everyone wants the best outcomes for everyone.”
Staff and children excitedly talked about current and future projects including the completion of The Lake within the school playground and the creation of an SEN KS1 base.
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.
Want more information on the IQM Award? Click here to request your free IQM information pack.
• Our inaugural National Inclusion Conference will take place on the 27th November, for further details click here.