Edmondsley Primary School Renews IQM Centre of Excellence Status

September 1, 2026

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Edmondsley Primary School has successfully renewed its IQM Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence Status in recognition of its inclusive practice, commitment to equity of opportunity and focus on ensuring that every child is known, valued and supported to thrive. The assessment highlighted a school where inclusion is a lived experience and where leaders are sharply focused on meeting the needs of their diverse community. 

Teaching and Learning 

The school has made significant and sustained progress towards ensuring consistency in pedagogical knowledge, particularly in activating hard thinking and increasing participation to improve outcomes in reading, writing and maths, with a clear focus on disadvantaged pupils. The introduction of the ALP ‘Teaching and Learning Profile’ has provided a coherent framework for self-reflection, with teachers engaging in structured reviews of both the teaching standards and the ALP model. Staff describe this as ‘really useful professional dialogue’ that allows them to grow ideas collaboratively rather than simply receive training. The trial and subsequent rollout of Pathways for Writing, alongside the embedding of a long-term grammar, punctuation and spelling plan, has strengthened progression and improved pupils’ understanding of grammatical vocabulary. In maths, the school has revisited ‘Key Instant Recall Facts’, introduced Oak Academy as a core platform and engaged extensively with the Maths Hub for support. 

A Creative Curriculum 

The school has been developing the art curriculum’s diversity by focusing more explicitly on real artists and their stories, beginning with local artists before expanding outward, ensuring pupils understand not only what they are studying but why. 

The art lead also introduced a gallery-style format where children displayed their artwork and families were invited into school to view and purchase their work. This was very well received and allowed everyone to celebrate pupils’ creativity and raise the profile of the subject. Alongside this, the school is progressing through the Artsmark journey, with staff meetings used to gather staff voice and ensure that development is grounded in shared understanding and collective ambition. 

Outdoor Learning and OPAL Play 

The school benefits from extensive, beautifully maintained grounds that are used exceptionally well to enrich the curriculum. Pupils access high-quality outdoor learning through Forest School and enjoy purposeful, inclusive playtimes through OPAL play. 

Children described playtimes as ‘fun, fair and safe,’ noting that teachers and lunchtime staff ‘make sure no one is left out and they play with us at playtime.’ Pupils spoke enthusiastically about the digging area, the tree swing and the freedom to mix with different year groups. The outdoor provision offers pupils opportunities to develop social skills, resilience and creativity. 

Pupil and Parent Voice 

Throughout the assessment, parents consistently described the school as ‘so inclusive,’ ‘one hundred out of ten’ and ‘a place where you can feel how much the staff love the children.’ One parent shared: ‘They do anything to support children. All staff know the children really well and they take so much time to get to know each child that we trust what the teachers say and do.’ Pupils spoke with pride about their school, describing it as a place where ‘teachers always listen,’ ‘everyone is included,’ and ‘the teachers help us a lot.’ One child explained: ‘I don’t enjoy coming to school, it’s hard for me, so the teachers have set things up for me – they understand me.’ 

Attendance and Family Partnership 

The school has established clear and strategic approaches to improving attendance, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders have engaged with ALP Attendance collaboration meetings, adopted new government guidance and strengthened communication with families through the Arbor App, website information and regular contact with parents. Evidence from SLT meetings, training and ALP support demonstrates that leaders are proactive and reflective, with weekly ALP data enabling precise identification of families requiring support. Parents spoke warmly about the school’s approach to behaviour and support, noting that staff “normalise behaviour,” provide “sensory breaks” and are “always approachable and willing to try different strategies.” 

A Culture of Inclusion 

Leaders have developed a teaching and learning framework rooted in research, including the EEF and the ‘I do, we do, you do’ model. Staff have worked collaboratively to refine lesson structures, reduce cognitive load and ensure consistency across classrooms. Teachers reported that pupils ‘loved the hooks and texts’ used through the Pathways for Writing approach, while staff described themselves as ‘a good team who can be honest with each other.’ Edmondsley Primary School is a deeply inclusive, nurturing and ambitious school where children are known, valued and supported to thrive. Parents, pupils, staff and governors speak with pride about their school, and the commitment to continuous improvement is evident at every level. 

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.