Farney Close Achieves Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence Status

August 24, 2026

---

Congratulations to everyone at Farney Close on achieving the IQM Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence status. This remarkable achievement celebrates the school’s unwavering commitment to inclusion, ambition and helping every young person thrive.  

Potential Meets Belief

Farney Close is a school where every student is truly seen. More importantly, it is a school that sees possibilities in young people, often before they can see them in themselves. A particularly striking feature of Farney Close is the way in which nurture and ambition coexist. In some settings, these can feel like competing priorities. At Farney Close, they appear to work in harmony. Students are supported, understood and accepted for who they are, whilst also being encouraged to grow, explore and achieve. Expectations remain high, but they are accompanied by equally high levels of support. As a result, aspiration is experienced not as pressure, but as belief. The message communicated to students appears to be not simply that they can succeed, but that they are worth investing in.  

Passion Powers Progress  

What also stood out was the passion of those working within the school. This was evident not only in formal discussions but in countless small interactions observed throughout the day. Whether discussing students’ aspirations, wider opportunities, wellbeing, curriculum pathways or school improvement, conversations were characterised by warmth, enthusiasm and optimism. Particularly memorable was a discussion with members of the catering team who spoke not simply about food, but about helping students experience new things in a way that felt safe and achievable. It was a small but telling example of a culture in which everyone appears to understand that they have a role to play in supporting students’ growth and development. These interactions often appeared fleeting and informal yet collectively revealed a staff team that genuinely enjoys working with young people and remains deeply invested in their success.  

Relationships Build Everything  

Relationships are undoubtedly central to that culture. Parents described feeling listened to and respected. Staff spoke about students with warmth, pride and genuine affection. Students themselves talked positively about being known, understood and valued as individuals. During discussions, a member of staff described work relationships, both with pupils and colleagues, as being “the centre of everything we do”. The impression gained was not of relationships being viewed as a strategy or intervention, but as the foundation upon which everything else is built. 

Belonging Celebrates Individuality 

The sense of connection at Farney Close appears to create something equally important: belonging. Throughout the visit, there was a noticeable absence of any suggestion that students should fit a particular mould in order to be accepted. Instead, there was a strong sense that individuality is recognised, valued and celebrated. Students are encouraged to be themselves whilst simultaneously feeling part of something larger than themselves. Discussions around the forthcoming 80th anniversary celebrations further reinforced the important role the school has played in the lives of generations of young people and families. 

Possibilities Become Reality  

Farney Close demonstrates that inclusion is not simply about meeting needs. It is about creating the conditions in which young people can flourish. Through a combination of trust, ambition, creativity, authentic relationships and an unwavering belief in potential, the school has created an environment where students are encouraged not only to succeed, but also to discover who they are and who they might become. In essence, the school’s greatest strength lies in its ability to help young people see possibilities for themselves that may previously have felt out of reach.  

Find Out More About IQM    

The Inclusion Quality Mark provides schools with a nationally recognised framework for developing and celebrating inclusive practice.    

If your school is interested in achieving the 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.