Foxfield Primary School Achieves Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence Status

August 14, 2026

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We are delighted to celebrate Foxfield Primary School’s achievement of the Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence status. An outstanding recognition of the school’s unwavering commitment to inclusion, ambition and ensuring every child feels valued, supported and inspired to thrive.

Inclusion at the Heart of Excellence

Foxfield Primary School is an exceptionally inclusive and highly effective school in which values, leadership and practice are aligned with unusual clarity and consistency. The school serves a large and complex community, with approximately 670 pupils on roll, including a 100-place nursery provision.

A Culture Where Everyone Belongs

Across all eight elements, there is compelling evidence that inclusion is not an isolated strand of work but the defining principle that shapes every aspect of the school’s provision. The school has established a culture in which care and ambition are held together with integrity, resulting in strong outcomes, high levels of engagement and a deep sense of belonging for pupils, staff and families.

Values Lived, Not Just Spoken

At the heart of the school’s success is the strength of its values. Inclusion is not simply articulated; it is lived. Leaders, staff and pupils share a clear moral purpose, captured powerfully in the statement that “love of the child is what we live by.” This ethos is evident in daily interactions and in the school’s refusal to define pupils by difficulty or circumstance. The principle that “when a child is at their most unlovable, that’s when they need love the most” reflects a deeply embedded commitment to unconditional positive regard. This creates a culture in which pupils feel safe, valued and able to succeed, regardless of starting point or background.

A Global Curriculum for Thoughtful Futures

The curriculum is a major strength. It is ambitious, coherent and thoughtfully designed to meet the needs of a diverse and mobile community while broadening pupils’ horizons. The Global Curriculum model ensures that learning is connected and meaningful, enabling pupils to engage with local, national and global issues. Leaders are clear that pupils are taught “not what to think, but how to think,” and this is reflected in the emphasis on critical thinking, oracy and reflection. The curriculum successfully integrates academic knowledge with character development, ensuring that pupils develop as informed, thoughtful individuals who are prepared for life beyond school.

High Expectations, Inclusive Classrooms

Teaching and learning are consistently strong and characterised by clarity, structure and high expectations. The shared pedagogical approach ensures that pupils experience coherent and effective teaching across the school. The emphasis on oracy is particularly impactful, enabling pupils, including those new to English, to access learning, develop confidence and articulate their thinking with increasing sophistication. Classrooms are purposeful and inclusive, with teaching that is both supportive and demanding.

Where Inclusion and Excellence Thrive Together

Foxfield Primary School provides a highly effective and deeply inclusive education in a complex and challenging context. The consistency of practice, strength of leadership and clarity of vision combine to create a school in which pupils thrive academically, socially and emotionally. Inclusion and excellence are not seen as competing priorities but as mutually reinforcing principles. The school’s work is characterised by integrity, thoughtfulness and measurable impact. It stands as a strong example of inclusive practice in action, with the capacity to sustain and further develop its already highly effective provision.

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.