Green Gates Primary School has achieved the Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence status.
Children are at the Centre
Inclusion is at the heart of life at Green Gates Primary School. Children are at the centre of every decision. Staff are committed to ensuring that pupils are happy, confident and that the opportunities that are provided for them are relevant to their needs. Leaders at Green Gates are committed to ensuring a holistic approach to education is offered. Inclusion underpins all aspects of school life. This is evident on the school website and school Facebook page and then when one steps into the school, the inclusivity is clear to feel.
The school caters for pupils aged 3-11, with 246 currently on roll. The school is based in the Kirkleatham Ward of Redcar, which is an area of significant socio-economic deprivation (in the bottom 5% nationally). The area served by the school faces many social problems including high unemployment rates, anti-social behaviour, crime above the Local Authority (LA) average and regeneration of housing.
Committed to an Innovative Approach
The leadership team are hardworking, driven and committed to breaking down these potential barriers that may impact on their pupil’s life chances. They talked with passion about how they ‘know’ their pupils and their belief that they truly make a difference. This belief was triangulated in discussions throughout the assessment day.
This is a school with staff who are committed to an innovative and relentless approach to find ways to break down barriers to enable children to reach their potential and succeed in school. In discussions with staff, one passionately stated: “We work hard to ensure all children access all areas of our curriculum. We try hard to give them experiences they do not get.”
The school’s ‘purpose and promise’ represent the school’s inclusive ethos. On the website it states: “Our Purpose…. Promote Happiness; Discover Success; Achieve Excellence. Our Promise… To our children, our families and our community, we will be: Inclusive – We will aim to promote diversity and celebrate difference in a school where everyone is unique; Welcoming – As a member of our valued community, you will be welcomed with open arms into our school family; Nurturing – We are a school that provides every child with compassion, understanding and a safe place to grow; Passionate – We can give you a dedicated team of staff who will instil a love of learning through immersive experiences; Inspiring – We will ignite your child’s curiosity and spark their imagination. We are a school that really does go the extra mile for each and every one of our children.’ These written statements were evident in practice, throughout the assessment day.
The school was judged as Good by Ofsted in 2017 and converted to an academy in 2018. The most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2022, found the school to be good overall with behaviour, attitudes and personal development graded as outstanding. Throughout the course of the assessment day, the high standards of behaviour and the strong personal development offer were evident.
Ambitious and Reflective Culture
Leaders have worked hard to create an ambitious and reflective culture within the school. All staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Senior leaders are focused on raising pupils’ aspirations and ensuring they are happy and supported.
Displays reflect positive attitudes, are of high standard, are purposeful and demonstrate extended work. Staff have been successful in ensuring that pupils have a strong work ethic and, as a result, they show consistently positive attitudes to learning.
The school work with their Multi Academy Trust (MAT) to take part in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) opportunities such as developing their curriculum and writing moderation, which is valued and has had impact and was evidenced in classrooms. The mission to improve, refine, develop, and reflect comes from the top. This was articulated by the Chair of Governors, who explained, ‘This is a reflective school. Everyone constantly asks, what can we do better?’
Across the school there is a commitment to the students. All staff know their pupils and this dedication allows them to ensure children are happy, well-rounded, and achieving. During the learning walk and tour of the school it was clear to see that inclusivity is part of the whole school ethos. Pupils have a voice and are seen as individuals.
Staff are adept at adapting resources and the curriculum to suit the needs of all and to ensure all children can access the ambitious curriculum offer. Lessons are productive and purposeful. Pupils shared the view that they love coming to their school because, “Staff listen and give us extra support when we need it.” Another pupil stated, “Staff make learning interesting and teach us new facts. They check we understand and give us feedback in our books.”
Strength of the School
A real strength of the school is the work with parents. Parents value the package of support and speak highly of staff. Staff work effectively with parents to gain a better understanding of their child and involve them in all stages of their child’s education.
This includes, supporting them with understanding Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) procedures and practices and providing regular feedback on their child’s progress.
One parent passionately articulated that this is a proactive team of staff who act quickly and effectively. She gave an example of how her child moved to this school 2 years ago and the progress since then has been amazing. She stated, “Things get put in place at this school. Without this school he would not have had his Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) and pathway identified.”
The school has strong links with the local community and there is a range of opportunities for pupils to extend their learning and develop their character, such as through residentials and school trips. The school provides a variety of afterschool clubs which change termly. Residential trips are heavily subsidised by school. Year 6 children were excited about their upcoming trip to London. Within the curriculum, staff plan many enrichment activities for the children to take part in. At the beginning of each topic or science unit, the children take part in a ‘hook’ day to spark enthusiasm and engage the pupils. This is a school that is committed to developing the ‘whole’ child and providing opportunities to develop their cultural capital and understanding of the world.
The relentless drive to ensure every child who arrives at the school makes progress academically, socially, and emotionally – underpins every decision made. Staff strive to close gaps and prepare pupils for every stage of their lives.
The Inclusion Quality Mark Co-ordinator, Helen Beedle, produced an accurate and detailed evaluation of the school’s position.
This was further supported by conversations with various people from the whole school community, which illustrated that the written evidence was accurate. Suggestions for future development outlined in this report have been identified accurately through the school’s own self-evaluation.
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