Grove Road Primary School has achieved the Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence status.
Inclusion is One of the School’s Strengths
Grove Road Primary School has a nursery and an additionally resourced centre for 18 pupils with an Autistic Spectrum Diagnosis (ASD) and an Educational, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). The school is situated in an urban area within the London Borough of Hounslow.
Grove Road Primary School and Nursery currently has 236 pupils on roll including the centre provision. There are 62.4% of pupils whose first language is not English however, the Headteacher states that the true figure is probably higher than this. 18.6% of pupils are disadvantaged and are supported as Pupil Premium (PP) pupils. 12.82% of pupils are receiving Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support and a further 8.12% have EHCPs which is above the national average.
Grove Road Primary School Ofsted inspection in January 2022, recognised inclusion as one of the school’s strengths. The opening sentence in the report reads as follows: “Grove Road Primary is a very inclusive school. Pupils from the on-site special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) provision are involved in all aspects of school life. Pupils across the school learn and play together. Leaders encourage all pupils to take part in the wide range of extra-curricular clubs on offer. Staff provide appropriate support for pupils and families so that no one misses out.”
Welcoming, Positive Atmosphere
There is a welcoming, positive atmosphere when you visit the school. From the moment you arrive, you are welcomed warmly into the community. The school website reminds readers that, “All parts of school life are equally important and thus we have chosen our key skills and values to underpin all experiences at Grove Road School.” The values and key life skills of initiative, resilience, empathy, self-confidence, curiosity, and creativity are fully explored and embedded in all aspects of school life.
Staff and pupils seem happy and interact positively with each other and any visitors. Classroom environments are purposeful, and the pupils are engaged in their learning. Differentiation, resources, and quality first teaching are all monitored throughout all school terms to ensure best practice is seen in all classes and to ensure the correct support is in place and effective for all pupils. The concrete, visual, abstract pedagogy approach is practiced as a standard provision.
Grove Road Primary School plan a very successful Neurodiversity week which the whole school participate in. Senior leaders plan daily assemblies to educate pupils about neurodiversity and provide learning experiences in the classroom to enable pupils to understand or experience the difficulties others face. Subjects such as Autism and anxiety, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and epilepsy were explored. Displays around school show evidence of the pupil’s learning and understanding of neurodiversity.
Staff are Valued
Senior Leaders track all pupils closely and discuss attainment of individuals with class teachers. They are quick to respond to identified needs and support the staff to plan next steps. The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) encourage training and welcome research projects into school to learn and apply new strategies to accelerate learning.
Staff are valued and feel appreciated, they value the ‘open door policy’ of the Senior Leadership Team and are proactive in ensuring pupil’s needs are met. Staff provide a wealth of extra-curricular opportunities, and all contribute to providing clubs for the pupils.
Involving the parents and the wider community to Grove Road Primary School’s events is important. The school holds regular coffee mornings for parents and welcomes them into school to talk and meet each other. Another major event in the school calendar is the ‘Taste of Grove Road’ event. This is a popular and well attended event. Families and staff are invited to bring home cooked food, to share at school (All ingredients are labelled). All cultures and extended families attend, staff, families and children look forward to it.
Parents, carers, and guardians feel that the school staff are approachable and responsive to any aspects raised for discussion. School Governors note that, when speaking to pupils at school, “they are always happy and smiling which is a good reflection for the school.” The Vice Chair of Governors said, “I am really proud of the school.”
Positive Outlook
Everyone spoken to during the assessment visit has a positive outlook. The staff, pupils and all stakeholders work very cohesively to ensure the holistic needs of all pupils are met. There is a real sense of community and teamwork. This sense of teamwork is a binding thread across all approaches.
The SEN Governor said that, at Grove Road Primary School, “everybody has an opportunity to be a celebration.” This really does sum up the inclusive nature of the school.
The inclusive, positive feel and proactive nature of all stakeholders in all areas of Grove Road Primary School, was a pleasure for the Assessor to evidence.
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