Herbert Morrison School has achieved the Inclusive School Award with Flagship status.
Truly Inclusive Practice
Herbert Morrison School is one form entry school in Lambeth. It has 210 pupils on roll. About 50% of pupils are entitled to free school meals. The school is in a federation with five other local schools – four primary and one secondary school. Attendance is currently very good and is at 94%. There are 30 pupils on the SEND register and eight pupils with an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP). The school had a recent Ofsted inspection which was quick to identify the truly inclusive practice that takes place at Herbert Morrison. 
There is a culture of ‘reaching out’ to support other schools which reflects what an inclusive school Herbert Morrison is. This offer of support and collaborative practice includes support for early years, initial teaching training, mentoring ECT mentors and developing senior leaders. Additional support is given to the federation schools with supporting them to develop inclusive practice and with SEN pupils.
Students at the Centre of Everything
Herbert Morrison is an inclusive school where the students are at the centre of everything they do. Students really do have a voice here. Our Assessor very much enjoyed meeting with the Year 6 pupil groups who were very keen to share the roles they had been given (Assembly Ambassadors/Behaviour Ambassadors/Inclusion Ambassadors/ Team 12). They were all very clear about what each of the roles meant and the pupils explained the significance of each role in helping the school to run effectively. Each role was very much pupil focused and the group spoken to were very clear in that everyone matters at Herbert Morrison.
They spoke very highly of the support given to all pupils by staff members. One example they gave was how well staff were working to prepare this group for transitioning to secondary school. What was particularly impressive was that pupils talked at length about mental health and they were able to speak about the staff members who were Mental Health Ambassadors and what their role entailed. Our Assessor could see that the project for the forthcoming year had clearly begun. One pupil explained ‘it is a really good school’ and ‘they always help you – the teachers are always available to help and there is always a solution to your problems’. Another said ‘I was in lots of other schools and I never knew what the rights of a child were before I came here – it gives the child freedom to speak’.
Pupils are Proud of the School 
Pupils are proud of the school. They understand that a culture of learning is important and they talked at length about the Zones of Regulation and the importance of the Zones in keeping pupils on task. Every pupil spoken to was clear that the implementation of the Zones had made the school a safe, calm and nurturing environment.
The school has prioritised the development of its outdoor space and has made it an inclusive area for all. Pupils are able to access the areas for a variety of reasons – they can play, have fun, help grow plants, taste food that is growing and have quiet time in the calm spaces.
The staff members our Assessor met with love working at Herbert Morrison School. They spoke passionately about the school and how it is a real ‘family’. On the day of the IQM visit the parents had been invited into classes in the morning to celebrate Black History Month. It was a joy to see teachers, teaching assistants, pupils and parents all working together. There was a real sense of community and cohesion during the learning walk. The lessons around Black History Month were of a very high standard and all pupils were deeply engaged. Our Assessor was also privileged to be able to see the choir practice at lunchtime with the Year 5 teacher, who gives her time freely to support this incredibly talented and highly inclusive group. Their performance demonstrates further evidence of the deep commitment to ensure that pupils at Herbert Morrison have a wide and rich curriculum.
Strong Links Between Home and School
Our Assessor was able to meet with a parent and a parent Governor. Their input is very valuable to the process. Both spoke about the school’s commitment to ensuring that mental health is a high priority at Herbert Morrison School. One parent explained how impressed she was with the strong links between home and school. The school worked collaboratively with her, helping her support her child at home by sharing the resources that were used at school. This parent also talked about how important every staff member was to each child including the office, site and catering staff.
The parent Governor explained that the staff do really care about the whole school community. Everyone is equal and is of importance. There is a holistic approach to mental health and the teachers ensure that it permeates throughout all the school community. The parent said that they know all about the Zones of Regulation because their children talk at length about school when they come home. Governors visit the school regularly and the Senior Leadership Team ensures that Governors are very much aware of what is going on in the school. Governors are taking a lead in many different areas including safeguarding, behaviour and inclusion.
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.
• Our inaugural National Inclusion Conference will take place on the 27th November, for further details click here.