Horizons Independent School Achieves IQM Inclusive School Award

August 24, 2026

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Congratulations to everyone at Horizons Independent School on achieving the IQM Inclusive School Award. This outstanding recognition celebrates the school’s innovative, compassionate and highly personalised approach to supporting young people with autism. Through its unique combination of academic ambition, therapeutic support, sensory-informed practice and strong relationships with families, Horizons has created an environment where students feel safe, valued and empowered to succeed. This award is a testament to the dedication, expertise and vision of the entire school community, and a well-deserved acknowledgement of the life-changing impact of its inclusive practice

Transforming Educational Journeys

Horizons Independent School, “Horizons” is a fascinating and innovative provision for students with autism situated in Birkenhead, Wirral. It shares the premises of Shaftesbury Youth and Community Hub and this supports and enables significant elements of the inclusive provision. All students have Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and many of the students have been out of school for significant periods of time or have struggled with other less appropriate provisions.

Innovation Meets Inclusion

Horizons has been established with significant rigour and with many of the systems and structures of a larger mainstream school. The highly effective Headteacher was clear that many of the students did not want to be different from their peers in other schools and therefore the range of academic provision mirrors that of mainstream provision in many ways. This is supported by an exceptionally significant layer of pastoral support and what Horizons refer to as their “sensory curriculum”. This is further underpinned by a remarkable range of therapeutic interventions co-ordinated by a very talented and experienced SENCo. This three-layer approach combines to create a remarkable offer for the students who attend Horizons Independent School and was inspirational to witness during the visit to Horizons.

Sharing Inclusive Excellence

Horizons is a very outward facing school that interacts well with a wide range of external partners. During the visit, it was clear that the school seeks to draw upon best practice wherever it is found. It will be important over the coming year for the school to further develop its outreach work so that other educational settings, including mainstream provision, can learn from the trauma-informed learner-centred approaches that are being developed at Horizons.

Personalised Learning Pathways

Teaching, learning and curriculum adaptation are high priorities at Horizons. A detailed meeting with the curriculum lead clearly demonstrated the way in which the academic, sensory and therapeutic curricula are combined and configured for each individual learner within the regular timetable structure of a mainstream provision. For many of the cohort of students at Horizons this is the first time that their academic abilities have been the focus of development and the thought that is being given to this is impressive. This integration of resources to provide a coherent, appropriate offer for each young person is one of the key features of this provision.

Trust Builds Success

Inclusive relationships are at the heart of provision at Horizons Independent School. High priority is given to the development of trust between members of staff and students and families, in a context where many families have been traumatised by their earlier experiences of educational institutions. That sense of safety and trust was clearly evident from conversations with students and their families.

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.