Model Village Primary School is part of the TEAM Education Trust, who are relentless in their ambition to promote an inclusive education for all and encourage their schools to work within the IQM Family. Through a shared commitment to learning and research-based development, the staff at Model Village work hard to build a school for all pupils. They strongly believe that by working together, ‘everyone achieves more’. The school acts as a community for the pupils its serves, offering a vibrant and welcoming place for students to learn in. The large team at the school works together to celebrate individualism, diversity, and encourages their students to be ambitious. Inclusivity at the heart of everything they do at Model Village Primary School; they do not fear having challenging conversations in order to ensure success for their pupils. With a ‘we can do this’ attitude, anything is possible.
Staff in leadership roles are relatively new to their posts, but they approach each day with an optimism that they can provide an excellent education for their students. The staff are passionate about inclusion and are committed to ensuring that pupils are aware of the importance of a lifelong commitment to inclusion. Staff work hard to provide holistic educations through inviting learning experiences and a critical examination of barriers to learning. All staff are unanimous in their commitment to “ensur[ing] the best possible outcome for every child in the school”. There is a strong CPD offering at the school, where staff state that “your potential is seen, and you are supported to develop and take on new areas of responsibility”. With many staff having started their career at Model Village Primary School, the longevity and commitment shown is an example of an inclusive and welcoming environment producing excellent results. 
Pupils are known on an individual level, and they feel like their needs are fully understood. There are high expectations for everyone, staff and students alike, which in turn builds a thriving learning community. These high expectations are reflected in the exceptional manners of their courteous students. By having great support from staff, students are motivated to behave with respect and embrace the fun and engaging learning environment on offer. They praise the strong relationships they foster with staff in the school and feel like they can access support whenever they need it. Students are encouraged to act with “kindness at all times”, with one pupil noting “we’re kind to each other and if anyone needs help, we tell a teacher and we all help them”. This attitude is a testament to the fantastic inclusive ethos at the school.
Classrooms are calm and welcoming places that encourage contribution and collaboration. The leadership team have paid close attention to the needs of the school and have provided fantastic resources, with constant evaluation of environment and progress to ensure needs are met. Plans are in place for a new library that will provide positive images of disabled people, women and men in non-stereotypical gender roles, and people from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. Pupils embrace the opportunity to engage with ‘Big Questions’ as part of the curriculum, with the library acting as a great resource centre for this to take place in. There is a wide and varied extra-curricular offering at Model Village Primary School, with opportunities to embrace experiences in the local community and in residential outings. Leadership is encouraged from a young age in the school, with pupils’ voices being listened to and part of decision making in the school. They value the ability to connect their learning to the school grounds and use these areas for reflection and meditation as much as play. Students love the school they learn in and speak fondly of memories they have made there on the first steps of their educational journey.
Strong external partnerships allow the school to thrive and provide the best opportunities for its pupils. They actively work with the Derbyshire Local Authority and collaborate with school within their MAT and local area. The Trust offers staff training and enrichment for pupils through shared opportunities. These partnerships also allow the school to offer opportunities for parents, carers, and guardians. Parents speak positively about how “all staff have the time to talk, they seem to notice when [we] need something”. Parents are regularly invited to learn alongside their children, through fun activities and open days. There are a number of platforms available for parents to find out more about what is going on in the school, as well as ways to get to know more about their children’s education.
A commitment to a fantastic education is the driving force for inclusion at Model Village Primary School. With a wide range of resources, and staff empowered to experiment with their teaching to help every pupil learn in a way that works for them, children receive an inclusive education every day. They are able to build skills for life, and, in turn, build bonds within their community to help them on the first steps of their educational journeys.
