IQM Centre of Excellence Status for The Brow Community Primary School

June 26, 2025

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We are delighted to announce that The Brow Community Primary School is the first in a targeted cohort of Halton schools to achieve IQM Centre of Excellence status!

The Brow Community Primary School is a shining example of how inclusive practice can transform the lives of learners. Mike Stapleton-Chambers, Head of Service for the Deliver Better Values program, met with Sarah Linari, one of IQM’s Executive Leads for School Improvement, last autumn to discuss how the IQM framework could help support, celebrate, and grow the borough’s inclusive excellence. From there began a fantastic journey towards the inclusive educational futures of Halton’s learners.

The Brow Community Primary School is a mainstream Primary school based in an area of socio-economic deprivation. The school’s reputation for providing an exemplary education has spread far and wide, attracting a growing number of students with increasingly complex SEN, children in foster care and special guardianship families. In the face of change or challenge, The Brow community rises to the occasion. Inclusive practice has flourished at The Brow Primary School since the current Headteacher took up her position. Leadership across the school is forward-thinking and responsive, regularly analysing the needs of its cohort through data-informed processes. School policies are inclusive and current, ensuring they engage and support current learners. Policies are updated regularly and easily accessible for all members of the school community on their website. A broad and diverse curriculum has been adopted to allow children to broaden their global horizons, think empathetically, and engage in a deeper level of cultural awareness. Whole school events such as World Mental Health Day, International Literacy Day, and the European Day of Languages encourage children to think openly about the world around them through music, stories, and artistic traditions from around the world in a meaningful, stage-appropriate way. Inclusion is at the heart of life at The Brow Community Primary School – the one thing that keeps the school thriving and growing together.

Staff are keenly aware that inclusion only works when the approach is cohesive and enthusiastic across the entire school community. The school’s investment in professional learning is very apparent, with teachers embracing a narrative-led approach to learning. The school’s recent Ofsted report praised the staff’s commitment to modelling high expectations and standards across their work. In turn, their students rise to these expectations, showing pride in their school. Part of the school’s commitment to inclusion is creating a shared culture of aspiration and achievement; everyone has something to be proud of at The Brow. Collaborative working is another staple of the school’s inclusive curriculum, with teachers and subject leaders working together and sharing resources and workload to encourage professional growth and curriculum development. The school also works with a range of external professionals to support their inclusive vision. Communicate, the Autism Service, and Educational Psychologists are just some of the groups the school works with to develop and enhance their provision for leaners with additional needs. Safeguarding is another core element of The Brow’s inclusive provision. All staff receive Prevent training, with leaders trained to Level 3 ensuring active engagement and vigilance around safeguarding. Students are also an active part of safeguarding awareness at the school, with the curriculum cover topics such as online safety and personal wellbeing, all enhanced through external agency input. In order to uphold this exemplary duty of care, staff are supported and encouraged by their school to discuss their wellbeing or any concerns they may have. Leadership are open and responsive to workload pressures; indeed it is this open door policy that has contributed to high levels of staff retention. One parent noted to our assessor that “The staff are always smiling,” showing that educators uplifted and empowered by the school’s commitment to inclusion.

The school itself provides a warm and welcoming environment, from the friendly faces of reception staff to the caring and kind interactions in every classroom. Parents are keen to praise this inclusive environment and feel like their children are learning in a safe and uplifting environment: “The door is always open to us, my children feel so safe.” The children are aware and supportive of inclusion in their school community. Our assessor observed consistent respect, care, and tolerance between students during lessons, and they have a clear bond of trust with the adults in the school. Every child is included in school celebrations of achievement; all students receive Praise Cards and are rewarded for their kindness, progress, and efforts through initiatives such as Hot Chocolate Fridays. Inclusive academic policies ensure that positive reinforcement is key part of every child’s journey at the school, so they can feel like they are truly valued and belong. Oftsted noted that bullying is rare at the school and any concerns are addressed quickly. Although the school only has a small number of learners with English as an Additional Language, there is a clear commitment from the school to broadening the cultural horizons of all students, arranging visits to more multicultural settings and places of worship to encourage understanding and respect. There is an extensive range of extra-curricular offerings for all students, catering to a wide range of needs and interests. Clubs are well attended and appreciated by the school community, in part due to careful monitoring to ensure disadvantaged students are not left behind. Student-led clubs further reinforce the school’s commitment to including every learner, allowing them to develop as young individuals through roles of responsibility.

Parents, carers, and guardians play a vital role in school life. Their inclusion in school life is met with positivity and gratitude, as parents feel active and involved in their children’s education. The school’s Family Support Worker and ELSA provide targeted, timely support to families in the school community. Transition periods are always well detailed and resourced for parents, as they receive transition materials including images of staff and classrooms to help familiarise their children with their new surroundings. Regular newsletters, open invitations to assemblies, alongside the school website and Facebook page, all offer parents an insight into school life, and allows them to feel like active participants in The Brow community.

Inclusion is not just a policy at The Brow Community Primary School – it is a living, breathing part of school life. Staff, students, and parents alike are proud to be members of The Brow community, and of the lengths the school goes to, to make every leaner feel welcome and uplifted. It is not the actions of a few that has ensured the school’s inclusivity; it is a whole-school commitment to building a community that encourages and empowers its members.