Malet Lambert School is a secondary school in Kingston upon Hull and is part of the Education Alliance Trust. With a vibrant history spanning back to 1932, the school has always shown a commitment to its pupils and parents. In recent years, it has excelled and flourished, becoming a beacon for inclusive practice in the local area.
School leaders are essential in implementing inclusive measures at the school. They have worked tirelessly to review whole school behaviour and rewards policy, creating a strategy that is fit for purpose and empowers pupils to achieve their full potential, regardless of any barriers to learning or traumas they may have experienced. The school has transformed its Behaviour for Learning policy, utilizing a more coherent and trauma-informed approach, with graduated interventions. Despite its implementation being new, staff are fully committed and ready to embrace new practices. They feel like their professional input is listened to and appreciate the change in mindset since September.
Staff pride themselves on the House provision, and the fact that pupils who need additional support are not at a PRU, but rather still on site and part of the Malet Lambert learning family. Pupils are able to remain fully involved in school life and avail of important key stage facilities, such as Careers post 16 conversations. Staff volunteer or are chosen to teach at the House, and most have some experience working with the students in the initial cohort. Positive relationships and aspirations are very important at House, where the impact there feeds into experiences in mainstream classes. There is a clear commitment to meetings the needs of the individual; staff felt that learning would be more focused in small groups and needs could be better met, so this is the strategy that was adopted. The Hub PRU is a provision within the Trust that pupils can also benefit from, that holds AP expertise, planning, and experienced pastoral staff, one of whom is providing Leadership oversight. Staff in mainstream are also able to receive training and support to provide the most inclusive and expansive education possible. Termly reviews ensure overarching, long term plans are in place to reintegrate pupils back into the main school building. The impact of this support is clearly seen in statistics, with average attendance at 78% before the opening of the provision, and with the provision it is now 91%. One parent told our assessor about the notable improvement in her son’s education since joining the House provision. She has noticed that he is far more prepared in the morning, and is getting out of bed, eager to start the school day. He is able to benefit greatly from shorter teaching days, with the 40 minute lessons in the morning having a strong academic focus and a PSE programme that follows lunch. She feels wholeheartedly that her son is now well prepared for life in Year 10 and beyond, noting the transformation in his attitude to learning, both at home and in school.
Malet Lambert provide an inclusive and engaging curriculum for all learners, using the latest technology to facilitate it. AI tools are used to generate resources for lessons; our assessor observed a class using this to rank jobs men used to do before being sent to the front in WWI. Reading ages are assessed for all students, regardless of performance, and adjustments are made for students sent to ‘school remove’, which allows for ELSA and Circuit breaks to be put in place to support these pupils. Careers advice and guidance also feature strongly and are linked to post 16 destinations. The school keeps NEET figures low and ensure positive destinations for the vast majority of its learners. For those students who need additional support, Inclusion meetings are held every Wednesday to discuss those pupils who need support and intervention, as well as analysing the impact of these measures. The House curriculum is adapted from the mainstream curriculum, ensuring all students can access high quality learning. Shorter lessons allow for pupils to achieve more than they might in longer sessions in mainstream. Staff ensure that the curriculum is accurately mirrored so that pupils are not disadvantaged when they reintegrate. Lessons are made more engaging and hands-on at the House, allowing pupils to develop their own pathways to success.
Malet Lambert show a phenomenal commitment to breaking down barriers to education, and leaving their learners ready for life at school and beyond. Every pupil receives personalised and empowering learning at the school, where no worry or concern is too small. The extensive wellbeing provision ensures a holistic education for all, with staff committed to providing thorough support for those who need it most. Every learner is welcomed and uplifted at the school, with inclusion at the very centre of life at Malet Lambert.