John Scurr Primary School has achieved the Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence status.
‘Offers a Fulfilled and Balanced Education’
John Scurr is a 2 form entry primary school in the heart of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Bengali makes up 96% of the intake, many of whom are third generation and there are very few professional families. This is a community school which has recently had Ofstead and is awaiting its report. Most of the families are disadvantaged due to poor and often overcrowded housing. The school works hard to incentivise parents to sign up for free school meals but as the Local Authority (LA) offers it, many parents do not take up this offer.
Attendance is currently below the national average but there are several reasons for this, one being that after Covid many went to Bangladesh to visit their families. The Attendance Lead meets with the Educational Welfare Officer (EWO) to discuss the 30 or so persistent absentees. There is a walking bus and Breakfast/Tea Time clubs to encourage the children to attend regularly. She said that John Scurr “offers a fulfilled and balanced education for all of its children”.
Inclusion is About Engagement
The Headteacher believes passionately that inclusion is about engagement. All groups in the community need lifting. Families are faced with many challenges and the leadership team have a thorough understanding of their circumstances. She encourages the staff to celebrate what they are doing well whilst recognising that there is more than one way to address children’s needs. All children are offered an equal opportunity to access the curriculum. The Headteacher also said, “Academic achievement is not our sole purpose. We want all children to become lifelong learners and we provide them with many opportunities to ensure their needs are met”.
The Chair of Governors has been in post for 4 years. He ensures the Governing Body holds the leadership team to account. They understand their strategic role is to examine the School Improvement Plan by asking intelligent questions whilst being a critical friend. They ensure the school gets value for money and new strategies have impact. He, together with the whole board, are fully supportive of John Scurr being an inclusive school. He said, “We ensure the education that is offered here is accessible to the widest range of pupils.” The Governing body conduct an annual self assessment through the National Governance Association (NGA). They use the training supplied by the Local Authority (LA) which they believe to be of a high standard.
Well Resources Playgrounds
The large classrooms are calm and space is used appropriately. The Headteacher has encouraged the staff to think about Cognitive Load Theory which has reduced the amount of unnecessary information and distractions thus, highlighting the essential information in each class. The school has a class for 2-year-olds with its own outside area, a nursery again with its own large well resourced outside area. Here, anything can be anything, Packham Class is for those with high needs. There are 12 children mostly with Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCPs). There is 1 teacher supported by 4 or 5 highly experienced TAs. Staff from the local Phoenix Special School have come into see how this operates and want to share the model. Several children have been reintegrated into their mainstream classes. The Reception, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 each have their own well resourced playgrounds. A gardener comes in once a week and works with the children to create living areas. Each session in Reception starts with mindfulness. The children enjoy using Learning Village, an online platform and Jigsaw for PSHE from Years 2 to Year 6.
The school uses Chromebooks: there is a trolley on each floor and 2 on the top floor. Various software is available to address needs. Google Classroom is used for homework and interventions. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) team use Tapestry which is good for communications with parents.
Encourages Stafff to Take Risks
The new curriculum encourages staff to take risks and try new ways of working. The children are calm and well behaved and many could be described as passive learners. In the classes children use Comment, Explain, Example, Attempt, Apply and Challenge to help them think deeply about the subject. The teachers are supported by a strong and experienced team of Teaching Assistants (TAs). They contribute ideas and they feel listened to, part of the team and appreciated.
They have been on many courses and some have been here for over 20 years. They help with assemblies, trips, playground duties and extracurricular activities. They believe that their main priority is to assist the children in becoming independent learners.
A Speech and Language Therapist (SALT) comes in 2 days a week. The school has a fully funded Fischer Family Trust teacher who works with 50% of the Year 1 children on their phonics and a tutor from Third Space helps with maths tuition. There is a Play and Art therapist and a School Counsellor who share a room. A lecturer with 3 students from the Guildhall School of Music has come in to help inspire the children and the school employs a specialist music teacher. Students from Goldsmiths College come in to work with children in the Packham class.
The Family Support Worker informs staff if there are family issues and safeguarding concerns are immediately placed on Child Protection Online Management System (CPOMs). Handovers and transitions are thorough and discussed collaboratively. Pupils can come into the library during lunchtimes where a librarian will assist them in choosing an appropriate book. This is a school where the needs of the children have been carefully thought about and appropriate support has been sought to address those needs and inspire the children to achieve.
The books throughout the school are multi-cultural, representing different genders, disabilities, similarities and differences. There is a display in a corridor called ‘See Yourself in Books’. These are embedded in the curriculum. Down many corridors books are displayed in gutters so children can see the front covers. Throughout the school there are ‘We Are Kind, We Try Hard’ posters. The school uses Star Reader and Accelerated Reader which encourage them to read appropriate books for their reading age. World Book Day is celebrated by mixing the classes. Children from different age groups share books together.
Encouraged to Mark Their Own Work
Children new to school may be assessed after a few weeks to identify if there are any Special Educational Needs (SEN) issues rather than English as an Additional Language (EAL). The school runs readiness sessions for children new to Reception and afterschool booster sessions for certain children. There is a no marking policy and teachers are encouraged to have ‘in the moment’ conversations with the children. There are quizzes held throughout the unit of work to ensure they are understanding and remembering their learning.
Children are encouraged to mark their own work wherever possible. They are asked to think what they could have done to improve their work and what they would change. Pupil Progress Meetings are held once a term where staff examine children’s progress and arrange appropriate support if it is deemed necessary.
There is a Pupil Voice Committee and a Climate Team which has created enormous fish from recycled plastic bottles. The Zones of Regulation was introduced in September 2022 but already the children are understanding how to regulate themselves. The pupils who were interviewed all knew the Childline phone number off by heart. They said, “teachers are well organised and give us a lot of help”. They feel safe in school and know who they would go to if they needed to speak to someone to seek support.
The children also said, “The teachers treat us with respect, they help us to become independent and they give us time to think”. They like the reward system and agree with the sanctions. One child said, “Being polite and kind should be normal behaviour”. They enjoy the wide range of clubs that are offered. All children run or walk a mile a day and the school has received its Gold Award.
The children have enjoyed the visitors who have been invited in which include a stunt cyclist, teachers from other schools and Eden Rainbow Cooper, an elite English Paralympic athlete. Some remember fondly the trips they have been on including Sainsburys, the cinema, the farm, Gorsefield Rural Studies Residential Centre in Essex, the town hall, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.
Coaches Those Who May Be Struggling
The Learning Mentor, who is also the Achievement Advocate, coaches those who may be struggling. He works closely with the Family Support Worker. He offers a safe space for children and parents. His room has soft cushions, ornaments, posters, and Tetras. He gives vulnerable children responsibilities helping them to feel good about themselves. Due to his efforts, the Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) is used in the evenings. Dads now have a football team and a mums’ team is currently being developed. The ‘I Can Be’ Programme runs every fortnight.
Year 3 girls meet female professionals to help inspire them. The old premises house is now used for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes, meetings with parents and outside agencies. Parents who may previously have hesitated about coming into school, find this a more relaxed and friendly environment.
Many of the families do not opt into the free childcare which is offered in the school holidays. Many do not take their children swimming for cultural reasons. This is largely an inward-looking community, many of whom rarely leave the area. The challenge for the school is ensuring that the offer is taken up by as many as possible. They enjoy the opportunity of speaking to staff before and after school. They think communications are good and any concerns are dealt with immediately and appropriately. ESOL classes are offered to the parents, run by New City College. Many parents are reluctant to encourage their children to take risks. The Education Endowment Fund is conducting research seeking reasons. Parents were looking forward to the Eid lunch. They are offered many courses and workshops and they are invited in for assemblies, concerts, Stay and Play and Garden visits. The school uses the local Professional Development Centre which has books in every language to assist those who are in the early stages of acquiring English.
Fully Inclusive School
The school has invited many visitors in over the years and these numbers are now increasing again since Covid including someone who came in to tell the children about the Chinese New Year; the Fire Brigade and someone from the Ben Kinsella Trust to talk about knife crime. Children attend Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) sessions at Queen Mary University. The school has a good relationship with Tesco which donated croissants for the Year 6 Standard Assessment Tests (SATs) last year and recently 20 Easter Eggs. The Learning Mentor has formed links with local shops which donate food, the Felix Project, FairShare and First Love Foundation. The school plays football, chess and cricket against local schools; takes part in Debate Mate and public speaking. Last year a child from John Scurr won £5,000.
John Scurr Primary is a fully inclusive school and richly deserves the Inclusive School Award. Senior leaders recognise that their task is hard here but they have created a well organised school ensuring the provision is suitable to address the needs of all children.
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.
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