Kirkdale St Lawrence Achieves IQM Flagship Status

September 2, 2026

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Kirkdale St Lawrence has achieved IQM Inclusive School Award with Flagship Status in recognition of its commitment to inclusion, its nurturing approach to supporting pupils and families, and its determination to ensure that every child feels valued, supported and able to thrive. The assessment highlighted a school where inclusion is evident in all aspects of school life and where strong community partnerships continue to remove barriers for pupils. 

Raising the Profile of Mathematics 

The Maths team has worked strategically to identify key areas of focus in order to improve Maths across the whole school. The Maths lead designed a well thought out action plan that has been shared with all staff members to ensure there is a raised profile of the subject. 

A particular area of strength is the change the staff at Kirkdale St Lawrence have made to provision in Key Stage 1, they have designed flexible groups which allows for really targeted teaching and provision to suit the needs of their pupils. What was really evident throughout the time in Key Stage 1 was how engaged the learners were in their learning. The enjoyment was clear, the level of Inclusion even clearer. 

Maths Leaders have focussed on the use of Stem Sentences and Key Vocabulary to support the pupils to articulate their findings and to develop a range of vocabulary in this subject. Throughout the learning walk the teachers referred to the Stem Sentences and the pupils were seen to use them in their explanations to their peers. 

Active Learning is a strength across the school, pupils are encouraged using a toolbox of activities generated by school staff, known to them as ‘Learning Includes Vivid Experiences’ or L.I.V.E. One pupil stated, “It’s really Inclusive to work together to get the answer.” 

Developing a Love of Reading 

There are dedicated reading spaces around the school that are filled with the teachers’ own books and themed books to add intrigue and interest. These areas are calm and inviting for the children to use. Investment has been made in these ‘book nooks’ and it is clear to see they are very valued by the pupils themselves. 

A designated library space has been created with very proud librarians running it; these pupils have a clear love of reading and are actively pushing ‘reading for pleasure’ across school. An outdoor library has been developed at lunchtime for the pupils to access freely; many of the books have been donated from local charities and organisations. 

Modelling reading is important to the staff, so much so they have devised a format called ‘Story Time Tuesday’ where they invite parents into school. Staff read to the families; they use props to entice conversation and model reading. Events planned have included ‘Girls Night In’ and ‘Dad’s and Lads’. 

Belonging at the Heart of School Life 

School Leaders and Belong MAT Leaders have a very extensive, strategic plan for the next academic year. Kirkdale St Lawrence recently joined the Belong MAT due to their strong values of how pupils need to feel included and valued in all aspects of school life. 

A phrase used during discussions was ‘Connection before Correction’ and it feels very appropriate as this was what was witnessed throughout the day. Both the school and the MAT have a strong ethos of Inclusion and belonging. All parts of the community are welcomed and celebrated. 

One of the most successful events was to explore foods from other countries. Parents and staff cooked foods from their country and shared them with all others. Highlighting and celebrating differences is a high priority for the Senior Leadership Team as they navigate difficulties outside of school and within their community. 

Parents speak very highly of the school staff and the support they are offered. One parent described the school as one that “Always listens” with another stating that there is “Everything you could ask for at this school.” 

A School at the Heart of its Community 

This school has a real community feel, the offer of a free breakfast club to all pupils is welcomed and bustling with energy. 

The school works with a variety of community-based agencies. The Social Brokers is situated next to the school building and is a crucial part of the support offered to pupils and their families. Work with the Peace Foundation has continued to break down barriers around race within the community, while Beautiful New Beginnings has worked closely with the school to provide additional support around emotional wellbeing. 

The staff and pupils use Zones of Regulation and the development of the calming areas has added an additional self-regulation tool. The pupils now take time to self-regulate in these areas and staff have reported a decrease in the amount of behaviour interventions needed. When discussing this with the pupils, they informed the assessor how useful they find the Zones of Regulation and how much they value this resource to support them to manage their own regulation. 

Find Out More About IQM 

If your school is interested in achieving 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.