Middle Park Achieves Inclusive School Award

July 13, 2017

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Middle Park Primary in Eltham, Greenwich has been awarded the national award for inclusion.

It is the Heart of the Community

Middle Park Primary School is at the heart of the Community and has the Community in its heart!

Middle Park Primary School believes that their school makes a difference to the pupils and their community, and it does! Through the dedication of the staff team, governors, Community Centre and other specialist staff, Middle Park succeeds in providing an ‘Inclusive’ learning environment where everyone, pupils and staff, are helped to succeed.

Passionate about Inclusion

The Head Teacher and Inclusion Team are passionate about the area they serve and believe that every child in the school should have opportunities to learn and feel included. The Senior Leadership Team, SENCo, Staff, Governors and Community Centre, share this aim and work together to ensure that they “Learn Together, Grow Together’.

High Aspirations for All

The school has a diverse population of pupils, from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, with nearly half of the children in receipt of Pupil Premium. As well as this there is a larger than average number of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. This all has an impact on the class and school environment, but Middle Park’s high aspirations and commitment to helping all their children progress, creates an inclusive school for all.

A Well Resourced School

The school is very well resourced, which includes space, ICT equipment and specialised staff, and these are used to their greatest effect. Middle Park has an ‘Open Door’ policy and provides support for parents. The Community Centre works very well in partnership with the school and is valued for the support that it gives to the community including the Breakfast Club, After School Club and Holiday Clubs for the pupils.

Staff Encouraged to Develop Their Own Skills

Staff at the school value learning and are supported by the Head Teacher to develop their own skills. The Head provides support for staff to complete MAs and other qualifications. There are specialist staff from the Local Authority that supports teachers and TAs to assess and provide interventions and support for its pupils so that they can succeed in their learning. These include an EP, Specialists from the Dyslexia (STEPS) and ASD teams, Speech and Language therapists and Learning Mentors who work hard to support the children and the teachers to improve outcomes for these groups of children.

Effective Governor Support

Governors support the school effectively and are knowledgeable about the strategic plan for the school. They understand their role and use this to drive and hold staff accountable for the progression of the pupils at all levels. They are a dedicated team who know the school and community well.

Pupils are a Credit to the School

The pupils are a credit to the school. They confidently speak about their school and what it does to help them feel included and valued, as well as how they learn. They are proud of the school and what it offers them as pupils. As a result of how pupils are treated at school, they in return, support each other and value the differences they have. They appreciate what their teachers do for them and during the assembly that I observed one little girl said, ‘I love my teacher because she helps us do our best.’

Helping All Children to Make Progress

During the learning walks I was able to see how strategies had been put in place to help all children to make progress in their learning including those in the most vulnerable groups. Classrooms displays and resources were used to support learning and teachers used a variety of teaching methods and strategies. Interventions and planned adult support was used to develop and enhance children’s learning, from their individual starting points, and this allowed for progress to be made.

Behaviour for Learning

The behaviour in classes was very good and demonstrated behaviour for learning. The children were engaged in the activities they were doing and understood what they were learning. Children with additional needs are planned for using a number of strategies and interventions in and out of the classroom, where appropriate. During their interview, the children showed that they were proud of their achievements and could clearly articulate why they liked being at Middle Park Primary School, and what it has done to help them.

Highly Regarded by Parents

The school was highly regarded by the parents that I met and they were grateful for the levels of support their families had received from it. They were confident to discuss the support their families received. They especially liked the ‘FAST’ group that saw families supporting each other in their school community. They felt that the school understood what they, and their children, needed and was able to approach the staff whenever they needed to. I was able to witness this for myself when on the tour around school first thing in the morning, priority was given to the parents and children’s wellbeing.

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: info@inclusionmark.co.uk for further details.

Want more information on the IQM Award? Click here to request your free IQM information pack.