North Walsall Primary Academy has achieved the Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence status.
Inclusion Remains a Strength
The school has seen some changes to leadership since their last review and now has a new Headteacher who has moved to the school from a Secondary School within the Trust. The Assistant Headteacher is currently on Maternity Leave and the Inclusion Lead is moving to a new position in the Trust from September. The leaders are currently looking at leadership provision from September to ensure inclusion remains at the forefront of everything the school does.
North Walsall Primary Academy is a popular single form entry school with 240 pupils on roll. The majority of pupils have English as an additional language with Urdu being the predominant home language, although a total of 16 different languages are spoken across the school community. The school set up a nurture provision in 2017 and has a mornings only nursery.
SEND provision and Inclusion remains a strength of the school and the school vision continues to support children to flourish into confident, successful and well-rounded individuals, by providing opportunities that will enable them to achieve their full potential. The new Headteacher and Senior leaders lead by example setting high aspirations for all and all staff are clearly driven to provide the best outcomes for the children in their care.
SEND provision continues to be led by a tremendously skilled and knowledgeable SENDCo, supported by a range of additional support from outside agencies and specialist staff. A Speech and Language Therapist is employed for 2 days every week alongside a trained Speech and Language Teaching Assistant. 32 children in the school currently receive Speech and Language sessions from the Speech Therapist and the Trained Speech and Language Teaching Assistant provides intervention for Reception children using WellComm. The school also employs a play therapist for 1 day per week who is currently supporting 2 boys in Year 6 and providing CBT for a pupil suffering with anxiety who is awaiting a CAMHS appointment. The school also buys in Educational Psychology support and CADMUS services. Every effort is made to enable pupils on roll feel safe, access learning and be successful.
Rainbow Room
The school has seen a significant increase in pupils requiring additional support and has successfully applied for 5 EHCPs during the last 12 months. The school now has 10 EHCPs which is significant in a single form entry school. Two further applications are awaiting a decision. The school has identified that complex SEND issues are showing much earlier and the need for EHCPs in Nursery and Reception is growing quite rapidly. Many will need EHCPs to succeed in mainstream EYFS provision. All 24 of the children in nursery will be making the transition to reception at North Walsall in September. Of the 6 new pupils, one has already been identified with significant additional need and the school is already working with parents and external agencies to secure an EHCP and funding for 1:1 support. A greatly increased transition programme involving 8 additional transition days has been put in place to support this child, with them starting in the Rainbow Room before making a transition to Nursery.
The Rainbow Room continues to provide places for pupils in EYFS with significant Cognitive and Learning difficulties alongside Social and Communication needs. Due to the lack of specialist provision in Walsall, the Rainbow Room is now supporting 2 Year 1 children. As a result, the curriculum has been amended to meet the needs of the older children with daily phonics and numeracy now being delivered alongside completion of 1:1 learning tasks and a programme of interventions.
The children in Rainbow spend their mornings in the Rainbow Group and return to their Nursery, Reception or Year 1 Class for the afternoons. Where appropriate the Rainbow children work alongside their own peers. The Rainbow Room environment is a calm, relaxed space, resourced with toys matched to the children’s individual development needs. Individual workstations are set up to support children when focussing on 1:1 learning activities. All learning is planned by the SENDCo and delivered either by the SENDCo or Learning Mentor supported by a SEND Teaching Assistant who is fully Makaton trained. The Academy has developed very good links with all the local Nursery provision and the Rainbow Room receives referrals from these nurseries for pupils requiring specialist provision.
Word Aware
Word Aware, a structured whole school approach to promote the vocabulary development of all children through a programme of whole class learning, continues to be delivered across KS1 and KS2 with Concept Cat being used across EYFS. All staff are Word Aware trained. All classes are taught 2 new words every week linked to the topic they are studying. Words are classified as ‘anchor’ (essential vocabulary), Goldilocks words (target words for children to be able to use) and ‘step on’ words (additional challenge). The words of the week are shared with pupils during the week. The school shares the words with parents through a knowledge organiser and through a ‘word of the week’ assembly which is recorded and shared with parents through Class Dojo. Each class shares their word of the week and its definition as part of the assembly. Words of the week are stored in a box in the class and are revisited regularly. Every classroom also has a ‘word of the week’ display. Colourful Semantics and Communication in print are used alongside Word Aware to support understanding and application into writing.
The academy has now embedded the use of their electronic Provision Mapper. Each child on the SEND register has a ‘child profile’ which includes their Pupil Passport and interventions and assessments, identifying the progress made. The profile also includes any reports from outside agencies. The SENDCo has worked hard to ensure that all Pupil Passport targets are specific with a clear intended measurable outcome. The Academy has introduced a SEND Audit Continuum using the Cadmus Assessment system, that enables class teachers to track small steps in progress and suggests the most relevant next target for the child. Interventions are assigned based on the targets set for the child.
The school is well resourced with interactive whiteboards in every classroom, and sufficient laptops for all pupils to be able to access IT as required during lessons. The school has a good range of resources to support pupils with SEND and pupils were observed accessing these independently during our Assessor’s visit. Learning environments reflect the school’s ethos and values. Classroom displays are used consistently and effectively in all classes to support learning whilst maintaining an attractive and engaging learning space and the beautiful displays along corridors make the school vibrant and inclusive. The extensive grounds include the Nature Friendly School which has been one of the IQM targets this year.
Teamwork Remains an Important Feature
Assessment for Learning is supported through the Fisher Family Trust and the use of Rising Stars Assessments which provide reports on each pupil, identify gaps in learning and make suggestions for interventions. The school does not believe in withdrawing pupils and all interventions are delivered within the class except for Play Therapy and any SEMH intervention. Interventions used within the school include SOS Spelling, Precision Teaching, NESSIE in Reception and dyslexia sessions. Pupils in the Rainbow Group are assessed using the EYFS Profile alongside Fine and Gross Motor assessment.
Teamwork remains an important feature of the school and leaders have ensured that staff and student well-being is addressed effectively. In school a ‘wellbeing fairy’ provides a shout out and some chocolate to a nominated member of staff and a ‘Secret Saviour’ will leave a pick-me-up note and small gift for staff. The school has also bought into the Vivup High 5 recognition APP. The learning mentor, as a trained counsellor, also supports staff alongside staff and pupil mental health first aiders. The inclusion lead is currently completing the Government senior leader Mental Health training. All staff have completed 3 additional ‘Creative Education’ modules; ‘Conversations Following Disclosure’, Typical Signs of Mental Health’ and ‘Localised Services of Support’. The school has completed a project with the pupils on feelings and emotions that has involved linking different feelings to sweets. A lovely display, identifying the sweets chosen to link to each feeling, alongside reasoning for the choice, is prominent in school.
Families in need continue to be supported well by the school. The provision of food vouchers and holiday hampers has continued post Covid for identified families. The school is discreet in the provision of the vouchers and hampers to ensure parents are not embarrassed. The school has also used some of the Pupil Premium Funding to purchase a stock of uniform which can be loaned to pupils following accidents and spillages, but that can also be provided to families in financial need.
The ‘North Walsall Way’
Behaviour in the academy continues to be good and the ‘North Walsall Way’ is now clearly evident and embedded in the school’s behaviour management strategies. ‘Walking Hands’ is now embedded in everyday activities within school and the SLANT behaviour strategy; Sit up straight, Listen, Answer and ask, Nod your head, never interrupt, Track the speaker, is clearly evident and embedded in all classrooms. Good to Be Green is used consistently in all classes and displays are evident in all classrooms. Children are rewarded for good behaviour with DoJo points and the school has recently introduced a Class Dojo incentive that rewards classes when they reach identified amounts of Dojo points; 1000 Dojos = 15 minutes of a fun activity, 2500 = Extra play, 5000 = cooking activity and 10,000 = Bouncy Castle afternoon. The school has purchased a bouncy slide which they use for fundraising activities alongside rewards.
The Academy works closely with the other schools in the ATT Trust across the country and has taken the lead with implementing the SEND Audit Continuum. Close links have been forged with nurseries in the area and the school has very good links with North Walsall College offering sessions for parents and holiday sessions for children at the College site. Children playing musical instruments in the school are encouraged to join the Walsall Music Education Hub ensembles and the children play in regular concerts.
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:
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