Oak Tree Primary School Achieves IQM Flagship Status

August 21, 2026

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Oak Tree Primary School has achieved IQM Inclusive School Award with Flagship Status in recognition of its commitment to inclusion, equity and ensuring that every child can fully participate in school life. The assessment highlighted a school where careful reflection, strong leadership and research-informed practice continue to remove barriers and create opportunities for all pupils. 

Removing Barriers for Families 

Oak Tree Primary School has made significant and carefully considered progress in embedding the outcomes of the Poverty Proofing audit, ensuring that financial barriers do not limit pupils’ access to experiences or opportunities.  

Leaders have undertaken a comprehensive review of trips and visits across the school, ensuring that all experiences are purposeful, directly linked to learning, and carefully communicated to parents. This has been complemented by a reduction in the number of residential visits, alongside a commitment that all pupils eligible for pupil premium have their residential fully funded. Furthermore, payment plans are now available to families, supporting flexibility and reducing financial pressure.  

The offer of extra-curricular provision has been enhanced. A wide range of free extra-curricular clubs are now available, including newspaper club, drama, choir, art and crafts, Dungeons and Dragons, hockey, band, and recorders. Places are prioritised for disadvantaged pupils, ensuring equitable access to enrichment opportunities. 

Writing Through Oracy and Engagement  

Leaders have placed a clear and strategic focus on improving writing outcomes, underpinned by a strong commitment to adaptive teaching and inclusion. There is now a consistent whole-school approach to writing, supported by a bespoke curriculum that has been carefully designed to meet the needs of pupils at Oak Tree Primary School. A key strength lies in the school’s focus on oracy as the foundation for writing. This work has been prioritised through engagement with the Stockport Speaks project, recognising the importance of communication skills, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those with lower starting points on entry to Early Years. 

Across the school, oracy is now an increasingly established feature of teaching. Staff use carefully structured strategies such as talk partners with clear expectations, sentence stems to support full responses, explicit vocabulary teaching, and a strong emphasis on active listening.  

The introduction of DEAL has further strengthened this work. Staff report increased confidence in using drama-based approaches, and pupils engage enthusiastically in learning. DEAL is particularly effective in removing barriers to writing, enabling pupils with less developed literacy skills to access the curriculum through oral rehearsal and experiential learning.  

Oracy, Wellbeing and Inclusion  

The school’s work on oracy is particularly noteworthy and is now a clear strength. This was evident both within classroom observations and through discussions with pupils, who spoke confidently, listened respectfully, and engaged thoughtfully with their learning. 

Pastoral care at Oak Tree continues to strengthen. Parents shared their upmost appreciation of the pastoral support and the relationship they have with pastoral lead. The introduction of a trained Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) has enhanced targeted support for pupils’ emotional wellbeing.  

Across the school, there is a strong emphasis on individualised and responsive support for pupils with special educational needs. This is particularly evident in the use of one-page pupil profiles, which ensure that all staff have a clear understanding of each child’s needs, strengths, and strategies for support.  

Happy Lunchtimes 

Oak Tree Primary School has made highly effective progress in transforming playtimes, ensuring that they are inclusive, engaging, and supportive of all pupils’ needs, particularly for Key Stage Two pupils. 

Leaders responded decisively, redesigning the playground into five clearly defined zones: The Plaza, The Adventure Playground, A Sports Zone led by pupil leaders, A Free Play Zone and A Calm Zone.  

A particular strength is the introduction of loose parts play, which has created rich opportunities for creativity, collaboration, and physical development. Pupils have engaged in building dens, creating obstacle courses, and engaging in cooperative play. 

The development of quieter, structured activities, such as friendship bracelet making, finger knitting, reading spaces and construction play, ensures that all pupils, including those who may find unstructured play challenging, have meaningful options. 

Find Out More About IQM  

If your school is interested in achieving IQM Inclusive School Award, Centre of Excellence or Flagship Status, 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.