Redwood Primary School has achieved the Inclusive School Award.
Warm Positive Welcome
Our Assessor felt it was a delight to assess Redwood Primary School as a new member of IQM. They were greeted with a warm positive welcome and this extended throughout the day by all staff, children, parents, and the Governor they met. The inclusive ethos was clearly embedded into the culture of this school as was evident when introduced to most of the staff and the children of this large inner City of Derby primary school with 654 children on roll, (with a high proportion of Pupil Premium (PP) students).
Redwood just had a recent OFSTED Inspection a few weeks before where OFSTED (Jan 2023) found “Pupils are very happy to come to school. They readily follow the school’s ‘SHINE’ motto. They work hard and enjoy their learning, especially in mathematics. Pupils are kind to each other. They celebrate their differences. They know why it is important to respect others. They are proud of their diverse and harmonious school.” This also was seen, heard, and sensed throughout our Assessor’s visit.
Warm and Caring Atmosphere
Redwood Primary School emits a warm, caring, and calm atmosphere that is built on mutual respect with clear roles and responsibilities that are known and understood by staff and children alike with simple but clear rules for everyone to follow to make the day a purposeful, engaging, and fun learning day for everyone.
The Headteacher fully knows her school and holds everyone to account, making everyone feel valued and wanted. As a visitor, you become fully aware of a real sense of belonging. Everyone wants to do the right thing for each child and each child is seen as a developing individual.
The school’s mission of SHINE is prevalent and understood by the children. Redwood does strive to ensure that its children are prepared with a strong focus on positive Mental Health and to be well-equipped for successful lives. Our Assessor could see this, hear this and had a real sense that this is at the heart of this school, as is diversity with over 40 different languages.
During they visit our Assessor observed, (with clarity), a range of lessons that demonstrated a range of pedagogies that enhanced the learning of a wide range of stages and ages. The children had a clear understanding of what they were learning and why they were learning it, putting tasks into context and the bigger picture. Children were able to comment on the various opportunities that they were given to extend their learning and work at greater depths. Lessons were well planned and used a range of resources that were differentiated by task and outcome as well as using various IT based tools to support independent learning within whole class learning.
This individualised approach was observed in The Nest where a small group of 4 Key Stage 1 learners were working independently of each other but when one was stuck, they were all able to and wanted to help each other.
Routines and expectations were constantly reinforced to enable all the children to work at the high expectations that are set in school for all children. The change over of activities in Nursery were positive and productive in a very timely manner, again children and staff working together to tidy up first before starting the next part of their lesson. Key Stage 2 learners were very happy to talk clearly about their work and what they had done, learnt, or refined.
Staff are Very Happy and Appreciative
The parents shared their delight that their child/children had Redwood as their primary school. They felt that there is clear communication for parents to help their child to succeed in education and develop into being independent, inquisitive learners. Some were extremely thankful to the staff, especially the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) who has helped and guided them through Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND). Others wanted their child to complete their secondary education at Redwood. It was emphasised “it has helped my child be who they are and has certainly helped shape me too, I don’t ever want to leave.”
Staff are very happy and appreciative of working in a school where they feel highly valued, wanted, and listened to and have ownership in the place that they work.
The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) make the ‘family first’ approach actually work, encouraging staff to have a work-life balance, but at the same time they know that they are held to account for their responsibilities in school.
It is clear that the vision and leadership qualities have played a major part in creating such a happy, vibrant school that has a clear identity and purpose.
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.
Want more information on the IQM Award? Click here to request your free IQM information pack.