Riverhead Infants’ Schools Achieves IQM Centre of Excellence Status

August 24, 2026

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Riverhead Infants’ School has achieved IQM Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence Status in recognition of its deeply embedded nurturing ethos and its commitment to ensuring that every child feels safe, valued and able to thrive. The assessment highlighted a school where inclusion is central to daily practice and where staff work tirelessly to remove barriers to learning, wellbeing and participation. 

A Nurturing Culture for Every Child 

Riverhead are proud of their inclusive practice. They are committed to the education of the whole child and their inclusive values of Nurturing Inquiring Minds, Love of Learning, Belonging, Independent Thinkers and Determination are central to everything they do. 

Leaders live and breathe the school’s ethos and foster a sense of belonging, safety and mutual respect among children, staff and the families they serve. Leaders are determined that their values and ethos determine the personality of the school and create the atmosphere where “everyone strives to do everything we can to meet the needs of every child.” 

The school demonstrates a strong and sustainable commitment to nurturing principles, which are embedded across the whole-school ethos rather than confined to a discrete provision. Nurture is clearly viewed as a fundamental approach to teaching and learning, reflected in consistent practice across classrooms through positive relationships, inclusive language and a strong emphasis on emotional wellbeing.  

Inclusion Through Relationships 

The school follows ‘Our Six Principles of Nurture,’ including “We all learn in our own way and in our own time and that’s ok!” and “In our school family we care for and look after each other.” 

There is clear evidence of collaboration, shared responsibility, mutual respect and sense of belonging at the school. Staff are empowered to make decisions collectively and are proud that, if any member of staff is absent, another team member can confidently step into the role, as all staff are familiar with every child and understand the expectations and requirements needed to adapt to different roles effectively. 

The Nurture Lead explained how staff talk to children about their own feelings to demonstrate understanding and empathy. She shared that this approach is particularly effective in encouraging children to engage in meaningful conversations about their own feelings and experiences. 

A Curriculum that Brings Learning to Life 

The school’s curriculum, ‘Living Our Learning,’ was designed to ensure that children ‘Live Their Learning’ through relatable experiences. 

The enriched, balanced curriculum provides opportunities to teach life skills as well as knowledge, through cooking and a ‘messy classroom’ for sensory experiences. Forest School is used for every child and leaders are passionate about learning beyond the classroom. Children benefit from a wide range of opportunities including Eco School, gardening, Spanish, French, choir, football, multi-sports, Mandarin, enrichment weeks and visits from authors, poets, firefighters and police officers. 

Supporting Wellbeing and Belonging 

Riverhead Infant School places a strong emphasis on supporting children’s behaviour, attitudes to learning and personal development through a proactive, nurturing and whole-school approach. 

Staff make effective use of the Zones of Regulation to help children identify, understand and regulate their emotions. Emotion charts and colour-coordinated paint pots within classrooms further support children to express how they are feeling and enable staff to respond sensitively to individual needs throughout the day. 

The school’s nurturing ethos is evident through the work of the Nurture Team, who provide targeted emotional support for children requiring additional guidance. All classrooms include Nurture Nooks, offering calm and supportive spaces where children can regulate emotions, reflect or take time when needed. 

Strong Partnerships with Families 

Building positive relationships with parents is seen as a priority at Riverhead. Parents described the provision as “integrated throughout” and spoke warmly about the level of care and support their children receive. 

One parent explained how inclusion is “ingrained” at the school and how individuality is a high priority. They described how the school is “not set in their ways, things can change day-to-day depending on the needs of the children…it’s not just good teaching here – they’re good people.” 

Communication between home and school was consistently highlighted as a significant strength, with parents commenting that staff are quick to make contact not only when concerns arise, but also to celebrate successes. 

Find Out More About IQM 

If your school is interested in achieving the 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.