High Standard
The information from the IQM Self Evaluation, the school Staff Development Plan (SDP), website and the meetings in school, were all triangulated to ensure that the standards of the Inclusive School Award were not just established but embedded in their everyday practice. The self-assessment was compiled to a high standard and the school ensured our Assessor spoke to the right staff, Governors and parents who spoke confidently and passionately about each element.
Somers Park is a 3-form entry primary school working across 2 sites in Malvern. The school created their academy trust in 2015 when they collaborated with another school in Malvern forming the Mercian Educational Trust. The Trust has since grown and currently has 5 schools with one more joining later this year. The CEO is non-school based, and the Trust also has a Chief Finance Officer managing funding across all the schools.
Somers Park was originally a 2-form entry school prior to taking on their Malvern Vale site in 2018. The site which is within a mile of Somers Park was initially opened as a separate single form entry school, Malvern Vale Primary, being led by the Somers Park Team. It was quickly converted to being part of Somers Park School. The Malvern Vale site was created due to a need for school places in the local area. Leadership is the same across both sites with the team ensuring at least 1 leader is present at each site every day to ensure consistency and a cohesive vision. Teachers from both sites plan together having Planning, Preparation and Assessment (PPA) times scheduled at the same time. Although the 2 sites are part of 1 school there are 2 separate admission processes to ensure pupils in the locality of Malvern Vale are admitted to their local school.
School is Popular
The school is popular within the local area and most year groups are at full capacity with a waiting list. The Malvern Vale site opened in 2018 with a cohort of 13 Reception pupils and now has pupils from Reception to Year 4. The Year 4 cohort has grown since 2018 and now has 21 pupils.
The Somers Park site takes children from 2 years 9 months as part of their Early Years Unit and many children entering Reception at the Malvern Vale site have attended Somers Park nursery. The nursery provision is provided across 2 rooms, Stars and Rainbows with the focus on prime areas of learning in Stars and a school readiness curriculum in Rainbows. The school has 26 places in each room and are fully subscribed. All pupils must attend for a minimum of 2 sessions each week. Some children attending nursery also attend the wrap around facilities with parents paying for before and after school care for their child.
Pupils at Somers Park perform well academically and by the end of Early Years, Key Stage 1, and Key Stage 2, over time pupil outcomes consistently at least meet national averages on most measures, exceeding national figures on many. Although the 2 sites are separate for regular learning, opportunities are provided for the pupils from both sites to come together for key events e.g., educational visits, Forest School, Coronation Day celebrations, visiting theatre groups and sporting events and competitions.
The proportion of pupils eligible for PP funding is lower than the national average (18%). The proportion of pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) is broadly in line with national (13%). The proportion of children whose first language is not English is significantly lower than national (3.5%). The school had an Ofsted Inspection in 2022 and was judged to be good overall, with outstanding judgments in both Early Years and Personal Development.
Inclusion at the Heart of Everything
The school prides itself on having inclusion at the heart of everything it does and has a highly inclusive vision; ‘to have ambition for every child, to allow them to develop a lifelong love of learning and the self-confidence and social skills to enable them to achieve success in the future.’ SEND and inclusion are always a high focus within the SDP and great effort is made to ensure that all pupils who are vulnerable or have additional needs are fully included in all aspects of the school. This was recognised by Ofsted with the report quoting; ‘Staff have high aspirations for each child. They ensure that all pupils, including those with SEND, access a good quality of education.’
What is highly apparent is the dedication and drive of the staff to make a positive difference. The staff our Assessor met at all levels were committed and passionate about meeting the needs and making a difference for every child. The school has gained a reputation within the local community as being fully inclusive, going that extra mile to be able to support children who were unable to manage in other settings.
The school environments are engaging and inspiring. Classroom expectations are consistent across the school ensuring support for learning is mirrored across year groups whilst remaining flexible enough for staff to develop autonomy. Communal areas including the halls and corridors are welcoming with permanent displays selling the Vision and Values of the school, promoting equality, and developing global awareness, with lots of reference to the links and involvement they have with a school in Tanzania.
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.
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