St. Francis de Sales Catholic Nursery and Infant School has achieved the Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence status.
‘Above and Beyond’ for All Pupils
“I couldn’t have picked a better school for my child. The support and advice we’ve received has been amazing”. “The support was in place even before my child started”. Parents who our Assessor met with were resoundingly positive about the staff, support, and provision for their children’s needs at St. Francis de Sales. They talked about how staff “go above and beyond” for all pupils, ensuring that even before the children enter school, either through nursery, reception, or mid-year transfers, staff have worked “behind the scenes” to ensure that on entry, the children are receiving the support that they need and as parents, they receive the advice that supports a smooth transition process.
St. Francis de Sales Catholic Nursery and Infant School is a larger-than-average-sized infant school drawing pupils mainly from the immediate local community. There are currently 391 pupils enrolled from nursery to Year 2, with four classes for each Year group.
Support
St. Francis de Sales is situated in Walton, North Liverpool, an area of high deprivation which has seen an increase in deprivation over recent years. 43% of pupils are supported through Pupil Premium (PP) funding from the government, which is significantly higher than the national average. “We don’t use the deprivation of the area as an excuse for children not achieving. We look to see what they can do and what we can do to support them”. Over the last three years, St. Francis de Sales has seen an increase in the number of pupils starting school for whom English is an additional language (EAL). 21.5% of the school’s cohort are registered as having Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) with 4.3% of these pupils having an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
Due to the high increase in SEND, the school has a non-Local Authority (LA) funded class to support children with communication and interaction difficulties, ‘Acorns’ and previously there has been full-time resource provision for children identified with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, ‘Saplings’. This academic year, ‘Sapling’ support will be provided during afternoons. Children attending these provisions either have or are in the process of acquiring EHCPs.
St. Francis de Sale Catholic Infant and Nursery school’s mission statement, ‘We walk, learn, love and smile together with Jesus’ is evidenced through daily practice, activities, and life during the school day, as witnessed during a learning walk and by interacting with the staff and pupils. The happiness, respect, and positive attitude displayed toward others can be seen and experienced not only with the children but with all of the adults met with during the day. From talking to the different stakeholders throughout the day, it is clear to see that there is a deep understanding and shared vision for supporting everyone involved with St. Francis.
Exceptional School Environment
The school environment is exceptional with resources and provision clearly and purposefully displayed for children to access independently. All resources and furniture are of a high standard which promotes the very high expectations for respect for where the children are accessing and what they are doing within the learning process. Within the communal year group areas, language cue cards are on display with recommended vocabulary for that area of learning accompanied by a traffic light system of progressive language use and questioning skills which adults can refer to in order to support their interactions with the children. The environment is purposefully low-stimulating, creating a calm atmosphere for all.
Throughout the classrooms, there is consistency in display presentation. All displays are purposeful and informative, such as English and maths working walls, ‘Our best writing’ display, and reflective areas of worship.
The curriculum has been tailored to suit the needs of the pupils ensuring that all children have access to a broad and relevant curriculum. The children’s workbooks and ‘floor books’ celebrated their learning journey and progress could be clearly seen within them.
External agencies are engaged to supplement support and provide the required professional expertise when necessary. Parents spoke to were appreciative of the support from staff and the swift effective access to this external support.
Commitment to Inclusive Practice
The commitment of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to inclusive practice is reflected in its close collaboration with the school’s Governing body and the support and challenge that the Governors provide to the school. “We’re regular visitors to the school. The Headteacher demonstrates a clear understanding that she knows the children and their families. She’s very proud of the school and likes to share this with the Governors”.
The documentation the school completed to support the IQM assessment demonstrates that the SLT know the school well and is able to provide evidence to demonstrate their effectiveness and how the school supports not only the child but the whole school family; pupils, parents/carers/guardians and staff. “We take a holistic approach to supporting our children. It’s not just about the academic, but knowing the child as a whole”.
The Learning Mentor supports children and their families who require additional support by providing interventions. This year, this includes supporting the children who have been identified for SEMH needs within the ‘Sapling’ class. The Learning Mentor also supports families where their child’s attendance causes concern.
Teaching Assistants (TAs) talked knowledgeably about the impact of their support for the children and the interventions that they deliver. “All staff put 100% into their support and care for the children. We share what works well”. “We care about our children and getting it right for them. We adapt things for their needs”. “It’s such a lovely place to work. It feels like a family”.
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.