Stratford Manor Primary School & Nursery has achieved the Inclusive School Award.
Ethos of Inclusion
Stratford Manor Primary School & Nursery school continues to be a very inclusive school with the ethos of inclusion at the heart of everything they do.
Pupils can state the names of the school’s Values (Community, Determination, Respect, Responsibility and Excellence). These are also the names of the house system and are displayed around the school. Each week a pupil from each class, who exhibits the values well, has lunch with the Headteacher. This is motivating to the pupils. The classes are all named after a famous person who espouses these values, the pupils were all able to talk about their class name at length.
Children are enthused by the ambitious and relevant curriculum offer which will be completely in place next year. They are already aware of the curriculum threads that weave through the curriculum from Reception to year 6, covering such topics as social equity and sustainability.
A member of staff who works at the school has placed her son here as she feels that staff are very supportive and meet pupils’ needs well. She says communication between school and parents is excellent with her being informed of everything that her son does.
All staff described the school as a very inclusive place to work, mentioning an approachable and supportive Senior Leadership Team. One teacher said that the benefits of working in a small school is that teachers are in constant contact with the senior leaders. They found the performance management cycle to be collaborative and helpful.
Teachers Feel Well Supported
Teachers feel well supported in their professional development and stated that the SLT is keen for them to attend any courses that will benefit the school. They reported that the school is involved in a wide range of external projects and is an outward looking school.
On arriving at the school, it was great to overhear a child ask if they could help in the reception office before school and for him to be given some tasks to do in an encouraging and friendly manner.
The school has a very inviting reception area with a colourful display called “This Week’s Stars” which showcases children’s achievements in a variety of ways, with various rewards such as lunch with the Head! The Head boy and Head girl also give out weekly awards.
The school uniform bank is situated in the reception area and it is easy for parents to leave outgrown clothes for younger children and a supportive measure for parents.
Pupils have added more trophies to the trophy cabinet this year, namely East London Moneywise Challenge Champions 2022 years 5-6 as well as winning the Newham Primary Panathlon challenge.
The school is housed in an old Victorian building. The school has enhanced the environment with displays around the school which are vibrant, inviting and show what the pupils have been learning. The Art gallery on the ground floor displays work of a high standard. The EYFS area has had new murals painted on the Under the Sea theme to refresh the area for the children and develop their imagination. The outdoor learning spaces are well-resourced and interesting for the pupils. Not many schools can boast a taxi and London bus (wellbeing hub) in their playground or telephone boxes in the school as mini libraries.
Learning Showcase
The school has a whole school Learning Showcase area which shows learning from all year groups as well as showing pupils how all the curriculum links together. When our Assessor met with the year 3 pupils, they spoke about how it showcases their good work and that they can look at work from different year groups.
Four pupils with complex needs, who are working at a significantly lower level than their peers, are based in Bevan class, with three other pupils joining for some sessions as they transition in and out as dictated by their needs. The pupils are included in the life of the school as they have access to all the playing spaces and resources of the EYFS playground. They attend all trips with their peers and join in with whole school events.
A teaching assistant who is based in this room spoke clearly about how the staff adapt their teaching to meet all needs, she showed a good understanding of the different pupils’ specific communication needs. She reported that the school go out of their way to cater for all the pupils’ needs.
The pupils’ needs were dealt with sensitively in the session that our Assessor saw as all were encouraged to take part in the “who’s here today?” part of the morning circle. The adults in the room are also included in this session. The staff were using symbols on their key rings, a visual timetable and now and next to support learning.
The class teacher and the Bevan room teacher work collaboratively to write reports and to consider next steps for children that they jointly teach.
Network of Schools
The school forms part of Newham Learning which is a Network of schools in Newham. The Headteacher is currently on the board. Teachers find it beneficial as subject leads to meet peers in other schools, particularly important as the school becomes completely one form entry.
The year 1 teacher explained that he has just completed a CPD course where he was trained in leading whole school STEM training.
The year 6 teacher spoke about a project that his year group have been involved with: “Make £5 Grow”. This enterprise project resulted in the school selling their products to the whole school and making a £400 profit towards the year 6 prom!
The day was enjoyed by the year 3 pupils who explained that if you didn’t have any money, it didn’t matter because you could get one of the free games – a pertinent example of inclusion in practice.
The school has recently joined the Dot, Dot, Fire! Project. Financial education for younger children is a high priority for the school as a useful preparation tool for adulthood.
Pupils enjoy participating in the Manor Memories’ programme which is a wide-range of different life-enhancing experiences that have been mapped on to each year’s curriculum planning. It forms part of the school’s Wellbeing initiatives. An example from the nursery is to have a picnic outside leading up to going to Chessington World of Adventure for a day out in year 6. Year 3 are excited about flying their kites tomorrow.
Year 4s benefit from their school sleepover where they watch a movie, eat pizza and sleep in the hall. The years 5 and 6 five-day residential trip to Fairplay House in Essex is a particular favourite!
Pupils Enjoy Learning
Pupils say that they enjoy learning and the teachers make lessons fun. They spoke about a sheet that supports them if they are confused e.g. go on to the next question, ask a friend before asking the teacher.
On the day of the visit, 33 parents were participating in a training session on the subject of Grooming and County Lines. This session was then going to be adapted for the children and would form a staff INSET session later in the day. Feedback from parents has been very positive and well received.
Parents’ workshops have taken place in reading, maths and English as well as drop-in sessions and coffee mornings where parents have had the chance to discuss bed routines and restrictive eating. The school also runs open days for parents to observe lessons and see how their child learns. Year 4 pupils are coming to the end of their unit, so parents have been invited to come and see their pop-up restaurant in action.
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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