Tow Law Millennium Primary School in Bishop Auckland, Durham has achieved the Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence status.
A Nurturing Community
It is clear that Tow Law Millennium Primary School is a fully inclusive school ranging from pupils from Nursery to Year 6. The staff at Tow Law know the children well and are creating a vibrant school where pupils enjoy their learning. The school promotes a nurturing and happy community in everything they do. This ethos can be seen throughout the school by the way pupils engage enthusiastically in their learning and in the wide range of opportunities they are offered in the school and beyond. All staff promote high achievement and a love of learning so each and every child can build a successful future. They live by and support their Vision and Values. “Tow Law Millennium Primary School, is a nurturing and happy community; where children are supported to achieve their dreams.”
Everyone Is Valued
It was evident that all children, staff, parents, Governors and volunteers feel valued. All staff shared their opinions and views to showcase excellence and enjoyment, sharing how inclusion is embedded in all they do. Speaking to parents and lunchtime staff it was clear to our Assessor that everyone who is part of the Tow Law Millennium family contributes to ensure that inclusion is at all levels. There is a clear desire from everyone to ensure ‘consistency across the board for all to learn and that no-one is left out.’
Passionate About Inclusion
Inclusive practice comes naturally within Tow Law Millennium and all learners access a high-quality education, professionals are passionate and understand the school’s ethos and ensure all achieve, and all barriers are removed which stops this happening. Clear values of the school are to be a ‘family’, a wide family that ensures they grow together through ‘wellbeing, nurture, respect, kindness, self-belief and community.’ It is a school that is imaginative in its approach, pioneering in ambitions, inspirational to people, effective in outcomes and challenging in aspirations. There is a strong commitment to this vision to promote inclusion for all learners. It was clear that the individuals of Tow Law Millennium make the school special; they talk passionately about the inclusion journey they have been on since joining the IQM family.
Each Child Is Unique
A considerable strength of the school is how staff recognise that each child is unique, and every child learns differently. Staff are relentless in setting clear success indicators from the outset, the whole team were able to share the way that they have co-operated to ensure that inclusion is simply what happens; one member of staff shared: ‘while we have done things that seem small, they have been massive to individuals and provide memories for a lifetime.’ This quote was shared in relation to a recent school trip where opportunities were created for all pupils to attend.
A Bespoke Learning Environment
Governors and Senior Leaders understand how critical it is to create an inclusive environment at Tow Law Millennium and they understand and demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the unique small community around them. There are a number of different highly complex needs, home experiences and languages spoken within the school, so they have created a bespoke learning environment that supports all their children and the diverse range of abilities they have. Recently staff and volunteers have improved their own practice by learning new languages to support some recent refugee children. This has ensured they have provided children with lots of visual and related chances to access education. Within the school there is a rich and engaging curriculum that provides innovation and challenge. Children enjoy memorable experiences through school trips enabling them to acquire a multitude of skills and allowing them to succeed as individuals. Throughout the website and Facebook account the concentration and enjoyment is evident on both pupils’ and parents’ faces.
A Love of Learning
This safe and welcoming environment supports the development of a life-long love of learning, where the children develop curiosity and inquisitiveness while being guided and encouraged to reflect and take the next steps in their learning. There was so much evidence to support the school’s positive work on inclusion. Staff ensure that the needs of individuals are met. The staff’s reflective and thoughtful approach ensures that the school is warm and welcoming and aspires to do the best for each child.
• 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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