Whitehall Primary School Achieves IQM Centre of Excellence Status

September 9, 2026

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Whitehall Primary School has achieved IQM Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence Status. The assessment highlighted a school where inclusion is not a policy position but a lived reality, woven into every interaction, every space and every decision the school makes. 

A Place Where Every Child Can Be Seen and Heard

Whitehall Primary School presents a vision of inclusion that is coherent, deeply held and consistently enacted across every aspect of school life. The Headteacher described a journey the school has been on, one of building a genuine sense of community and belonging, of: “make sure every child can be seen and heard.” That journey is visible everywhere. The school’s overarching theme of: “We All Belong Here” provides a meaningful framework within which all aspects of school life sit. 

Moving away from a single SENCO who leads inclusion to a model where everyone is involved has been described by staff as the most effective change for inclusion the school has made. There is a genuine culture where teachers are fully accountable for every child in their class, with the understanding that all teachers are teachers of SEND. The chair of governors summarised it clearly: “inclusion is integral. It is not an add-on.” 

Inclusion by Design 

The curriculum at Whitehall Primary School is one of its most distinctive and impressive features. It is described by the school as inclusion by design, not by exception. This is not a curriculum adapted to meet diverse needs but one built from the ground up with all children in mind. The Headteacher spoke of a curriculum that does not shy away, one that is very ambitious and that gives children knowledge that no one can take away from them. Philosophy for Children permeates all aspects of school life. Topics explored include racism, sexism, disability, the afterlife and genocide. Pupils described it as not a typical lesson and spoke of loving the chance to discuss things that cannot be answered with a search engine.  

A BSL lesson was observed during the assessment. Every class assembly is signed, all staff and children know some BSL and the school has taken a principled position that signing should be a part of everyone’s life. This reduces barriers to socialising, builds genuine community between Deaf and hearing pupils and gives all children a skill of real value. Deaf adults are brought in as positive role models and Deaf pupils lead whole-school assemblies on Deaf identity. 

Pupil Voice at Its Most Meaningful 

The Whitehall Collective is one of the most distinctive features of the school’s inclusive ethos. Open to any child from Year 2 upwards, it operates on the belief that everyone can have a chance to speak, that children can help solve problems and that the school is better for it. 

The collective has organised initiatives including selling ice creams for less than the local van so that every child can afford one and has raised significant sums for global causes including War Child. One child reflected: “It makes me feel that we play a part in saving people’s lives.” This is pupil voice at its most meaningful and most ambitious. 

A School at the Heart of Its Community 

Support for families is holistic and proactive. The school approaches families before families feel they need to approach the school. This includes help with holidays, referrals to food banks and sustained relationship-building with families who carry multiple vulnerabilities. Whitehall Primary School has developed an approach to working with families that is warm, proactive and genuinely inclusive. 

Parents were heard speaking with genuine emotion about what the school has done for their children. One parent said: “I don’t think he would be as successful as he is if it wasn’t for Whitehall.” Another reflected: “We worked together as a team, as a parent and as the school.”  

An Extraordinary School 

Whitehall Primary School is an extraordinary school. From the annual exhibition exploring topics including Windrush and the experiences of asylum seekers, to outdoor spaces featuring an amphitheatre, school chickens, Forest School opportunities and places to simply sit and read under the trees, the school demonstrates a deep commitment to ensuring children truly know about the world they live in. It is a school that knows what it is, believes in it and lives it every single day. Staff reflected that they work hard to make the school as beautiful for the children as possible. That care is visible in every corner of the building, in every conversation overheard, in every child encountered. 

Find Out More About IQM 

If your school is interested in achieving 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.