School Awards for Inclusive Multi-Academy Trusts
IQM supports MATs in the UK and internationally to build consistent, high-quality inclusive practice across all schools.
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What is the Inclusive School Award for MATs?
The IQM Award for MATs recognises when every school in a Trust has either achieved, or is on the pathway to achieving, the Inclusive School Award. This demonstrates a clear and measurable commitment from Trust leaders to ensure a consistent, inclusive ethos across their entire organisation.
For MAT CEOs, CFOs, and Directors of Inclusion and Education, IQM provides a trusted framework to assess, guide, and celebrate inclusion across all settings. It's a way of showing that inclusion is not just a policy, it's embedded into leadership decisions, teaching practice, and student outcomes.
There are already several MATs in the UK and overseas that are just a few schools away from becoming the first MATs in their country to achieve this recognition. Achieving this milestone demonstrates strong leadership, strategic clarity, and accountability, giving Trusts a clear line of sight on how every school is progressing in its inclusion journey.
Why do MAT CEOs choose IQM?
Decision-makers in MATs value IQM because it helps them:
- Establish consistent inclusion standards across all schools in the Trust.
- Support all teaching staff, including Early Career Teachers, with practical inclusion guidance.
- Gain clear visibility on each school’s progress towards an inclusive ethos.
- Ensure ongoing accountability for schools that are Centres of Excellence or Flagship Schools through annual assessments.
- Demonstrate leadership commitment to inclusion to governors, parents, and external partners.
- Build collaborative networks within and beyond the Trust to share best inclusive practice.
- Align school improvement strategies with inclusion priorities.
- Prepare schools for external scrutiny or inspections with robust evidence of inclusion.
The IQM way
Promotes access and diversity
Raises achievement for all
Improves inclusive nature of all schools
Creates an environment for all to succeed
Promotes access and diversity
Raises achievement for all
Improves inclusive nature of all schools
Creates an environment for all to succeed
The IQM way
Process
The process for MATs follows the same model as single-sites. Each school is assessed individually, with its needs met through bespoke assessment visits and support.
Evaluative Framework
The IQM Evaluative Framework provides a nationally and internationally recognised benchmark for measuring inclusive practice.
Pricing
The cost for schools in a MAT follow the same as the UK structure. Schools pay a registration fee initially to begin their IQM journey.
Hear from IQM schools
Working with IQM has shown us how far we've come and how much more we can grow.
Sarra Ben Ammar, Principal, Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Awal School, Abu Dhabi
Since our whole school community embarked upon our IQM journey from September 2023, inclusion, equality, embracing diversity and equity has become THE driving force that is central to all aspects of our school improvement.
Chris Davey, Executive Headteacher, Blessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School, Liverpool
The word inclusion is used lots, and quite rightly so, but actually when you really unpick the layers of what inclusion means, I think the IQM audit is a really valuable tool to help you look at what strengths you have and ways forward.
Headteacher, Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Wirral
The IQM has given practitioners at our resource provision a chance to reflect on what they are doing and make adjustments as needed. It also gives families and carers reassurance of the inclusive practice at the setting.
Mike Stapleton-Chambers, Head of Service, Deliver Better Values initiative at Halton Borough Council
Our journey with the Inclusion Quality Mark has been a powerful reflection of how far we've come, a celebration of our collective efforts, and the inclusive culture we've built together.
Esraa Jararaa, Head of Inclusion, Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Awal School, Abu Dhabi
Being part of the cluster group is really important because people from other IQM Centres of Excellence and Flagship schools across the North West have come to our school and it's all about sharing best practice.
Chris Davey, Executive Headteacher, Blessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School, Liverpool
At our school, inclusion isn't a policy or provision, it's a belief that every child belongs, every identity matters, and every learner shapes who we are and adds meaning to our community
Sarra Ben Ammar, Principal, Khalifa Bin Zaye Al Awal School, Abu Dhabi
It was very clear from the outset that those [assessment] days were there for us to celebrate and showcase all that we've achieved as a school.
Chris Davey, Executive Headteacher, Blessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School, Liverpool
Inclusive education begins with the belief that every learner matters—and thrives when we teach not just to the class, but to each child within it.
Mike Stapleton-Chambers, Head of Service, Deliver Better Values initiative at Halton Borough Council
Inclusion starts and ends with culture. Building a culture that skyrockets children's self-esteem and motivation is like crafting the perfect recipe
Christopher Nourse, Executive Principal, Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Awal School, Abu Dhabi
Being part of the cluster group is really important because people from other IQM Centres of Excellence and Flagship schools across the North West have come to our school and it’s all about sharing best practice.
Chris Davey, Executive Headteacher, Blessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School, Liverpool
Make Inclusion Matter
FAQs
A nationally and internationally recognised accreditation that celebrates and supports outstanding inclusive practice in schools.
The average time for schools to complete the award is two terms, though timescales vary depending on readiness and chosen award level.
Yes - we work with schools in the UAE, Europe, and beyond, adapting our assessments to different curricula and cultural contexts.
Pricing information can be found on each award page. The cost of a school's registration is £299.50 + VAT. This is renewed every 3 years. The cost for Flagship and Centre of Excellence are UK prices.
No - while SEND is a core focus, IQM covers all aspects of inclusion, from diversity and equity to staff culture and community engagement.
About IQM
The only national award for inclusion in the UK, IQM has been committed to recognising exemplary inclusive schools for over 20 years and in over 20 countries around the world. The three awards allow schools and organisations to dcelebrate their inclusive practice against nationally recognised framework.
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