Bilston school celebrates inclusion accolade and is put forward for national recognition
A primary school has achieved a national award in recognition of its efforts to create a truly inclusive learning environment for its pupils.
Stowlawn Primary in Bilston has been awarded an Inclusion Quality Mark (IQM), with assessors finding the school's leaders to be fully committed to inclusion and making the school the best that it can be.
At the same time, the school has also been recommended to become one of a select few nationally to be named a centre of excellence by the IQM.
IQM assessors visited Stowlawn Primary just before Christmas, and found that staff and children working together to achieve the school's expectations to be Ready, Respectful and Safe throughout the busy day.
They noted positive interactions between staff and children in and out of the classroom, with leaders and staff fully committed to enabling each child to develop socially, emotionally, physically and academically in their own way and speed.
The inspectors said this inclusiveness is fully embedded into the heart of the school, which has a positive family togetherness feel.
Meanwhile, Stowlawn has also supported the integration of children from different backgrounds and cultures, celebrating the diverse backgrounds of its pupils with a Culture Week during which children and their families share their home countries' dress, food, music and stories.
Headteacher Kate Charles said: "Everyone at Stowlawn is delighted to have been awarded the Inclusion Quality Mark.
"Over the past few years, led by Stacey Whitehouse, our Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion, and Rachel Glover, our SENCo, we have worked incredibly hard to ensure our curriculum meets the needs of all our learners, removing barriers to ensure all children are successful.
“Our important partnerships with outside agencies, and our commitment to curriculum enrichment, enable all of our pupils to engage in learning that promotes inclusion, equality and diversity."
Councillor Jacqui Coogan, Wolverhampton Council's cabinet member for education, skills and work, said: "It's wonderful that the hard work of everyone at Stowlawn Primary School has been recognised with an Inclusion Quality Mark, and by being recommended to become a centre of excellence.
“I’d like to congratulate Kate Charles and her team on this excellent outcome.”
It is the latest accolade for the school, which last year became a School of Sanctuary and gained the Primary Science Quality Mark.
IQM was established in 2004 with the objective of supporting both state and independent schools to become inclusive and provides schools with a nationally recognised validation of their inclusive practice and ongoing commitment to developing educational inclusion.
