Date: 18 January 2023
St Mary’s CofE Primary School, Chiddingfold has been awarded the Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence Status.
Education watchdog Ofsted defines an educationally inclusive school as one in which the teaching and learning; achievements, attitudes and well-being of every young person matter. Inclusion Quality Mark provides schools with a nationally recognised framework to guide their inclusion journey.
St Mary’s is a small, one form entry village primary school for 220 pupils aged 4-11 in the heart of the Chiddingfold community.
The IQM’s report says, “The school positively promotes strong Christian values … and have a collective worship every day. Being a small school means all staff contribute greatly to school decisions, outcomes and ensuring every child feels included and valued.”
“At St Mary’s there is a genuine, solid commitment to inclusive practice which informs all systems and approaches,” says the report.
Headteacher Shelia Buckley is delighted with the award. “This outcome, which is the result of a whole team effort, emphasises the significant and vital role that each staff member plays in the successful running of the school. I am immensely proud of each one of them, all of who contribute daily to the friendly and inclusive culture, which impacts positively on all pupils’ wellbeing and outcomes,” she says.
And it’s not just the staff who are singled out for praise in the report. “Parents and carers speak highly about the support and school experience their children receive. Many parents help out at the school, reading with the children, being members of the very strong and active PTA and offering curriculum enrichment through work connections.”
Perhaps best of all, the report states, “Our Assessor said it was a total pleasure spending the day at St Mary’s.”
There are over 5,500 schools in the UK who have either received an IQM Inclusive School Award, or are actively working towards meeting the standard required. That marks St Mary’s out as a school in a thousand (or five).