Great Lever: St Michael's CE wins IQM inclusivity award

St Michael's CE Primary School on Green Lane, Great Lever, has been achieved the Inclusive School Award with Flagship status by Inclusion Quality Mark (IQM).

The award recognises every child at the school is able to thrive in the welcoming environment where 31 languages are spoken.

And the school removes any barriers children have to education, from language to transport.

The school has been awarded for its inclusivity (Image: St Michael's CE Primary School)

On their recent visit to the school, IQM found that: "It is clear that St Michael’s provides a very happy, nurturing, and diverse environment for its children and all of the school’s stakeholders to continue their learning journey and to flourish and grow.

"St Michael’s is simply one big, happy, inclusive family."

The report continues: "It’s not everyday you are blown away by a unique Christian school serving its majority Muslim faith families and pupils. St Michael’s CE Primary School is a large primary school with 502 pupils on roll aged two to 11-years-old and it is simply thriving!

"Our assessor witnessed first-hand a warm, welcoming ethos. 92 per cent of its children speak English as an additional language with 31 languages being spoken across the school.

"During the visit our assessor saw many examples of this approach which are testimony to the ‘thread of inclusion’ which runs through all systems and policies in school.

Pupils at the school (Image: St Michael's CE Primary School)

"Relationships and communications with parents are a strength at St Michael’s, hence community cohesion is strong. This is a school where nothing is too difficult or tricky and nothing is too big or too small.

"The school go above and beyond eg paying for a taxi to ensure a child could get to school when a family was having domestic Vviolence issues."

The report concludes: "It is clear to see that inclusion is at the heart of all aspects of its work and pupils thrive in an environment where everyone works together to secure success.

"The school boasts an increasing number of ethnically diverse students and pupils exude exceptional tolerance and respect for one another.

Pupils at St Michael's (Image: St Michael's CE Primary School)

"They go about their daily work supporting and looking out for each other, whilst developing Christian attitudes and values. These values complement the values of the families that attend this school.

"This is one reason why this community works so well. A huge well done to everyone involved.

"The headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher and SENDCo’s for Inclusion are the driving force within the school with support from the staff team. Together, they put inclusion at the top of their agenda."

Matthew Worden, headteacher at the school, said: "At St Michael's, we pride ourselves on being an inclusive school that meets the needs of all of the pupils in our care, regardless of the barriers to learning that they may have. 

"To receive such a glowing report is testimony to the hard work of our staff and the realisation of our inclusive ethos, which is the bedrock of our school."