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A primary academy based in Wakefield is celebrating after receiving a nationally recognised award for its work on inclusion.

Outwood Primary Academy Lofthouse Gate, based on Canal Lane, was awarded the Inclusion Quality Mark Award by IQM. The award provides UK schools with a nationally recognised validation of their inclusive practice and ongoing commitment to developing educational inclusion.

The academy鈥檚 success comes after a long assessment process, which was split into two phases, beginning with a self-evaluation and followed by a two-day assessment by the IQM team.

Lynsey Hadfield, Principal at Outwood Primary Academy Lofthouse Gate, said:

鈥淲e are proud and beyond delighted to have been accredited with the IQM Award, which we believe highlights our ongoing commitment to inclusion at all levels.

鈥淎t Outwood Primary Academy Lofthouse Gate, we believe that every child deserves the best education, no matter their start in life, and we work tirelessly to deliver on this belief.鈥�

As part of the assessment process, the academy underwent a two-day inspection consisting of an IQM assessor meeting with members of children, staff, parents and academy council members.

Focusing on the Special Education Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCo) team, the report praised its, 鈥榟ighly effective鈥� work noting that its 鈥榗ontribution to the support and wellbeing of children鈥檚 families has a direct impact in supporting parents and for them to tangibly see their children attain.鈥�

The positive findings led to the IQM team recommending Outwood Primary Academy Lofthouse Gate to apply for Centre of Excellence status, which it currently plans to aim towards doing.

Less than 300 schools in the UK have currently achieved this status, and to do so, schools have to successfully have demonstrable plans to sustain and develop internal inclusive practice, amongst other things.

Lynsey added:

鈥淚t is a huge vote of confidence in our work to have been recommended to apply for IQM Centre of Excellence Status and we are determined to do so. We are excited and confident that if we continue with our hard work and maintain our determination to always be improving, we will be successful.鈥�

The report also praised the academy鈥檚 journey since becoming part of the Outwood Family in 2013, noting that 鈥榙ue to the systems of support built around the Academy, children achieve extremely well from starting points鈥� as well as highlighting the impressive outcomes are the academy which are above the national averages in Reception, Year 1 phonics, and Key Stage 1 reading and maths.

Most notable was the academy鈥檚 impressive score of 92% in Key Stage 2 combined attainment, compared to the national average of 65%.