A primary academy based in Wakefield is celebrating after it was awarded an inclusion Centre of Excellence status.

Outwood Primary Academy Park Hill, which was awarded the Inclusion Quality Mark Award by IQM earlier this year, has now been recognised as an IQM Centre of Excellence. 

According to IQM, 'becoming an IQM Centre of Excellence is an opportunity for schools to build on the success of being one of the very special schools which hold the Inclusion Quality Mark Inclusive School Award.’

Just over 200 schools in the country have been awarded the title of Centre of Excellence by IQM, a figure that highlights the great work being done by Outwood Primary Academy Park Hill to get this level of recognition.

Donna Burnett, Principal at Outwood Primary Academy Park Hill, said:

“This is recognition of the continued commitment and dedication of all our academy community, and reflects the high level of work that is being done.

“Our staff regularly go above and beyond to ensure that every student succeeds and achieves their full potential in all aspects of life.”

With its Centre of Excellence status providing an opportunity to build on current capacity, with ongoing support from the IQM team, Outwood Primary Academy Park Hill is looking to progress further having developed an action plan to continue the academy’s work. 

In the primary academy’s IQM Award report, the body praised Outwood Primary Academy Park Hill for offering ‘a very warm welcome within a calm oasis of learning.’

The report noted the Irwin Crescent-based primary academy’s focus on building positive links between the school children and local community, highlight that ‘the academy offers a wealth of opportunities to experience sport and music and make trips to deepen the links in their learning and to engage with the local community in developing skills in citizenship and care of the environment. The children’s behaviour and respect for each other and for adults is evident.’

The focus on staff, as well as the children, was focused on by the assessors with the final report saying:

“There is a huge commitment to staff wellbeing and professional progression within the academy. Teachers and teaching assistants described multiple opportunities to access training and qualifications. There is also a culture of supporting each other in a non-judgmental way. It is the first school I have ever visited with its own wellbeing room for staff, in addition to the staffroom.”

Donna added:

“We look forward to continuing our work to provide a happy, safe, and inclusive school for all.

“This is not the end of our inclusion journey, and we will continue to promote the inclusion quality principles of promoting access and diversity, raising achievement for all, creating an environment for all to succeed, and improving the inclusive nature of all schools.”