Inclusion Quality Mark
Inclusion Quality Mark (2024)
Centre of Excellence (2024)
At Banks Road, we are committed to inclusion and equal opportunities. We work closely with parents and other agencies in order to ensure that all pupils are able to successfully access the curriculum. Our school population includes a wide range of different community groups and we are dedicated to ensuring that our school is a place where everyone feels welcome and where all pupils can learn. Our consistently high expectations and inclusive teaching practices ensure that Banks Road Primary School is really a school where children can achieve their best. In February 2024, we were awarded the Inclusion Quality Award. We also were awarded Centre of Excellence status.
Our pupils also have a range of different abilities and interests, beliefs and aspirations. Many of our pupils also speak other languages and are learning to speak English. At Banks Road Primary School, we want all of our pupils to succeed and thoroughly enjoy their education. The staff at Banks Road are experienced in teaching pupils with a wide range of abilities and are trained to use a variety of different techniques and intervention programmes to ensure all children can access the curriculum fully.
Our full Inclusion Quality Mark report can be downloaded below. Here are some highlights from the report:
During the Inclusion Quality Mark (IQM) visit, it was evident that all staff know all children, not just by name but also by their individual needs and their families. Supporting the whole family plays a major role at Banks Road; from supporting parents and carers with enabling the children to access school each day to creating opportunities for parents and carers to attend adult courses.
The staff work extremely hard to ensure that children become the best that they can be. When asked how the school and staff ensure that the needs of all children are met, a member of the SLT said, “we have high expectations of everybody. We know our children best and we provide an environment where they can showcase what they are capable of”.
From the moment you step through the doors of Banks Road Primary School, you can see and feel the inclusive ethos that makes up the family that is Banks Road. The main entrance and foyer display and embrace images and artifacts that represent the local community and society that we live in. The inclusivity that staff strive to achieve permeates throughout the school.
Care and respectful behaviour are instilled into all children and children respond positively to this. Within the classroom, children were calm, focused and engaged with their learning. This behaviour was reflected as they moved around the school and outdoors.
Banks Road Primary School is a vibrant, engaging space. Upon entering the school building the school’s values and ethos can be ‘felt’. Consistency, expectations and respect are evident not only in the classrooms but within the whole school environment. There is a culture of respect that works between everyone within the building, from the youngest to the oldest, regardless of what their role or purpose might be
Even with all the support, guidance, high expectations and excellent curriculum provided, children will only learn and achieve their potential if they are in school. The SLT and Governors at Banks Road understand this and over recent times have been addressing the issue of supporting families in raising the attendance for all pupils. The SLT has now created “robust systems” with an attendance team, including the newly appointed Pastoral Lead.
The pupils hold high aspirations for their futures, expressing plans for becoming footballers, animators, architects, singers and dancers. They were able to provide reasons for their choices with one pupil saying “I want a job I like. If I’m not having fun doing my job, then it’s not worth doing it as my job will be a big part of my life”.
Parents/carers feel listened to by staff, “if there’s an issue it will get sorted out because staff listen to you. They work hard to resolve any issues”. Parents/carers and staff believe that relationships are strong because of the trust and respect that is shown through effective lines and methods of communication.