Pearson National Teaching Awards

International Forums of Inclusion Practitioners

World Inclusion Congress – Almaty, Kazakhstan

William Ford was recognised within the Primary School of the Year, Making a Difference category of the Pearson National Teaching Awards 2025. This acknowledgement celebrates the impact of our inclusive curriculum and our commitment to raising aspirations across our community. We continue to build upon this success and develop our provision for the pupils and community.

William Ford holds Flagship School status with the International Forum of Inclusion Practitioners. This reflects our whole school approach to inclusion and our contribution to national thinking. Our work will feature in Daniel Sobel’s forthcoming book, ‘Inclusion 2.0’.

As an IFIP Flagship School, our headteacher, David Huntingford, was invited to speak three times at the World Inclusion Congress in Almaty, Kazakhstan. He shared our journey towards building an inclusive culture that meets the needs of all pupils.

Inclusion Quality Mark

Eco School Green Flag Award

Primary Science Quality Mark

William Ford holds the Inclusive School Award and is recognised as a Centre of Excellence. We began this journey with a desire to improve our provision and meet the needs of every pupil. We continue to build on this work and strengthen our inclusive practice year by year.

Our Eco-Community Council led the school to achieving the Eco School Green Flag Award. Their leadership reflects our responsibility to care for God’s world and to teach pupils about environmental stewardship through meaningful action.

We have transformed our science curriculum from an area of weakness to a subject of strength. Practical, engaging and ambitious lessons help pupils understand the world around them. Since receiving the award, we have continued to refine curriculum structure and teacher expertise.

Lego Education

Jamie Oliver Productions

Apple

Lego Education supports learning across the curriculum. Pupils use Lego to make abstract concepts more concrete, from building story settings and animal habitats to representing data, fractions and ratio. This practical approach strengthens creativity, reasoning and communication.

William Ford was the only school in the United Kingdom chosen to feature in Jamie Oliver’s Channel Four documentary, Jamie’s Dyslexia Revolution. The programme showcased our inclusive approaches to supporting pupils with dyslexia and gave pupils insight into the wide range of careers involved in television production.

Pupils in Years Three and Four use their own iPads to support learning and independence. Features such as adjustable text size, background colour, read aloud tools and instant feedback help pupils manage their own adaptations with confidence and reduce the visibility of support.

iRockSchool

iSingPop

West Ham United

Primary Stars

iRock School provides band-based music lessons where pupils learn instruments in small rock groups. This develops confidence, musicality and collaboration and supports our four Cs of communication, creativity, critical thinking and cooperation.

Each Christmas, the whole school community comes together for an iSingPop concert. Pupils enjoy lively music, movement and imaginative performances which help build confidence, joy, emotional regulation and a sense of belonging.

Our partnership with West Ham United provides high quality physical education and targeted academic support that uses sport to strengthen literacy and numeracy. The programme promotes resilience, teamwork and healthy lifestyles and has included visits from West Ham United players.

Talamo

Nessy

Flash Academy

All pupils are screened for signs of dyslexia when they join us in Year Three through our partnership with Talamo. The screening identifies strengths and areas of need so we can apply appropriate support. Talamo have also filmed at the school to share our inclusive practice with a wider audience.

Nessy is an evidence based intervention that supports pupils with dyslexia and literacy difficulties. It strengthens phonics, spelling and reading fluency through structured and engaging activities. Selected pupils access Nessy regularly as part of their support plan.

FlashAcademy supports pupils who are new to English. The platform helps pupils learn vocabulary, grammar and everyday communication. It is used regularly in school to build confidence and support pupils’ access to the wider curriculum.

Guide Dogs

Junior Duke

Young Voices

Guide Dogs produce dyslexia friendly versions of the books used in our reading curriculum. Books are printed on coloured paper and in accessible fonts based on Talamo recommendations so that all pupils can participate fully in reading lessons without barriers.

Junior Duke gives Year Five pupils opportunities to develop leadership, resilience and practical life skills. Challenges take place in school and during our residential at Trewern and encourage pupils to take responsibility and stretch themselves.

Young Voices allows our pupils to perform alongside thousands of other children at the O2 Arena. This memorable experience promotes creativity, confidence and the joy of singing and supports our aim for every pupil to perform to an audience.

Institute of Imagination

London Design and Engineering UTC

Primary Futures

Our partnership with the Institute of Imagination strengthens our curriculum focus on creativity, communication, collaboration and critical thinking. Their workshops have enriched pupils’ learning and supported staff development. William Ford featured in the Institute’s 2023 impact report, and our headteacher has shared this work at Lego HQ and BETT.

Following our work with Lego HQ and the Institute of Imagination, we were invited to lead hands on Lego based workshops at our local UTC. These sessions support creativity and communication and mark the start of an exciting developing partnership.

Primary Futures links pupils with volunteers from a wide range of workplaces. These encounters help pupils understand different careers, broaden their aspirations and connect classroom learning with the world beyond school.

Times Tables Rockstars

Barking and Dagenham Music Hub

Barking and Dagenham Cultural Education Partnerships

Times Tables Rock Stars encourages pupils to practise and secure their multiplication and division facts in a fun, engaging way. It helps pupils build accuracy, confidence and fluency which supports their wider mathematical understanding.

William Ford also desires for all pupils to learn a musical instrument that can then be performed to an audience.  Our partnership with the Community Music Service ensures pupils not only learn to perform music but also read and appreciate music too.

Through our desire to enrich our pupils’ education experience through art, sport, music and dance, we have partnered with the borough’s Cultural Education Partnerships that provide our pupils with a range of opportunities including supporting our promotion of future careers through exposure to the world of work within artistic and cultural industries.

Bald Chef Nick

Ninja

The Watercress Company

Our partnership with Chef Nick has helped establish a high quality cookery curriculum. Every pupil takes part in a two hour practical cooking lesson every three weeks. Chef Nick has provided guidance and industry connections that support our focus on healthy, practical food education..

Ninja have generously provided air fryers to support our cookery curriculum. Pupils learn to prepare healthy meals using modern equipment and develop practical skills that promote positive lifelong habits.

The Watercress Company supply fresh watercress for pupils to use in their recipes. This helps pupils learn about healthy eating, British produce and the importance of fresh ingredients.

Royal Ballet School

Royal Shakespeare Company

SW11 DJ

Through the Royal Ballet School’s Primary Steps programme, all Year Three pupils take part in high quality dance workshops that improve balance, coordination, fitness and confidence. Many pupils continue their ballet journey beyond Year Three.

William Ford hosted open auditions for the RSC’s West End production of Matilda. This provided pupils with an insight into professional performing arts. Two pupils received call backs and one pupil is now performing in Tina the Musical at the Aldwych Theatre.

Our annual Snowball gives all pupils a nightclub style experience with professional DJ lighting, sound and production. This event builds confidence, celebrates community and brings joy to our pupils.

Anderton Tiger Radio

Billingsgate Market Seafood School

Dot Dot Fire

Our school radio station helps pupils develop speaking, listening, confidence and teamwork. Pupils broadcast during break and lunch times and we use radio across the curriculum to support creativity and inspire future careers in media.

Pupils experience life as a chef through our partnership with Billingsgate Seafood School. They prepare and cook a variety of seafood and learn about careers in catering, nutrition, logistics and sustainability.

Through Dot Dot Fire, pupils take part in a financial literacy competition with schools across London. They apply mathematical skills to real world financial scenarios and develop confidence in managing money.

The Ben Kinsella Trust

Place2Be

DFE Free Breakfast Clubs Early Adopter

All Year Six pupils visit the Ben Kinsella Trust’s immersive anti knife crime experience. It helps them understand the impact of youth violence and equips them to make safer choices. William Ford has also featured in the Trust’s promotional work.

We partner with Place2Be to support pupils’ mental health and wellbeing. A qualified counsellor works in school two days a week to provide support for pupils and families who need it.

As an early adopter of the national breakfast club scheme, we provide all pupils with a free, nutritious and active start to the school day. This supports learning, wellbeing and attendance.

The Brilliant Club

Mental Health First Aiders

Hamish and Milo

The Brilliant Club gives our higher attaining pupil premium pupils access to university style learning and campus experiences. Pupils have visited Cambridge, Royal Holloway and Sussex universities as part of this programme.

Several staff members, including our SENDCo, learning mentor and headteacher, are trained mental health first aiders. This ensures that pupils, families and staff can access immediate support during difficult times.

Hamish and Milo provides structured emotional wellbeing programmes that help pupils understand feelings, manage emotions, build friendships and develop confidence. These interventions have had a significant impact on reducing barriers to learning.

Stand By Me

Diabour Heritage Academy – Techiman, Ghana

Courageous Advocacy

Each year group sponsors a child from Guacamayal, Colombia through Stand By Me. Pupils write letters, learn about each other’s lives and take part in fundraising. This supports our curriculum aim to provide both mirrors and windows into different cultures.

We support Diabour Heritage Academy in Ghana, founded by a William Ford family. We donate furniture, books and equipment that would otherwise be discarded, supporting education abroad and strengthening our commitment to sustainability.

Pupils lead their own charitable causes in response to local or personal issues. Recent examples include fundraising for a hospital children’s ward and raising money to support pupils who cannot afford to attend clubs.

The Felix Project

Heat and Eat

The Kindness Offensive

Our partnership with The Felix Project helps us run a school holiday food bank and the Heat and Eat programme. This provides families with access to nutritious food during breaks. The project has been supported by staff volunteers and featured on Sky News.

Heat and Eat provides families with ready prepared meals that can be heated at home. This ensures continued access to healthy food and supports wellbeing during school holidays.             

Through The Kindness Offensive, we distribute donated toiletries, including products from Lush, to families within our community. This helps promote dignity and supports families facing financial pressure.

BBC Breakfast

Good Morning Britain

ITV News

BBC Breakfast interviewed William Ford about our role in Jamie’s Dyslexia Revolution and our campaign for greater support for dyslexic learners.

Good Morning Britain invited William Ford to speak about proposed OFSTED reforms. Our school environment was praised during the broadcast and our headteacher was interviewed three times live on air.

ITV News has interviewed William Ford twice about the national issue of school funding. We shared the impact of funding pressures on schools across the United Kingdom.

Channel Four News

LBC

Sky News

Channel Four News interviewed our headteacher about OFSTED reforms and their potential impact on schools.

LBC interviewed William Ford to discuss how digital devices support accessible learning and pupil independence. We have also given interviews about pupil mental health and the need for improved support in schools and the state of school funding

Sky News featured our work on food poverty, including our school holiday food bank and Heat and Eat meals. We also spoke about the impact of hunger on learning and the need for wider access to free school meals.

Ambition Institute and London District East TSH

Diocese of Chelmsford Education

Barking and Dagenham School Improvement Partnership

We work closely with our local Teaching School Hub to support teacher training and early career development. Many staff members are completing National Professional Qualifications. Our headteacher is a visiting fellow for the NPQH programme.

As a Church of England school, we work closely with the Diocese of Chelmsford to ensure our Christian vision helps pupils and staff flourish. The school received an excellent judgement in our 2023 SIAMS inspection. Our headteacher is currently training as a SIAMS inspector.

We work with BDSIP to strengthen teaching and leadership. Each year, headteachers and leaders from across the borough visit our school to review books, meet pupils and observe lessons. We collaborate with two school clusters and work closely with Village Infants and Dagenham Park on curriculum, transition and safeguarding.

PiXL

BETT and Schools and Academies Show

We are delighted to partner with PiXL.  Initially we started this venture with a view to improve our data tracking processes but have quickly recognised this offers so much more from leadership development to intervention support.

William Ford regularly attends both of these fantastic national conferences in order hear the latest educational thinking and research and to identify future suppliers.  Mr Huntingford, our headteacher, has presented at BETT London 2023 around creativity in the curriculum and is a hosted leader for Schools and Academies Show, where he has advised them on their content for future events.