William Ford C of E Junior School has once again been recognised as a Centre of Excellence by the Inclusion Quality Mark (IQM), celebrating the school’s commitment to inclusion, wellbeing and aspiration for every child.

Following a full review on 24 September, IQM Assessor Sharon Marsden praised William Ford as “a place where pupils are not only supported but celebrated and where they truly thrive.” The report described the school’s ethos as “lived and felt throughout the community” and commended its strong partnership with families, robust pastoral care and innovative curriculum.

Amongst the highlights noted in the report were the school’s Lighthouse Provision, which offers tailored support for pupils with additional needs while maintaining strong links with mainstream classes, and its career-linked curriculum, designed to help children “thrive in life, not just survive.” Pupils learn through real-world projects such as planning healthy regimes for personal trainers and building cookery skills in the school’s new food technology programme.

The assessor also praised William Ford’s mental-health provision – including access to mentors, Place2Be, and a sports mentor – as well as its popular school radio station, which develops confidence, speech and communication skills.

Quotes from pupils captured the inclusive spirit of the school. One Year 6 pupil said, “I like coming to school. If you are sad you can go to adults and talk to them.” Another remarked, “We are all equal,” while a younger pupil with dyslexia explained, “I use an overlay and widgets. I get more help.”

Parents were equally positive. One commented: “This school listens. There’s good communication with teachers. My child grows step by step and flourishes.” Another added: “After school and weekends are family time. No homework stops my child having meltdowns.”

Headteacher David Huntingford said:

“We are thrilled to retain our Centre of Excellence status. This recognition reflects the hard work and dedication of our staff, pupils, parents and governors. I am especially proud of the way our ethos of helping children to be successful, healthy, fulfilled and empowered to make a difference is evident in every classroom. We will now aim for the even higher Flagship award next year.”

Special thanks were given to Deputy Headteacher and Inclusion Lead Mr Lee Buckingham and SENDCo Mrs Jade Beech, who led much of the work during the review.

The Inclusion Quality Mark concluded: “William Ford’s Centre of Excellence status reflects its deep commitment to fairness, inclusion and community involvement.”