School in 'outstanding' inclusion rating first

A mainstream primary school has become the first in the South West to receive an "outstanding" rating from Ofsted for its inclusion policies.

Emersons Green Primary, in Bristol, was given the rating for inclusion and it also achieved a "strong standard" in all other areas following an inspection in June.

Inspectors said the school's inclusive culture was exceptional but they were most impressed by pupils' "understanding of the importance of including everyone".

Headteacher Soraya Young said: "Ofsted recognised that inclusion here isn't something that's added on - it's something built into the bones of the school."

There were currently nine primary schools across England with "outstanding" ratings for inclusion, according to Ofsted.

Once Emerson Greens' report is published, it will be the first primary school in the South West with the grade.

Inspectors praised staff for "precisely identifying" the different needs of pupils to plan "well-tailored support" so any barriers to learning could be removed.

Pupils were also praised for celebrating "difference" and showing a "high level of respect for others".

The report highlighted the way pupils "actively look" for opportunities to "help and include others" by, for instance, choosing to play accessible sports so that everyone could feel included.

The school, which can take 210 children, has provision for up to 14 children with physical disabilities and visual impairments.

"We see children holding doors open so that children can wheel their own wheelchairs through a doorway," said Young.

"We also see children giving their friends extra time to answer.

"They might ask them a question and that child might need more time to process something so they know to wait and not interrupt and answer for them."

Everyone at the school also learns the sign and symbol-based language system Makaton.

"All the children in our school, regardless of need, learn Makaton because they need to be able to communicate with those children who need to use Makaton," Young said.

"So we use that across the school, adults and children alike."

She said from the age of four, children at the school were also taught that "everybody can achieve".

"Our job is to teach all children that they can be whatever they want to be."

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