Ashwood Spencer celebrates achievement of IQM Flagship School Status

This was Ashwood’s third IQM Centre of Excellence Review. Over the course of the evaluation, the reviewer analysed a broad range of evidence including academy documentation, online platforms, recent Ofsted findings, a comprehensive learning walk, and discussions with pupils, staff, governors, and leaders. The review concluded that the academy’s inclusive ethos is deeply embedded and continues to strengthen year on year.

The Inclusion Quality Mark is a nationally respected framework that assesses how effectively a school meets the needs of all pupils - academically, socially, emotionally, and culturally. Schools that achieve Flagship Status must not only demonstrate exceptional inclusive practice but also contribute to the wider development of inclusion across peer schools and cluster networks.

The reviewer noted that “Ashwood Spencer Academy has inclusion at the heart of its ethos,” praising leaders’ “unwavering purpose to deliver an enriching and ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of all of its pupils.”

The report highlights the significant strengthening of the Inclusion Team over the past year, noting how its multi-agency structure brings together attendance leads, safeguarding, SEN support, behaviour mentors and family support team workers into one coherent and highly effective unit. The reviewer describes how this structure enables needs to be identified swiftly and addressed through coordinated, holistic strategies, resulting in support that extends beyond the child to the wider family.

Serving a vibrant community where “a wide variety of languages (38 at the most recent count!) are spoken,” Ashwood’s commitment to belonging and representation received notable praise.

Leaders were recognised for taking “appropriate steps to implement the right support and make the necessary adaptations to ensure pupils are supported… and feel a sense of belonging in the academy community.”

Examples celebrated in the report include multilingual signage, an expanding EAL team, reliable language-acquisition assessments, a well-established buddy system and strong CPD on adaptive teaching.

The reviewer observed how deeply diversity is embedded in school life, encapsulated by a staff member who stated, “we don’t just tolerate diversity and difference, we celebrate it.”

Ashwood’s approach to raising attendance was praised as both strategic and human-centred. The reviewer described “an extremely rigorous approach… ensuring that no pupil went unnoticed,” with staff going above and beyond - including home visits and walking children to school when necessary.

A standout example was a pupil whose attendance rose from 54% to 100% in a year, which leaders attributed to the coordinated, holistic approach.

The school’s wider offer - including House Teams, enrichment clubs, the EBSNA framework, and a flexible breakfast provision - was recognised for building belonging and boosting engagement across all pupil groups.

Outdoor learning, physical development and enrichment were identified as real strengths. The EYFS environment was described as “a wonderful environment… thoughtfully implemented,” with new sensory and motor-development spaces having “a positive impact.”

The pupil-led Eco Team also impressed the reviewer, offering an “impassioned presentation” about developments for newly acquired school land and describing their community projects with enthusiasm. One pupil shared, “We just wanted to help the community and for people to know how much we respect the world.”

Forest School, sports participation and residential visits were celebrated as experiences that staff work hard to make accessible to all - especially pupils who might not otherwise have these opportunities.

Across the day, the reviewer found a powerful sense of ambition and community spirit. Staff described themselves as “passionate about giving the children the right opportunities,” while another shared, “we are really trying to establish a community.”

This ethos was echoed by the Principal, who stated, “we don’t allow a post code to define our children.”

Pupils spoke confidently and enthusiastically about their experiences. One pupil told the reviewer, “This is an extremely fun school to come to. You never run out of things to do.”

The reviewer praised the calm, purposeful learning environment and the highly skilled staff working in the academy’s provision for pupils with complex needs, noting that seeing the provision in action was “truly heartwarming.”

Looking ahead, the academy’s agreed priorities include:

• deepening belonging and celebration of cultural identity
• understanding barriers to attendance for White British pupils, particularly boys
• continued development of outdoor learning and sustainability
• strengthening life-skills, pastoral support and family engagement

Principal, Paula Baines-Chambers, was thrilled with the report: “I am delighted that Ashwood Spencer Academy has been recognised as a flagship school. This prestigious status is a reflection of the hard work, dedication, and passion of our whole school community.  This recognition celebrates our ongoing commitment to providing a supportive, inclusive, and high-quality education for all our pupils. We are deeply committed to ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed, grow, and thrive in a positive learning environment. This flagship status celebrates not just our successes but the strong partnerships between our staff, families, governors, and local organisations. Together, we are building a school community where every child is valued and has the opportunity to achieve their dreams. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this achievement. We look forward to continuing our journey of improvement and making Ashwood Spencer Academy an even better place to learn and grow.”

Director of Primary Education, Kate Green, also added: “We are thrilled that Ashwood Spencer has received this prestigious award. It absolutely recognises the culture and ethos of the school, which strives to provide the very best education to all children. The team carefully work together to deliver precise and deliberate provision which enables children to feel known, make progress and to ‘DREAM’. This makes the school a very special place and we are extremely proud of everyone who has contributed.”

Ashwood Spencer Academy is incredibly proud of this recognition, which reflects the dedication and ambition of its staff, pupils and wider community - and its commitment to ensuring that every child is able to thrive.

Well done Ashwood!