Oakwood Integrated Primary takes first NI inclusion award

The award marks excellence in providing for the needs of all members of the school community. Throughout 2009/10 the school worked hard to gain this recognition which covers the physical needs, pastoral care, educational provision from special educational needs to gifted and talented pupils and staff as well as the needs of parents, visitors and other stake-holders in the school.

Gillian Beck from the school said: "Our parents were both excited by and supportive of the process and when it came to the day of the 'big inspection' they willingly volunteered to come and give our visitor lots of information about the work we had been doing as a community.

"This community spirit extended to our local educational psychologist and outreach support staff, turning up on their days off to speak on our behalf.

"In June two representatives from IQM in England came to our leavers assembly to personally present the school with the Charter Mark and a school plaque to Oakwood as both the first Primary School and first Integrated School in Northern Ireland to achieve the award.

"Our pupils, parents, our SEN advisor from SEELB and the teaching and non-teaching staff were there to receive it."

She continued: "The last school year was not an easy one for many staff, with personal tragedies and illness that would have set many school communities backwards. The journey involved in striving for the Inclusion Quality Mark was a very positive learning experience that strengthened some relationships allowing the airing of concerns and the resolving of issues in an encouraging way. It also helped us build new relationships and develop new formats for celebrating excellence in all areas, thus ensuring that all pupils, parents, staff and governors felt their contributions were respected and valued.

Our assessor wrote: "The school presents as one that has embraced the inclusive agenda wholeheartedly.

"Whilst some schools see inclusion in terms of barriers, this school sees inclusion as opportunities to be addressed using whole school dialogue and a focus on solutions rather than barriers.

"Pupils and their families are nurtured in all aspects of their academic and pastoral development through a responsible and comprehensive school working environment. Oakwood Integrated Primary School is one which has faced a number of critical incidents over its history.

"The school community has addressed these difficulties using considerable professional maturity and refused to let adversity get in the way of its mission, 'Learning, working and playing together for a better tomorrow'."