A secondary academy based in Normanton is celebrating after it was awarded an inclusion Centre of Excellence status.

Outwood Academy Freeston, which was awarded the Inclusion Quality Mark Award by IQM earlier this year, has now been recognised as an IQM Centre of Excellence. 

According to IQM ‘becoming an IQM Centre of Excellence is an opportunity for schools to build on the success of being one of the very special schools which hold the Inclusion Quality Mark Inclusive School Award.’

Just over 200 schools in the country have been awarded the title of Centre of Excellence by IQM, a figure that highlights the great work being done by Outwood Academy Freeston to get this level of recognition.

Lisa Allott, Principal at Outwood Academy Freeston, said:

“This achievement is recognition of the continued commitment and dedication of all our academy community, and reflects the high level of work that is being done.

“Our staff regularly go above and beyond to ensure that every student succeeds and achieves their full potential in all aspects of life.”

With its Centre of Excellence status providing an opportunity to build on current capacity, with ongoing support from the IQM team, Outwood Academy Freeston is looking to progress further having developed an action plan to continue the academy’s work. 

In the academy’s IQM Award report, the body praised Outwood Academy Freeston for placing inclusion ‘at the absolute heart of all which is done.’

As well as the academy being praised for its work caring for students, and staff, the report highlighted the academy ‘celebrates its community and promotes respect for the different protected characteristics as defined in law and students value the importance of this.’

Lisa added:

“We look forward to continuing our work to provide a happy, safe, and inclusive school for all.

“The accreditation is not the end of our inclusion journey, and we will continue to promote the inclusion quality principles of promoting access and diversity, raising achievement for all, creating an environment for all to succeed, and improving the inclusive nature of all schools.”