Inclusion award for Peterborough academy

The IQM is a nationally recognised framework designed to guide schools to become educationally inclusive. Inclusive schools are institutions where every young person matters and there are equal opportunities for all pupils regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, attainment or background.

This comes after the Academy was shortlisted for Most Inclusive School at the National SEND Awards last summer.

The Academy became an IQM Inclusive School and an IQM Centre of Excellence in 2018. Since then, the Academy has continued to develop its provisions and services and is now recognised as a Flagship School, one of only 155 in the country.

Ben Pearce, Principal of City of Peterborough Academy, said: "We are passionate about making sure all our pupils, no matter their circumstances, have the same start in life and have access to everything they need to enter the world as confident and capable young people.

“Inclusivity has been and remains a focus for us at City of Peterborough Academy and being awarded the status as a Flagship School by the Inclusion Quality Mark is a wonderful accomplishment and testament to the hard work of our pupils and staff. I believe we are doing important work to not only improve behaviour in the classroom but build self-esteem and confidence in our pupils so that they know they can go on to fulfil their potential.”

Wayne Norrie, Chief Executive of Greenwood Academies Trust, said: “I am incredibly proud of the pupils and staff at City of Peterborough Academy. This is a great achievement, and it is so rewarding to see their hard work and commitment to fostering an inclusive learning environment recognised in this way.

“Under the excellent leadership of Principal, Ben Pearce, the Academy has gone from strength to strength with a real passion for and belief in inclusivity permeating through the Academy. Only highly accomplished schools are awarded Flagship School status, so this serves as affirmation and a true mark of excellence for our pupils and staff.”