Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark Holders - Schools

School name: Malmesbury Primary School, Wiltshire
School website: Malmesbury C of E Primary School - Wiltshire Primary School (malmesburyprimaryschool.co.uk)

School ethos: The school website states, “We prepare children for the future, enabling them to fulfil their potential and develop as rounded individuals.We…challenge children to excel personally, creatively, physically and academically”.
What stood out for us about the school is that the school had established a group of learning champions (pupils) who could identify what support helps and what doesn’t help so much. On meeting them during the visit, they displayed very good self-esteem and confidence and were very capable advocates who clearly felt listened to and supported well. There was clear evidence of early intervention, support and monitoring.
Date awarded Quality Mark: 18^th July 2022

School name: Trafalgar School at Downton, Wiltshire
School website: The Trafalgar School at Downton

School ethos:The school website states, ‘Empowering young people to be the source of their own success is our commitment in enabling our students towards a life fulfilled’.
What stood out for us about the school: The impressive level of diligence, commitment and dedication displayed by the whole team. The school has created a structure where interventions and teaching methods are evaluated via the Learning Support and Interventions Co-ordinator/SENCo. Learner outcomes are routinely reviewed and scrutinised. The SENDCo had extensive experience of SEND provision and shares this through the Academy Trust.
Date awarded Quality Mark: 4^th November 2022

School name: St Marks, C of E Junior School Wyndham, Wiltshire
School website: St Marks CofE Junior School: Headteacher's Welcome (st-marks.wilts.sch.uk)

School ethos: The school website states, “As a school it is what we aspire to in our every day – providing a better education, enabling better formed citizens, pupils who go on to live better lives”.
What stood out for us about the school: Appropriate teaching and learning strategies have been established to support those with Dyslexia and other SpLDs. The verifier stated, ‘Teachers were adventurous and drew on a range of strategies to support learning’. The website enables parents/carers to access good quality support. The Quality Mark Lead/SENCo has established good working relationships with all stakeholders ensuring all learners with SpLD Dyslexia can thrive.
Date awarded Quality Mark: 9^th December 2022

School name: The Friary School, Lichfield
School website: The Friary School – High achievement through challenge and support for every learner

School ethos: We are a school that fights the corner of every child…Quite simply, we expect every child in our school to feel safe, happy and successful…No matter the strengths, the weaknesses, the ability, or the context, we are a school that goes all out for every child.
What stood out for us about the school: The SENCo and Assistant SENCo work in total partnership with all stakeholders and have facilitated a system where many dyslexia friendly practices have been adopted across curriculum subjects and departments. The fact that the SEND team talked in detail about individual pupils indicates the high level of understanding they have of these pupils and their needs. The learners themselves talked in detail as to how the school was supporting them in achieving their goals and were guiding them towards possible career paths. This approach was evidently motivational. The Assistant SENCo has used her knowledge as an Access Arrangements Assessor to inform and train staff effectively.
Date awarded Quality Mark: 13^th December 2022

School name: Haven High School, Lincolnshire
School website: Haven High Academy - Home

School ethos: The Headteacher states on the school website “We are unashamedly ambitious for our school and students, and we make no apology for this. At Haven High Academy we command the highest expectations of students and staff”.
What stood out for us about the school: The SENCo, Additional Learning Manager and their team of learning assistants work in total partnership. They work hard to promote the adoption of dyslexia friendly practices across curriculum subjects and departments/faculties. The school has invested in a training programme which has resulted in the creation of a highly skilled SEND team who approach SEND provision in a caring and sensitive way. As a consequence, learners with dyslexia feel they are understood and are motivated to learn.
Date awarded Quality Mark: 18^th January 2023

School name: Tempo Controlled Primary School, Northern Ireland – SENCo won the BDA SENCo of the Year Award 2023
School website: Tempo Controlled Primary School, Tempo, Enniskillen (tempops.co.uk)

School ethos: The school prospectus states, “We create a culture of achievement, improvement and ambition, whereby pupils achieve to the best of their ability. Individual talents and skills are recognised and developed to enable each child to experience success to become achievers to the highest possible standard (in all areas)”.
What stood out for us about the school: This is very much a school at the heart of the community. It is led by a proactive team and supported by a group of very committed teachers and support staff. The SENCo is tireless in her pursuit of equitable educational opportunities for all the pupils at the school. The pupils talked in an engaging and confident way, demonstrating the work the school has done to support them with their self-esteem and confidence.
Date awarded Quality Mark: 31^st March 2023

School name: Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, Cheshire
School website: Ellesmere Port Catholic High School – Just another WordPress site (epchs.co.uk)

School ethos: The Headteacher states on their website, “…Within our caring community, new skills are learnt, knowledge increased, new friends made and futures planned. When students look back before they leave us to go to university, college, an apprenticeship or employment, they are frequently amazed at what they have achieved and how they have developed as a confident young adult”.
What stood out School for us about the school: This school is at the heart of the community. It reaches out to create partnerships with organisations and local schools to drive change and enable the best possible life opportunities for all. The verifier was impressed with the level of SEND provision and inclusivity observed on verification day. This together with the level of knowledge and expertise was tangible. It was felt that staff knew their learners well and therefore were able to respond to their needs rapidly and with sensitivity. The highly qualified and experienced specialist dyslexia teacher, with the support of a local university, has worked with neighbourhood schools to create a resource to support teachers in creating a dyslexia inclusive classroom. Future strategic planning will include working towards creating a community-wide approach.
Date awarded Quality Mark: 2^nd May 2023

School name: St Peter’s C of E Primary
School website: Home | St Peter's CE Primary Academy (dsat.org.uk)

School ethos: The website states, “All children can make outstanding progress and we move each child from their individual starting points. Regardless of ability, every child’s progress is regularly checked and any child who appears to be stuck is acknowledged and enabled to move forward again”.
What stood out for us about the school: The verifier stated that the teachers were enthusiastic and clearly enjoy working in a school with such a supportive and inclusive ethos. The staff are working hard to develop their depth of knowledge of SEND and they are very aware that if they get provision right for learners with dyslexia, this benefits all learners. The SENDCo has guided staff and has collaborated with other schools to develop and enhance practice. The systems and protocols for identifying learners with literacy difficulties/dyslexia are robust and are known by all staff. The dyslexia friendly practice in place means that inclusion is strong at this school.
Date awarded Quality Mark: 30^th June 2023

School name: Meath Green Junior School, Surrey
School website: Home | Meath Green Junior School (mgjs.org)

School ethos: The school website states, “Our values form the basis for everything that we do. They are well embedded throughout the school and are very much part of a common language of good learning and good citizenship”.
What stood out for us about the school: Meath Green Junior School has a robust system of identifying specific learning needs, specifically identifying those learners with literacy difficulties or possible dyslexia. The school’s diligent analysis of learners presenting with these difficulties, has meant that that their learners are given high quality learning experiences. The school’s review of teaching strategies has had a positive impact on learning outcomes for ALL learners. The SENCo and the ‘DFG’ (Dyslexia Friendly Group of staff) are so passionate. Learners volunteer to lead assemblies to share their ’unique qualities’ with their peers and parents/carers. The SENCo’s depth of knowledge. She has cascaded information to staff relating to maths difficulties and Dyscalculia. Local headteachers and SENCos have met and discussed the school’s success and shared good practice. The SENCo has been instrumental in leading this programme and her passion and determination for improving the life chances of those with specific needs is infectious.
Date awarded Quality Mark: 29^th June 2023

School name: Villiers Primary School, Bilston, Walsall
School website: Home | Villiers Primary (villiersprimaryschool.co.uk)

School ethos: the school website states, “We celebrate inclusion and diversity at Villiers and we believe that our differences make us stronger as a community”.
What stood out for us about the school: The whole staff team identified the importance of the need for the early identification of dyslexia. The headteacher echoed this by explaining the protocols and strategies the school puts in place early in order to support learners. At the time of verification, the SEND team were working towards a L5 certificate in SpLD Dyslexia, with a plan to extend this expertise to acquiring a L7 certificate. The Deputy Head teacher was working towards a L7 certificate in Dyscalculia. Lessons observed as part of the verification process demonstrated a range of multisensory strategies alongside approaches that reduced cognitive load. Table-top resources and help sheets were made available. Learning objectives and success criteria were shared. ‘Check-ins’ between teachers and learners were also observed.
Date awarded Quality Mark: 18^th July 2023

School name: Sarum Academy, Wiltshire
School website: Sarum Academy

School ethos: the school website states, “What makes our school different is the care we afford every member of our Academy. Relationships founded on trust and respect are the lifeblood of our warm and happy school, this is why we care for one another, this is why our young people achieve more than they think possible”.
What stood out for us about the school: The school ethos and environment is explicitly geared towards inclusion. This is lead expertly by the SEND team. The rapport between staff and learners enables active engagement in lessons. The school has developed a ‘Sarum Lesson Format’ based on dyslexia friendly principles and this was evident during lesson observations A particular feature of lessons included a ‘Do Now’ starter task to encourage recall. Curriculum unit booklets (created as a result of research-based training)are designed to ease cognitive load. They include tools and adaptations to support all learners.
Date awarded Quality Mark: 13^th July 2023

School name: St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Cheshire
School website: St Joseph's Catholic Primary School: Welcome to our School (stjosephs.cheshire.sch.uk)

School ethos: The website states, “St Joseph’s will not be a school that stands still; it will be a school which looks for new paths to set; a forward thinking and innovative school”.
What stood out for us about the school: The Dyslexia Process Document produced by the school is a great ‘go to’ guide for all staff. It lists a range of adaptations/adjustments that staff can put in place if any of their learners demonstrate particular behaviours/difficulties. Staff observed on verification day communicated well with learners, using concise language, repetitive phrases and accompanied with hand gestures. Dyslexic learners were confident and keen to actively contribute in lessons.
Date awarded Quality Mark: 3^rd October 2023

School name: Potton Primary School (formerly Known as Potton Federation), Bedfordshire
School website: www.pottonprimary.co.uk

School ethos: The website states, “Learning itself should be challenging and stimulating. We are unashamedly demanding in our academic standards; we firmly believe that there is no ceiling on achievement and that every child can achieve their true potential”.
What stood out for us about the school: The SENDCo has established robust protocols for early identification of those at risk of dyslexia. There is a clear emphasis on inclusion and dyslexia friendly teaching strategies. The staff have effective working relationships which result in constant dialogue leading to proactive responses to the needs of all learners, especially those with literacy difficulties.
Date awarded Quality Mark: 24th November 2023

School name: Rowandale Integrated Primary School, Northern Ireland
School website: www.rowandaleips.co.uk

School ethos: The school website states, “Mutual respect and inclusion are at the heart of our integrated ethos. Our ethos is not just something we aspire to but permeates all interactions and activities within the school”.
What stood out for us about the school: the Principal stated, “there is a determined effort” to enable ALL learners to succeed. This has led to an emphasis on providing the correct support mechanisms enabling those with SpLDs including dyslexia to make good to accelerated progress”. The staff team is passionate about inclusion. The SENDCo has been instrumental in leading this. The school has cultivated confident learners who feel well-supported and cared for by the staff. There is a dedicated Google Drive folder on their website which contains a wealth of information on dyslexia. A parent described the support received by the school as ‘exceptional’.
Date awarded Quality Mark: 18th December 2023

School name: On Track Education, Northamptonshire
School website: Northampton (ontrackeducation.com)

School ethos: The website states, “Our dedicated team of professionals use their wide range of skills and experience to ensure positive academic and pastoral outcomes for all our students…we strongly feel that every young person deserves the chance to demonstrate and fulfil their potential…”
What stood out for us about the school: The SENCo has gained a Masters in SEND Provision and Inclusion and has been working towards a L7 Certificate in SpLD Dyslexia. She has used her expertise to guide the staff. They work hard to promote the adoption of dyslexia friendly practices to enable all pupils with SEND including SpLD Dyslexia to succeed. The school has made a strategic commitment to ensure that these practices become the regular way of working at the school.
Date awarded Quality Mark: 23^rd May 2023