Local deputy headteacher invited to share best practice at National Inclusion Conference

Deputy headteacher of Faith Primary Academy in Everton was recently invited to host a workshop at the National IQM (Inclusion Quality Mark) Inclusion Conference in Birmingham.

Danielle Fox has worked at the school for five-and-a-half years. During this time, she has worked tirelessly with staff to ensure pupils feel safe, loved and secure, and they are supported to gain confidence, resilience, emotional literacy and have the skills to contribute positively to society in the long run.

Faith Primary Academy, which is part of All Saints Multi Academy Trust, offers a sanctuary of calm and nurturing for children.

In 2021, it was honoured with flagship school status for the IQM Inclusive School Award and is a beacon in the region for its all-encompassing inclusive ethos. IQM has been recognising and celebrating the work of schools invested in inclusion since 2004. 

The school is situated in an area of deprivation with high levels of organised crime. Pupil numbers include 41% with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), 46% are accessing pupil premium and 42% with English as an additional language (EAL).

As part of her workshop, Danielle shared valuable insight into the schools’ inclusive strategies for managing emotions and behaviour. She presented two workshops to over 60 people from all around the UK, including a mixture of primary, secondary and special schools. 

She revealed how the behaviour policy and systems in school are all based on ‘Zones of Regulation’ and restorative practice. The intervention helps children manage difficult emotions and aims to teach them strategies to cope with these feelings so they can get back to feeling calm and ready to learn.

Danielle shared how they ensure consistency and the ongoing success of this approach, detailing how there is high-quality training for staff and pupils, and how the language of self-regulation is woven into curriculum delivery alongside its teaching model.

As a result, the school has had no suspensions in the last two-and-a-half years and no permanent exclusions in the last five years. It also has one of the best attendance figures in the city.

During the workshops, Danielle provided attendees with a range of tools and strategies to use within their own schools.

Danielle Fox said: “I was extremely proud to be invited to host two workshops at the National IQM Inclusion Conference. As a school, we have worked hard to create an environment and curriculum which is fully inclusive, and this means supporting our children with managing their emotions.

“I received some really great feedback following the workshops and I hope the strategies I shared will make a difference in other schools around the country.”