Congratulations to Oakwood Integrated Primary School on becoming the first Inclusion Quality Mark (IQM) flagship school in Northern Ireland.  The CEO of hte IQM scheme is Joe McCann who is originally from Northern Ireland. 

Oakwood IPS first achieved an IQM in 2010 (the first primary in Northern Ireland to do so) and has now not only been approved for a further three-year term but has also been awarded the higher status of flagship school.

The IQM is awarded on the basis of eight key indicators, which a school must work towards and evaluate. The process involves not only staff but also pupils, parents, governors and anyone visiting the school such as sports coaches.  A qualified assessor then spends one or two days at the school seeing how the principles of inclusion are put into practice and interviewing relevant people within and beyond the organisation.

Claire Howe, Oakwood IPS principal, says the award is a celebration of everything the school community does.