INCLUSION

Inclusion at West Acton Primary School 

West Acton Primary School is a welcoming community, growing and learning together. Inclusion is central to the school’s ethos and is underpinned by its vision to nurture every pupil to reach their full potential through a culture that builds courage, consideration and collaboration. Leaders and staff recognise that inclusion is about equity rather than equality and take collective responsibility for meeting the individual needs of all pupils.

Inclusion is delivered through strong partnership working. The school works closely with parents and carers, including the use of EHAPs to support vulnerable families, and collaborates effectively with the Local Authority and external professionals to ensure timely and appropriate support. An on-site Additional Resource Provision (ARP) supports pupils with additional needs and was expanded from 21 to 32 places in September 2025 in response to growing demand. There are strong links between specialist and mainstream practice.

Staff training is a key driver of inclusive practice. Leaders prioritise ongoing professional development so that staff confidently use evidence-informed approaches and apply these through high-quality, inclusive Quality First Teaching. Targeted interventions are used alongside strong classroom provision where appropriate. The behaviour policy is well established and continues to evolve, incorporating elements of the Thrive approach, Therapeutic Thinking and Zones of Regulation to ensure a consistent, relational approach to behaviour and wellbeing.

Attainment and Progress

Across the school, writing is the weakest subject for vulnerable groups, while mathematics is a relative strength. Pupils eligible for Pupil Premium and those with SEND are overrepresented in the below-expected category, particularly in writing. Pupils with EHCPs demonstrate very high levels of need, with attainment predominantly below age-related expectations, especially in writing. Pupils with EAL show a more positive attainment profile overall, with strong outcomes in maths and improving attainment over time, particularly in upper Key Stage 2.

Progress data shows a strong and consistent picture across all groups:

• 100% of pupils with SEND, EHCP, EAL and those eligible for Pupil Premium made expected or better progress from their individual starting points.
• While not all pupils have yet reached age-related expectations, progress measures demonstrate effective catch-up from lower baselines.

Attendance

Overall attendance is strong at 95.1%. Pupils with EAL have the highest attendance at 95.9%. Attendance for Pupil Premium pupils is 93.2%, below the whole-school figure, while pupils with SEND have the lowest attendance at 91.7%. These patterns inform targeted attendance and wellbeing support.

Impact and External Validation

The impact of the school’s inclusive practice is recognised externally through the EAL Gold Award (2023), Inclusion Quality Mark and Centre of Excellence status (July 2025), and Microsoft Showcase School status (September 2025). Leaders triangulate attainment, progress, attendance and qualitative evidence to evaluate impact and refine provision and allocate support.

English as an Addition Language (EAL)

At West Acton Primary School, we are proud to be a warm, inclusive community where every child and family is valued. We are recognised as a centre of excellence for inclusion and are enriched by the many cultures, languages and experiences that make up our school community.

Our pupils come from a wide range of backgrounds, with families connected to countries across the world. Around 76% of our children speak English as an additional language and more than 34 languages are spoken across the school. We celebrate this diversity and see it as a real strength. Research shows that speaking more than one language can support children’s learning and academic progress and we are proud to nurture this multilingual richness.

Children who are new to West Acton Primary School, or new to learning English, are carefully supported to help them feel confident and settled. They receive a welcome pack of resources to support their induction, alongside targeted Little Wandle phonics sessions to develop spoken and written English and early reading skills. New pupils are also paired with a friendly class buddy, helping them learn school routines and build positive friendships from the start.

Strong communication skills are at the heart of learning in every classroom. All classes place a high emphasis on oracy, using Voice 21 talk tactics and active listening strategies to help children express themselves clearly and confidently. As a Microsoft Showcase School, we use educational technology thoughtfully to support learning for all pupils, including tools that help translate and access learning in a range of languages.

Families consistently tell us how much they value our welcoming ethos and the care and support we provide. At West Acton Primary School, we nurture every child to achieve their full potential within an aspirational, dynamic and forward-thinking community.

In July 2023, we were proudly awarded the EAL Gold Award GOLD EAL Quality Mark for West Acton Primary