LVS Hassocks awarded IQM Inclusive School Award

LVS Hassocks has been called “a very special place” in an outstanding report written by Kat Booker, awarding the school the IQM Inclusive School Award. A Regional Ambassador from the Independent Schools Association (ISA), Susan Webb said, “When you enter the school, it is obvious what a successful and caring environment it provides to encourage all students to thrive.”

One parent said, “I just can’t fault the school, they know him as an individual and treat him as an equal”. Learning and Skills, events, consultancy and training Ltd (LSECT 2022) are a publishing company that also deliver educational events to schools and the further education sector. They explain that “to be inclusive, an effective school group must broadly reflect the characteristics of its local communities and support pupils to pursue an appropriate quality education within the school; and effectively support disadvantaged and other vulnerable pupils”.

Bobbie Mills author of The Education Policy Institute released a paper on the 31^{st of} January 2022 stating: “An effective school group must meet the needs of all pupils in the communities it serves.”

LVS Hassocks have been recognised as a school that “provides the very best education for all children irrespective of differences” (IQM Award, 2022).  Pearson Education (2020) a British owned education publishing and assessment service to schools and corporations stated that “four in five UK teachers feel that more can be done to celebrate diverse cultures, people, and exercise in UK education, the Black Lives Matter movement has encouraged teachers around the country to reflect on the diversity of their curriculum”. At LVS Hassocks, supporting students to know and understand about the diversity within both its local and national community is key to its life skills programme.

Kat Booker, assessor of the IQM Award stated in her report:

• “LVS is warm and welcoming from the second you enter the door. The passion that staff have for ensuring students receive the best possible holistic experience is palpable”
• “For every learner, it is a place they are accepted, appropriately challenged, and prepared for their lives ahead”
• “It is a haven where students receive the nurture and understanding they need to build personal strength, resilience, and ambition”.
• “The value placed upon staff wellbeing makes for a resilient staff team and thus facilitates the positive atmosphere at LVS Hassocks”.

Jen Weeks, Principal of LVS Hassocks said, “We don’t believe in invisible people at LVS Hassocks, and we are proud of every single person’s achievements and celebrate the diversity within our school. We are delighted to have been recognised for the hard work which goes on at LVS Hassocks and the inclusive culture we have embedded. Our school aims of ‘learn, grow, achieve’ are at the heart of all that we do from curriculum design, working with local businesses, participating alongside in activities with mainstream schools and preparing students for life post LVS Hassocks. As a society there is still much more to do to ensure that autistic people across the country have equal opportunities to the rest of society, access to the services they need to have good health, wellbeing, education and employment opportunities to enable them to participate fully in their communities.”