Dhoon School has recently received two ‘quality mark’ awards – The Investors in Children Status, and The Inclusion Quality Mark. Both awards are UK recognised, and involved the school staff team working towards a series of benchmark standards which were then assessed by an independent validator from the UK.

Investing in Children (IiC) is a UK initiative that promotes the human rights of children and young people. Over the last 17 years, IiC has developed a range of different ways in which children and young people are supported to say what they want to say, and help to improve services used by them, by discussing their ideas with adults who run the services. Organisations applying for the award have to demonstrate dialogue with young people which leads to change. Following the assessor’s visit to Dhoon School, Maxim Kelly, Headteacher, received an extremely positive report which fully recommended the IiC status be re-applied to Dhoon. Below is an extracts from the report which was written by assessor Nigel Bennet:

“The school continues, under its new leadership, to heavily involve its pupils in effective dialogue and change. The children continue to have an input into their curriculum which has so many advantages. I have no hesitation in recommending that Dhoon Primary School retains it IiC status.”

And a quote from some of Dhoon’s school council children made it in to the full report, and was later reported at National Level by the IiC organisation on their UK website:

“We just say Dhoon School is the place to be, we have worked hard for this because every single person in this school will be able to tell you that teachers listen to the students. Every single person will tell you that because in this school everybody is respected and treated as individuals and we are just like one big family.”

The second award, the Inclusion Quality Mark required the staff to undertake a rigourous self-audit and prepare an action plan of areas upon which the school could improve. This resulted in, amongst many other things, a new Inclusion Policy, a new Facebook page, updated Twitter accounts, a refurbishment and re-imagining of the mobile classroom as an area for nurture-style provision, continued involvement in community projects, the opening of our first school library and a commitment to bring our vision for education to life in the classroom lessons and visits and extra-curricular offerings undertaken.

Emma Huxham, Inclusion Manager, led on the work towards the Inclusion Quality Mark throughout the academic year, and Maxim Kelly, Headteacher, commented “I am delighted that her many contributions towards this Award have resulted in success for our school.” He continued “not only did Dhoon School meet the requirements for the Inclusion Quality Mark for which it had offered itself for assessment, but the quality of the school was deemed such that it could be awarded “Centre of Excellence” status too - a welcome surprise and a further endorsement of the quality of the school.”

In recognition of these awards, a presentation took place yesterday, Monday 29th June 2015, in the school hall at Dhoon School. The Chief Minister, Mr Allan Bell MHK, attended to make the presentation of the awards to the student council. Mr Bell paid tribute to the hard work of the children, the staff and the Headteacher. All pupils from the school were in attendance, and there was a celebratory song performed by members of the school choir. School governors and guests from the Department of Education and Children were also in attendance.

Photo - School Governors, Headteacher and Chief Minister presenting the awards to members of the school council.  Left to right: Martin Royle (Governor), Kamille Yardley Scott (Governor), Maxim Kelly (Headteacher), Jeni Pendree (Chair of Governors), Allan Bell MHK (Chief Minister). Pupils: Millie Smith and Fflur Hill (Student Council Representatives.