A SECONDARY academy is celebrating after being awarded a nationally-recognised award for its work on inclusion.

Outwood Academy Easingwold, based on York Road, was awarded the Inclusion Quality Mark Award by IQM.

The award provides UK schools with a nationally-recognised validation of their inclusive practice and ongoing commitment to developing educational inclusion.

The academy’s success comes after a long assessment process, which was split into two phases beginning with a self-evaluation followed by a two-day assessment by the IQM team.

Principal Laura Eddery said: “We are delighted to have been accredited with the IQM Award, showing that inclusion at all levels is paramount to us.

“At Outwood we believe that every child deserves the best education, no matter their start in life and we work tirelessly to ensure we deliver on this belief.

"This accreditation is testament to that work.”

One area highlighted and praised in the IQM report was the academy’s work on the mental wellbeing of students. It was noted that ‘the mental health and well-being of pupils and staff is an integral part of the school’s curriculum development and vital to its success within student achievement.’