At the ASCL conference on 14 March, Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education, highlighted King Ecgbert School as a national example of inclusive education.

In her speech, she praised the school’s Integrated Resource for Autism (IR) and its success in ensuring that inclusion and high academic standards go hand in hand.

The IR at King Ecgbert School provides a 30-place provision for autistic pupils, supporting them to learn in mainstream lessons with specialist assistance.

Beyond the classroom, these pupils also take part in sports, art, and school performances—reinforcing the school’s belief that “if we get it right for our most vulnerable, then we’ll be getting it right for everyone.”

The Secretary of State quoted the school’s ‘impressive outcomes’ from its Ofsted report, recognising its work in opening doors to opportunity for all pupils.

In addition to this fantastic recognition, Paul Haigh, Headteacher of King Ecgbert School, has been appointed as a DfE RISE Adviser. This is a new role within the Department for Education, where leading school and trust leaders will work on school improvement priorities, including English, maths, inclusion, and attendance.

This recognition is a huge achievement for King Ecgbert School, Mercia Learning Trust, and the wider education community in Sheffield. It showcases the brilliant work happening across our trust to support every child to succeed.

Neil Miley, CEO, said:

We are thrilled King Ecgbert School and Paul Haigh’s sector-leading work around inclusion was highlighted in Bridget Phillipson’s keynote at the ASCL conference.

A well-deserved recognition of the school’s diligent approach.

Read more about the RISE teams here.