Maindee Primary School, Newport, leads on inclusion

It's a small step that school has taken to help make people feel included, whatever their background or story. 

The primary in Newport has developed a reputation for its as an inclusive school, and that matters because this is a school where 42 home languages are spoken among its community. 

Ahead of International Women's Day on Friday, March 8, The Argus sat down with Ana Jones, equity lead at Maindee Primary, to talk about the school's ethos and how it achieves inclusivity in such a diverse community.

Ms Jones, 36, describes the school as "a really special place".

She says that the feeling of belonging comes as soon as someone enters the building, with measures in place to bridge the gaps between what the children need at every stage of their young lives, not just for the eight hours a day they are at school.

"We try and create that sense of belonging for everybody," she says.

Ana Jones from Maindee Primary School. (Image: Newsquest)

"For example when children first come to our school we speak to them and in their paperwork meeting, we give them a uniform.”

Providing uniforms for the children may seem simple, but this act helps the school maintain the quality of the clothes while also helping the parents by taking something off their busy plates.

Ms Jones said Maindee Primary School assessed key factors in its community-focused approach, including its work with Community House, Greening Maindee, Maindee Unlimited, and the creation of the 'Harmony Hub'.

The Harmony Hub, as Ms Jones explained, brings together support services which families can access in one place outside the school.

Ms Ana Jones stood outside Maindee Primary School. (Image: Newsquest)

Ms Jones said: "One of our key messages is we always try and advocate for safe places and safe faces."

The Harmony Hub acts as a base for services such as Newport Mind so that parents can access the support services without the need to go elsewhere.

Some parents might need more wraparound care, Ms Jones said, if they are working alongside raising children or during holiday season "so that they haven't got to worry about juggling childcare".

Another thing Ms Jones mentioned is Big Bocs Maindee, which aims to serve the Maindee community by providing a 'pay-as-you-can service.

To give back to the community, Maindee Primary School has set up a 'pay-as-you-can' shop for those that need a helping hand. (Image: Newsquest)

The school takes a community-based approach in many of the things staff and parents do on a daily basis, including celebrating festivals in other cultures and children have even submitted poems to go into a community-based recipe book.

Children illustrated at St Mary's Community Garden, together with Greening Maindee. (Image: A Taste of Maindee)

Poems in the Poetry Corner of the Maindee recipe book, called 'A Taste of Maindee' (Image: Newsquest)

Ms Jones said the school wouldn't be how it is without the inspiring mums who bring their children.

She mentions there are parents who are juggling full time jobs as well as a degree who may need more support while there are others who are really organised and they may be direct in what they need for their children.

Ultimately, Ms Jones said: "We just think outside the box really and we provide what we can, it's all about trust."

Ana Jones will be speaking at the Argus' Amazing Gwent Women event in partnership with the University of South Wales panel on Wednesday, March 6, along with other Amazing Women from Gwent.

Click here to sign up to attend the event.