During her visit, Cllr Fordham was able to see the school’s strong pastoral care, with a focus on pupils’ wellbeing and sense of belonging. She met with Headteacher John Vennart and Assistant Senior Deputy Headteacher Karen Davey, who will become Headteacher in September 2026. They explained how staff work closely with pupils to listen, guide and offer help when it’s needed.
KCC Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, Beverley Fordham, with The Malling School Headteacher, John Vennart, Assistant Senior Deputy Headteacher, Karen Davey and KCC Assistant Director Education (West Kent), Nick Abrahams.
There is a dedicated space known as 'the Hub', a calm, welcoming environment that is open to all pupils who may need additional support. With its open-door approach, the Hub gives all young people at the school a place to get extra support and help with their emotional wellbeing during the school day.
Alongside this, the school has a Specialist Resource Provision (SRP), which supports children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). Pupils who access the SRP benefit from a flexible, fluid approach to learning - receiving targeted support when needed, while also regularly attending mainstream lessons across the school. All pupils, regardless of their needs, are in form groups together, helping to build a sense of belonging and community across the school.
Beverley speaking to a young person during one of their lessons at the school
Cllr Fordham also spoke with students from different year groups (the school caters for pupils from Year 7 to Year 13), who shared how much they value the support they receive. They also spoke positively about the school’s extracurricular activities, including sport, music and performing arts.
A group of young people tell Beverley about their experiences of the school
Speaking after the visit, Cllr Beverley Fordham said:
"It was a real pleasure to meet the young people at The Malling School and hear about their experiences.
“The school is an excellent example of inclusive practice in action, where every child is supported to thrive within a mainstream setting.
“Inclusion is so important in ensuring all young people feel valued and can achieve their full potential, and it is clear that this is at the heart of everything the school does."
A photo hangs on the wall of The Malling School showing students during a sports day walking with one of their peers to ensure she felt included and supported.
The Malling School has already been recognised for the way it supports all pupils to feel included and succeed, having been awarded Inclusion Quality Mark (IQM) Flagship Status. It is now aiming to go one step further and is applying for a national award - IQM National Inclusion Champion Status - which recognises schools that go above and beyond for inclusion. This reflects the school’s wider work across Kent, where it supports other schools by sharing ideas and practical approaches to improve things like behaviour, attendance and leadership.
On Friday 3 July, the school will welcome 23 schools from across Kent for a special inclusion conference. This will give schools the chance to come together and share what works well, so more children across the county can feel supported and included in their learning. It also reflects what was seen during the visit – a focus on support for all pupils, whatever their needs. This is in line with KCC’s aim to make sure every child feels included at school - helping them feel able to do their best.
