Lemington Riverside wins national 'Poverty Proofing' award!

Lemington Riverside Primary School is proud to have been recognised nationally after winning the Positive Impact Award at the Poverty Proofing Awards ceremony.

The award celebrates schools across the country that are working hard to remove the barriers that poverty can place on children and families.

At Lemington Riverside, ensuring that children can fully take part in school life – without families feeling additional financial pressure – has always been a key priority.

Our headteacher Mr. Heeley said:

“We always have, and always will, do whatever we can to ensure that coming to school does not cause our families any additional financial pressures.”

The award follows the school’s Poverty Proofing the School Day audit, carried out with Children North East, which explored the experiences of pupils, families and staff and highlighted the many ways the school works to support its community. 

The Lemington Riverside Experience

At the heart of the school’s approach is what staff call the ‘Lemington Riverside Experience’ – ensuring every child has access to memorable opportunities and experiences during their time at primary school.

This includes:

• A wide range of school trips and visits, including residential trips

• Free after-school clubs so every child can take part

• Support with uniform and essential items for families who need it

• Inclusive approaches to celebrations and school events so no child feels left out

The Poverty Proofing report highlighted that pupils benefit from a wide range of experiences including visits to local landmarks, museums, universities and outdoor spaces, helping them build cultural capital and confidence.

A School Community to Be Proud Of

The award recognises not only the work of the school staff, but also the strong sense of community around Lemington Riverside.

Mr Heeley added:

“Primary school should be about making memories for life. We’re proud of the opportunities we offer our children and the way our community works together to support one another.”

The school’s approach has always been about thinking creatively and doing things differently where needed to ensure that every child has the chance to thrive and take part in the full life of the school.

As Mr Heeley said:

“We’re never afraid to think out of the box and do things differently here. Thank you to everyone who is part of our community at Lemington Riverside – this is something we can all be proud of.”