Inclusion Policy

 

This policy has been written in line with our School Mission Statement

 

‘In our Catholic School, with God at the centre of our lives, we offer every child a high standard of education. We meet individual needs, in a caring and loving community, which celebrates our faith.’

 

Introduction

Our Mission Statement values the individuality of all of our children.  We are committed to giving them every opportunity to achieve the highest standards.  We do this by taking account of pupils’ varied life experiences and needs.  We offer a broad and balanced curriculum, within a Catholic ethos, and have high expectations for all children.  Their achievements, attitudes and well-being matter.  This policy helps to ensure that this school promotes individuality irrespective of ethnicity, attainment, age, disability, gender or background.

 

Aims and Objectives

Our school aims to be an inclusive school.  We actively seek to remove the barriers to learning and participation that can hinder or exclude individual pupils or groups of pupils.  This means that equality of opportunity must be a reality for our children.  This is achieved through the attention we pay to the different groups of children within our school:

 

• Girls and boys

• Minority ethnic and faith groups

• Children who need support to learn English as an additional language

• Children with special educational needs

• Supporting pupils in school with additional health needs
• Children with disabilities

• Gifted and talented children

• Children who are at risk of disaffection or exclusion

• Travellers or asylum seekers.

 

The National Curriculum is our starting point for planning a curriculum that meets the specific needs of individuals and groups of children.  We meet these needs through:

 

• Setting individual targets.

• Responding to children’s diverse learning needs

• Overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils

• Providing other curricular opportunities outside the National Curriculum to meet the needs of individuals or groups of children.

 

We achieve educational inclusion by continually reviewing what we do, through asking ourselves these key questions

• Do all our children reach their potential?

• Are their differences in the achievement of different groups of children?

• What are we doing for those children who we know are not reaching their potential?

• Are our actions effective?

• Are we successful in promoting racial harmony and preparing pupils to live in a diverse society?

 

 

Children with Disabilities

Some children in our school may have disabilities and will consequently need additional resources.  The school is committed to providing an environment that allows these children full access to all areas of learning. (See DDA Plan and SEN Policy)

 

Supporting pupils in school with additional health needs

Some children may have additional health needs and may require medicines, adaptations or support to keep well. In such instances the school will liaise closely with parents and medical practitioners to arrange medical routines, emergency procedures, training, supervision, record-keeping, including storage and disposal. The school will also have a named staff member to coordinate health care needs and to link with parents.

(Also refer to Managing Medicines in School Policy)

 

Disapplication and Modification

The school can, where necessary, modify or disapply the National Curriculum and its assessment arrangements.  Our school policy is to do this only in exceptional circumstances.  The school makes every effort to meet the learning needs of all its children, without recourse to Disapplication or modification.

 

In exceptional circumstances we may decide that modification or Disapplication is the correct procedure to follow.  We would only do this after detailed consultation with the appropriate authorities.  We would ensure that every effort had been made to provide the necessary support from within the school’s resources before considering such action.

 

Should we go ahead with modification or Disapplication, we would do so through:

• Section 364 of the Educational Act 1996.This allows modification or Disapplication of the National Curriculum, or elements of it, through a statement of Special Educational needs.

• Section 365 of the Education Act 1996.This allows the temporary modification or disapplication of the National Curriculum, or elements of it.

 

 

Racism and Inclusion

The school has its own Race Equality Policy. 

 

Summary

In our school the teaching and learning, achievements, attitudes and well-being of every child are important.  We follow the necessary regulations to ensure that we take the experiences and needs of all our children into account when planning for learning.