This policy should be read in conjunction with Andreas School’s Teaching for Learning policy, Safeguarding and Child protection policy, SEN and heath and safety policy.
Aim
This policy aims to define what Andreas School considers by the term ‘educational inclusion’ and to detail how we ensure that we are a fully educationally inclusive school.
Glossary of terms used in this policy
SEN special educational needs
COLI Continuum of Learning and Inclusion
SEBD social, emotional and behavioural difficulties
SDQ strengths and difficulties questionnaire
EdP educational psychologist
IEP individual education plan
SENCo special educational needs co-ordinator
ESO education support officer
SESO senior education support officer
EAL English as an additional language
LAC looked after children (category of social care) CP child protection (category of social care)
CAN children with additional needs
CCN children with complex needs
RAP resource assessment pack
RoC record of concern (SEN category)
SA school action (SEN category)
SA+ school action plus (SEN category)
HLN higher level need (SEN category)
ESC Education Support Centre
How we define educational inclusion in Andreas School
Educational inclusion is about equal opportunities for all pupils, whatever their age, gender, ethnicity, attainment and background. It pays particular attention to the provision made for, and the achievement of, different groups of pupils within a school. As an educationally inclusive school, at Andreas the teaching and learning, achievements, attitudes and well-being of every young person matters.
How we value and recognise inclusion in Andreas School .
Through appropriate curricular provision, we respect the fact that children:
- may have different educational and behavioural needs and aspirations;
- may require different strategies for learning;
- may acquire, assimilate and communicate information at different rates;
- may need a range of different learning and teaching approaches and experiences
We believe that all children should have an equal opportunity to attend Andreas School and to access learning. We value every individual and celebrate their achievements. There are structures and policies in place to promote inclusion and we aim to identify and respond to individual needs by setting suitable learning challenges for every pupil and celebrating their achievements.
In addition, we explicitly develop learning habits and promote a growth mindset. This helps children to understand the importance of valuing their own success and having aspirations unique to them. This enables children to fully access the curriculum as they are focussed on their own skills set, their own challenges and their own qualities.
What makes Andreas School Inclusive?
In recognising the above, at Andreas School we are able to consider ourselves to be a fully inclusive school. We have identified different groups of pupils in our school that we strive to cater for:
- Children with SEN
- Children with SEBD
- Children with medical needs
- Children with EAL
- LAC, CAN, CCN, CP cases
- Children in short-term ‘crisis’
What we do at Andreas School?
Children with SEN
We believe that pupils with SEN could have:
- difficulties with some or all school work
- difficulties with reading, writing, number work or processing and understanding information
- difficulties in expressing themselves or understanding what others are saying
- difficulty in making friends or relating to adults
- difficulty in behaving properly in school
- difficulty in organising themselves
- some kind of sensory or physical need which may affect them in school
We identify pupils with SEN:
- through teacher professional judgement - teachers may draw on a wealth of information to
support their assessments including the CoLI, the DESC RAP, the DESC Dyslexia Policy, - in consultation with parents/carers
- in consultation with Andreas’s SENCO and other professionals
- through the use of the DEC ‘graduated response’ documentation.
At Andreas, when we have identified a child with SEN we:
- Maintain a register of children with SEN (submitted annually to DESC by the SENCo)
- Ensure that children with SEN have SEN trackers which teachers draw up and deliver termly (although the pattern for drawing up, delivering and reviewing trackers can be flexible to best meet the needs of individual pupils) and share them with parents
- Review graduated response stages on an individual basis in consultation with the SENCo
- Use the COLI to guide and support strategies which will support the child
- Refer children to the EdP team if necessary
- Review Year Six ‘Higher Level Need’ children formally with parents and the receiving school
before transitioning to Key Stage Three.
Children with SEBD
We believe that children with SEBD could have: - difficulties in accessing or coping in a learning environment without support
- difficulties with trusting adults
- difficulties with concentrating / motivation to learn
- lower than expected attendance at school
- a disproportionate fear of failure
- difficulties recognising appropriate behaviour and the boundaries involved
- difficulties with following school rules and expectations
- parents who have difficulties in recognising the issues that their children have
- a dependance on adult support/intervention in school
We identify children with SEBD:
- through teacher professional judgement - teachers may draw on a wealth of information to
support their assessments including Boxall Profiles, SDQs, Burnett Self-Scale assessments,
observations and notes, ASD profiles - through conversations with parents/carers
- in consultation with the SENCo
At Andreas, when we have identified a child with SEBD we:
- take advice from EdP team and use the COLI to devise suitable strategies if appropriate
- liaise and work with other agencies as applicable
- use SESO/ESO classroom support
- employ various strategies within the classroom
- ensure the child has a consistent, identified adult who they can spend time out with when necessary
- take a personalised/individual approach to each child
Children with medical needs
We believe that children with medical needs could have:
- visual/auditory/sensory needs
- an identified condition which needs managing in school (eg epilepsy, asthma, diabetes, allergies
etc) - a short-term illness which requires the administration of medication such as antibiotics etc
- a long-term need for the administration of medication such as Ritalin, anti-histamines etc.
- physical difficulties
- emotional difficulties
- a life-dependance upon vital medication (eg insulin)
- a dependance upon / need to make use of special equipment (eg wheelchair, crutches etc)
- a need for immediate first aid
We identify children with medical needs:
• through communication with parents and by monitoring the child.
At Andreas, when we have identified a child with medical needs we:
- ensure the medical co-ordinator maintains an up-to-date medical needs register
- ensure named staff are allocated to specific children to manage individual medical needs
- maintain close links with medical specialists such as the diabetic nurse and school nurse
- ensure the medical register, asthma cards and Ventolin, epi-pens and medication are centrally stored in the school staff room for ease of access
- issue receipts upon administration of medication
- issue receipts when Ventolin is given for asthma
- create and maintain individual care plans and health plans for children
- obtain permissions forms from parents for the administration of medication
- ensure that all staff in the school are first-aid trained
Children with EAL
We believe that children with EAL could have:
- a first language other than English
- a language other than English which is used more predominately than English, especially in their
home life - a feeling of being isolated and/or a feeling that they are an ‘outsider’
- parents who feel isolated and/or feel that they are ‘outsiders’
- cultural differences
- behavioural difficulties at school because of language frustrations
- parents with different expectations of school and of learning based on their own cultural/country
backgrounds - difficulties in communicating
We identify children with EAL:
- At ‘induction’ before starting in Reception
- through consultation with parents/carers prior to joining Andreas School
At Andreas, when we have identified a child with EAL we:
- liaise with the DEC EAL team, and take support and advice from them as and when necessary -
this may include receiving EAL support staff to deploy within the classroom - liaise with our link education liaison officer
- hold ‘induction’ meetings with translators if necessary
- use technology to assist in communication eg Google translate/iPads/iPods etc
- make use of ‘language link’ package and activities
- regular review meetings with teacher, SENCo and parents (and translators if necessary)
- the SENCo maintains a register of children with EAL (submitted annually to DEC)
LAC, CAN, CWN and CP cases
We believe that LAC, CiN, CP cases could have:
- erratic school attendance patterns
- a concerning way in which they present (eg hungry, tired, unkempt, aggressive, withdrawn etc)
- difficulties socialising or forming appropriate relationships
- attention seeking tendencies
- a very guarded nature
We identify LAC, CAN, CWN and CP cases:
- through referrals from other agencies
- a ‘time-logged’ picture that has been gathered comprehensively
- through disclosure
- through discussions and observations
At Andreas, when we have identified a child who is a LAC, CAN, CWN or under CP we:
Follow our comprehensive safeguarding and child protection policy and guidelines. This is reviewed and shared with staff at least annually.
Children in short term ‘crisis’
We believe that children in short term ‘crisis’ could have:
- sudden changes in their social, emotional or physical behaviour
- any number of possible responses to unforeseen/unpredictable life circumstances
We identify children in short term ‘crisis’:
• through investigation and/or involvement of other services/parents/carers.
At Andreas, when we have identified a child who is in short term crisis we:
- talk to and support the child, parents and family and advise the whole-school as appropriate
through staff bulletins and staff meetings - referral to external agencies is made as appropriate
Reviewed June 2021, 2022
Review date September 2024 (ref AEN code)