Inclusion Policy

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INCLUSION

We strive to be an Inclusive school. This means that we aim to provide equal opportunities for all our students regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, disability, background, attainment or special educational need. As a school we aim to actively seek to remove barriers to learning and participation.

We believe that all students should have access to an appropriate education that affords them the opportunity to achieve their personal potential.

With the right resources, training and support strategies, nearly all students, including those with special educational needs, can be successfully included in mainstream education.

We pay particular attention to the provision made for students and the progress made by each student.

The school aims to provide all our students with a broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum. We aim to provide the necessary support to those who are experiencing learning difficulties, or whose educational development is hampered by physical, sensory, emotional or linguistic problems.

It is also an expectation that students of exceptional ability should be challenged so that they make progress appropriate to their ability.

ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS

The Governing Body has agreed admissions criteria with the LEA that do not discriminate against students with SEN or disabilities.

Students who have a statement of special educational need will be considered for a school place in line with the LEA policy for such students.

The admission arrangements for students with SEN who do not have a statement do not differ from those for other students.

OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of our policy are:

• To identify students who experience learning difficulties and / or disabilities (including SEN / Gifted / Talented /EAL) and to ensure that their needs are met.
• To ensure that such students participate in all activities of the school.
• To ensure that all students fulfil their potential.
• To ensure that parents are informed of their child's SEN: to include parents in reviews of progress and support strategies.
• To encourage the active participation of students in their education and review of progress.
• To promote effective partnership and involve outside agencies in meeting the needs of our students.

ASSESSING AND SCREENING

Early identification of learning difficulties is a priority. We liaise with our feeder primary schools to identify students who may experience difficulties on transfer. Visits are made to primary schools to discuss concerns with teachers, parents and students so as to ensure continuity of provision.

All new students are tested as part of the induction procedure to give a norm-referenced baseline of ability, in addition to achievement in literacy and numeracy. Standardised scores from Cognitive Abilities (CATs) Tests, reading ages and spelling ages are calculated and handwriting skills are assessed.

A 'Staged' model, in line with the SEN Code of Practice, has been developed. Children with SEN are placed at one of four levels on the 'Inclusion Register': (Monitoring, School Action, School Action Plus, Statement).

The SEN Code of Practice  provides advice to LEAs and schools on carrying out their duties to identify, assess and make provision for children's SEN.

Schools have a statutory duty to identify students who experience learning difficulties.

A 'graduated' approach is required. This consists of four levels of intervention:

1. MONITORING

A student will be placed at this stage if there are concerns across a number of subjects regarding learning difficulties. Such a student may require additional support from the teacher within the classroom. Departments will need to plan appropriate strategies for such students within the normal differentiated curriculum. 

2. SCHOOL ACTION

This is the stage at which the student receives additional or different support to that given as part of the normal curriculum.

3. SCHOOL ACTION PLUS

A request is made to an outside service or specialist for help to meet the student's needs. Often this is our educational psychologist who visits the school each half term to assist us in identifying individual needs and appropriate SEN provision.

4. STATEMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

Where it is felt that the child still has extra needs which cannot be met by the actions of previous stages, the school may ask the LEA for a statutory assessment. This may lead to a Statement of SEN. This will occur very rarely as most students do not require such an assessment.

An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is required for all students at School Action / School Action plus / Statement.

This plan sets out the nature of the difficulty and what the school will do to meet the student's needs. It is reviewed at least twice a year with parents and other relevant staff and outside agencies.

All subject teachers are provided with an 'Inclusion Register' which identifies SEN students as well as highlighting other concerns.

The Inclusion Manager meets each half term with our educational psychologist to discuss concerns and to plan our SEN provision. We liaise closely with the LEA Advisory teachers to ensure that students receive appropriate provision.

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

We believe that it is important to ensure that all students have access to the whole curriculum in order to raise standards of achievement. By establishing a positive sense of identity we can promote self-esteem and confidence.

Most, if not all, of our students are bilingual; this greatly influences our approach towards EAL students. Rather than adopting a 'bolt-on' approach that would apply to a small number of students we attempt to develop literacy skills throughout the curriculum. The majority of our students have attended school in the UK since reception Class / Year1. Only a small number are newly arrived students to this country.

We have liaised with Hillingdon EMASS advisory teachers, including staff development sessions. These have enabled us to review and develop our policy.

We aim to ensure that all students:

• Achieve their full creative and academic potential.
• Have access to the whole curriculum through effective differentiation.
• Make progress against defined national assessment and examination criteria
• Have their English language and literacy skills assessed and reviewed.
• From very different educational systems are included effectively into all aspects of the life of the school.

All teachers are responsible for language teaching and any specialist EAL work will normally be class-based, working collaboratively with subject teachers, implementing joint planning and reviews and developing EAL resources.

For example, students acquire social and functional English from peer interaction. Students, therefore, are encouraged to work with peer models. Subject-related vocabulary and structure, e.g. English for science or mathematics investigations, are acquired through small group collaborative work where talk and interaction are central to the task.

The curriculum reflects and draws on students' cultural, religious and linguistic knowledge and experiences, and resources present positive images of those experiences. Additionally, students are called upon and encouraged to represent a perspective whenever their indigenous culture is a focus of a lesson.

All new arrivals are linked up with a peer model who can act as an interpreter for more complex tasks / topics.

Assessment

We identify each student's level of English and ensure that students have access to statutory assessments, making full use of special arrangements, e.g. mother tongue assessment. The EAL level of all students will be indicated on the Inclusion Register provided to all staff.

Staff ensure that appropriate targets and outcome measures (including Target Minimum Grades) are set for all students and that these are regularly reviewed.

For newly arrived students to this country it is important to assess skills in English language, both written and oral, and when necessary, to assess in the home/community language. This will be carried out after a short period of time allowing the child to settle in. The Inclusion Manager and English teacher, with support from Key Stage co-ordinators, will carry out the initial assessment to determine the stage of English language acquisition, as well as the child's social and learning skills.

Admissions and Induction for newly arrived children.

When students who experience EAL difficulties are admitted, the school will ensure that background information such as home language, country of origin and educational experience are recorded and then passed on to relevant subject teachers. The Form Tutor and subject teachers integrate children into the daily routine of the school.

Good links between the parent community and the school are fostered. Teachers will share curriculum issues and targets set for their children with parents.

We provide a welcoming Admissions process, involving mother tongue support where necessary.

Induction of new staff

Strategies for meeting EAL needs will be included as part of the school induction process for all new staff. This will include the context and type of need within the student cohort. New staff will be made familiar with the level of EAL need in terms of how students are assessed and what students at specific stages can be expected to achieve.

EAL strategies devised and resources available to facilitate curriculum access and language acquisition will be included.

GIFTED and TALENTED            

Children who are 'gifted' are those who achieve, or have the potential to achieve, more highly than most of their peer group, in the academic areas of the curriculum such as English, Maths, Science, and ICT etc.

Children who are 'talented' have similar characteristics but in the areas of creative and performing arts, and sport.

'Gifted and Talented' students may require additional or different provision than that given to their peers.

Differentiation within the classroom should meet the needs of more able children.

However, if a student is failing to make appropriate progress in a subject because the work fails to challenge, there may be a need to extend or adapt the scheme of work to meet their needs. Additional materials or strategies may be required.

There are three main curriculum strategies used to assist 'Gifted' and 'Talented' students:

ENRICHMENT

This means exploring areas of learning, that other students do not cover (buy at broadly the same level), in order to broaden their knowledge.

EXTENSION

This is used to encourage higher order thinking skills as well as independent and self-directed learning and work practices at a more demanding level than might be normally expected from students of their own age.

ACCELERATION

This enables students to progress at a faster rate than their year group through one or more subject areas. For example, students may cover the syllabus in a shorter period of time or, following assessment, students might skip over parts of the course where skills and learning are clearly already in place.

'Gifted' and 'Talented' students are encouraged to attend extra-curricular activities and to play a full part in the life of the school. For example, to attend Saturday classes at a local Maths and Science Specialist College, to represent the school in inter-school debating competitions, visits to Brunel University, editing the school web site, attending additional classes for Years 9 and 11 students in mathematics as part of a Leading Edge project or participating in a Maths puzzle day with students from other schools.

The use of school data, together with teacher assessment, identifies students who have high potential, are performing at a 'Gifted' or 'Talented' level or who are underachieving.

Meetings occur each term between the Key Stage Co-ordinators, Inclusion Manager and the Headteacher. Students who are under-achieving (across the ability range) are identified and appropriate strategies implemented to challenge such student to improve their performance and attainment. Their progress is carefully monitored.

Parents are informed through meetings and school reports of their child's progress. Underachievement is highlighted and discussed with parents and students; home strategies are suggested and progress is monitored.

PROVISION FOR STUDENTS

Most students identified as requiring support will be supported through a differentiated curriculum. This means that the school, and in particular subject departments, plan to support and challenge all students so that they fulfil their potential.

The subject teacher, Head of Department, Form Tutor, Key Stage coordinators, the learning support assistants, ancillary staff and Inclusion Manager all have a part to play in achieving this aim. In practice this means that a range of systems work together to support and challenge students.

Advice is provided to subject teachers and staff meet to discuss and agree support strategies for students. LEA specialist staff and our Educational Psychologist work with subject teachers and LSAs to develop support programmes and teaching / support strategies. Staff are made aware of, and encouraged to attend, relevant INSET.

Those students who have a Statement of Educational Need will have additional provision as identified in their statement. The Inclusion Manager will coordinate this provision.

Guidelines are given to teachers on how to make the best use of learning support assistants and meetings are held with staff to discuss individual students.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY

Every teacher is responsible for the inclusive practice within their classroom; all teachers share the responsibility for identification, assessment, planning and implementing programmes of work, with due regard to the Code of Practice.

Responsibilities of Inclusion Manager

• The day-to-day operation of the SEN policy.
• Co-ordinating provision for student with SEN.
• Maintaining the school's Inclusion Register and overseeing the records for all students with SEN.
• Active participation in the strategic development of SEN.
• Liaison with all staff (in particular the Key Stage coordinators, Heads of Department, subject teachers, LSAs, senior management, Headteacher).
• Liaison with Governors.
• Teaching and observing students with special educational needs
• Managing, supporting and training Learning Support Assistants.
• Contributing to the in-service training of staff.
• Liaison with external agencies, including the Educational Psychology Service and other support agencies, medical and social services and voluntary bodies
• Management of SEN resources.

GOVERNORS

Governors have a legal responsibility for ensuring that provision is made for children with SEN. They need to:

• Have regard to the Code of Practice.
• Support and monitor the SEN policy and review it as appropriate.
• Monitor SEN expenditure.
• Report to parents in the governing body's annual report (including all aspects specifically referred to in the Code of Practice).
• Ensure that a summary of SEN policy and provision is included in the school prospectus.
• Identify any gaps in provision and consider how these can best be met.

An annual report is presented to the school's Senior Management Team. The Inclusion Manager delivers a presentation to the Governing Body each year and termly reports are also submitted to governors.

PARENTS

The School is committed to including parents in all aspects of their child's education. Parents are kept informed of progress by regular contact through the homework diary, school reports, and review meetings. They are encouraged to participate fully in the IEP / Annual Reviews and in their child's educational programme.

STUDENTS

The effectiveness of any assessment and intervention will be influenced by the involvement and interest of the student; the student will have important and relevant information to offer.  We encourage active and positive participation of students, supported when and where appropriate by other specific professionals and agencies. Learning Targets are discussed and agreed with students and the targets are placed in the student's homework diary. Students take an active role in review meetings and target setting.

COMPLAINTS

All complaints regarding SEN should be forwarded to the school Inclusion Manager or the Headteacher.

An independent Parent Partnership Co-ordinator is employed by the LEA with the role of resolving issues parents may have with the school / authority. This service also offers support and advice to parents. The school will provide information about the Parent Partnership Service to parents.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Each year a school SEN self–evaluation is completed, discussed and agreed with the Headteacher (see attached). A report is made to the Governing Body.

Further information

Learning Support Assistants have a vital role in ensuring all children including those with SEN are supported.  They provide support to the class teacher in delivering some aspects of individual IEPs.  They may be included in reviews of IEPs and Annual Reviews, and give feedback from their work with the children.  LSAs are also involved in delivering additional Literacy and Early Literacy support programs.

Outside Agencies assist the school when necessary and can be called on for support and advice. They may include educational psychology, SEN Learning Support Service, Health, and Therapists. Involvement of outside agencies is arranged through the inclusion manager.

Definitions of Terms

SEN Code of Practice.

A guide for early education settings, state schools and local education

authorities (LEAs) on the help they can give to children with special educational

needs. Schools and LEAs must take account of the Code when they deal with a child with special educational needs.

Special educational needs.

Children have special educational needs (SEN) if they have learning difficulties that need special educational provision.

They have learning difficulties if they find it much harder to learn than most children of the same age or they have disabilities that make it much more difficult for them in school.

Special educational provision.

The extra or different help given to children with special educational needs.

Special Educational Needs Tribunal.

An independent body that hears appeals against decisions made by LEAs on statutory assessments and statements.

Statement of special educational needs.

A document that sets out a child's needs and all the extra help they should get.

Statutory Assessment.

This is a very detailed examination of a child's special educational needs. It may lead to a Statement of Special Needs where the special needs and the special provision required are stated.

Annual Review.

A yearly review of a statement of SEN.

Local education authority (LEA).

A local government body (e.g. Hillingdon LEA) that is responsible for providing education and for carrying out statutory assessments and maintaining statements.