Inclusion Policy 2020/2023 

Our Vision

"We are a learning community with the children very much at the heart of everything that we do."

Co-op Academy Broadhurst is a proud member of the Co-op Academy Trust where we aim to provide a high quality education for all children who attend the academy. We are united by the values underpinning the co-operative values of:

Self-help: We do not expect to be spoon fed – we will try to do things for ourselves in the right way and at the right time.

Self-responsibility: Everyone should act in a responsible way around the academy site and in the local community. We take responsibility for our own learning; we want to become independent learners.

Equality: We are proud to be part of a very multi-cultural academy, with students from all over the world; it is important that we treat each other with respect and accept that others may be different from ourselves. We should all of us have equal chances to succeed. Equity: We want to look for the best in each other. Rewarding others fairly to encourage all types of achievement.

Democracy: We will contribute our ideas to make the academy a success.

Solidarity: We can achieve more by working together, rather than as individuals.

Our sponsors work with us to support the Academy in making key decisions and in improving standards for everyone. Representatives from the Co-op sit alongside parents/carers, staff and other members of our governing body.

Aims and objectives

Co-op Academy Broadhurst values the individuality of all of our children. We are committed to giving all of our children every opportunity to achieve the highest of standards. We seek to offer this by taking account of pupils’ varied life experiences and needs offering a broad and balanced

curriculum and have high expectations for all children. The achievements, attitudes and well-being of all our children matter. This policy seeks to ensure that this school promotes the individuality of all our children, irrespective of ethnicity, attainment, age, disability, gender or background.

Our academy aims to be an inclusive school. We actively seek to remove any 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. We aim to make this a reality through the attention we pay to the different groups of children within our academy:

● girls and boys;

● minority ethnic and faith groups;

● children who need support to learn English as an additional language;

● children with special educational needs;

● vulnerable children;

● children on FSM;

● gifted and talented children;

● children who are at risk of disaffection or exclusion;

● travellers and asylum seekers.

Teaching and Learning

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

Using the National Curriculum, we plan a curriculum that meets the specific needs of individuals and groups of children. We seek to meet these needs through:

● setting suitable learning challenges;

● 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. (This includes speech and language therapy and mobility training.)

We aim to give all our children the opportunity to succeed and reach the highest level of personal achievement. We monitor and evaluate the attainment of different groups of pupils to ensure that all pupils are achieving as much as they can. We also shall make ongoing assessments of each child’s progress through regular Pupil Progress meetings. Teachers then use this information when planning their lessons, enabling them to take into account the abilities of all their children.

When the attainment of a child falls significantly below the expected level, teachers should enable the child to succeed by planning work that is in line with that child’s individual needs. Where the attainment of a child significantly exceeds the expected level of attainment, teachers should use materials to extend the breadth of work within the area or areas for which the child shows particular aptitude.

Teachers receive regular training to ensure they are familiar with the relevant equal opportunities legislation covering race, gender and disability. In addition, we regularly reflect on practices within school to ensure educational inclusion. Teachers and Leaders ensure and encourage children to: ● feel secure and know that their contributions are valued

● appreciate and value the differences they see in others

● take responsibility for their own actions

● participate safely

● experience success

● use materials that reflect a range of social and cultural backgrounds, without stereotyping

● have a common curriculum experience that allows for a range of different learning styles ● have challenging targets that enable them to succeed

● are encouraged to participate fully, regardless of disabilities or medical needs.

Children with disabilities

Some children may have disabilities and consequently need additional resources. We are committed to providing an environment that allows these children full access to all areas of learning. All of our classroom entrances are wide enough for wheelchair access, and the designated points of entry for our school also allow wheelchair access.

Teachers plan and modify teaching and learning as appropriate for these children to ensure that they give children with disabilities the opportunity to develop skills in practical aspects of the curriculum. Taking into account:

● pace of learning and the equipment they use

● the effort and concentration needed in oral work, or when using additional aids ● The offer of alternative activities in those subjects where children are unable to manipulate tools or equipment, or use certain types of materials

● educational visits and other activities linked to their studies

● specific adaptations for hearing/vision-impaired children

● assessment techniques that reflect their individual needs and abilities.

Racism and Inclusion

The diversity of our society is addressed through our schemes of work, which reflect the programmes of study of the National Curriculum. Teachers should be flexible in their planning and offer appropriate challenges to all pupils, regardless of ethnic or social background. All racist incidents shall be recorded and reported to the governing body by the Headteacher. The school shall contact parents of those pupils involved in racist incidents. Further details are to be found in the academy’s Equality Policy.

Disapplication and modification

Our academy makes every effort to meet the learning needs of all its children, without recourse to disapplication or modification. We seek to achieve this through greater differentiation of the child’s work, or through the provision of additional learning resources. When necessary, we also support learning through appropriate external specialists. In such cases, teachers should work closely with these agencies to support the child. However, our academy can, where necessary, modify or dis-apply the National Curriculum and its assessment arrangements. Our academy policy is to do this only in exceptional circumstances.

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 parents and the Local Education Authority. The academy’s governor with responsibility for special educational needs would also be closely involved in this process. We ensure that every effort has been made to

provide the necessary support from within the academy’s resources before considering such action.

Should we go ahead with modification or disapplication, we would do so through: ● Section 364 of the Education 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.

Linked Policy Documents

To be read in conjunction with the following school policies:

- Equality Policy

- SEND Policy

- Looked after Children Policy

- Gifted and Talented Children

Chair of Governors Chris Wright

Head Teacher Jan Gough

Date of Approval March 2021

Date of next review March 2023