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2 Whole school approaches
Section overview
In this section you will explore whole school approaches to support inclusive classrooms. You will explore the following areas:
2.1 Inclusive approaches overview
2.2 Ensuring schools and classrooms are inclusive
2.3 Supporting whole school inclusive approaches.
2.1 Inclusive approaches overview
Whole school approaches help to form an inclusive ethos. When these form part of everyday practice, they support the inclusion, engagement and participation of all learners. In an inclusive school, all learners are made to feel welcome and included, and individual differences are respected and celebrated.
A range of whole school approaches are explored in Section 2.3 along with practical strategies that exemplify how all teachers can contribute towards them or play a role in their implementation.
Planning and developing an inclusive child centred approach to learning and teaching can support a range of additional support needs. An inclusive learning environment will support all learners to access the curriculum and participate in a range of experiences provided through a flexible, accessible and inclusive curriculum.
A combination of factors supports the development of an inclusive school community and learning environment.
2.2 Ensuring schools and classrooms are inclusive
It is everyone’s job to be inclusive in their approach and to support all learners.
The standards for initial teacher education and registration, career-long professional learning and leadership are all underpinned by a set of values aligned to social justice and commitment to inclusive education.
The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) Standards state that all teachers have to:
Embrace local and global educational and social values of sustainability, equality and justice and recognise the rights and responsibilities of future as well as current generations.
Commit to the principles of democracy and social justice through fair, transparent, inclusive and sustainable policies and practices in relation to: age, disability, gender and gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion and belief and sexual orientation. These standards are clear and set in the context of equity and social justice.
Reflective Task: Roles and responsibilities
Consider the roles and responsibilities of the following staff who work to support inclusive education including:
senior management
classroom and early years practitioners
specialist teachers; e.g. ASN or Support for Learning and Outreach Teachers
support assistants
facilities staff.
A table has been provided in the Reflective Log for you to list at least one example of how they support inclusive education.
Use the text boxes below to make draft notes.
| Role | Examples of how they support inclusive education |
|---|---|
| Senior management | |
| Classroom and early years practitioners | |
| Specialist teachers e.g. ASN or Support for Learning and outreach teachers | |
| Support Assistants | |
| Facilities staff |
Optional reflective activity
Discuss with colleagues what is their shared understanding of these roles and make some notes in your Reflective Log.
2.3 Supporting whole school inclusive approaches
In this section you will explore approaches to support whole school inclusion.
Many of these approaches will be more appropriate for the school management team to consider - for example, ensuring that policies, protocols and systems are in place throughout the school.
However, there are many ways in which all staff can contribute to these approaches; indeed, they will not work effectively as whole school approaches unless they are understood and implemented by everyone.
When whole school approaches form part of everyday practice, they support the inclusion, engagement and participation of all learners. In an inclusive school, all learners are made to feel welcome and included, and individual differences are respected and celebrated.
Some examples of whole school approaches are included here along with practical strategies which exemplify how subject teachers can contribute towards them or play a role in their implementation.
Responding to legislation, policy and guidance
It is important to be aware how legislation, policy and guidance inform practice and how they are implemented across the school.
Below are some of the links between policy and practice which support the development of inclusive school approaches:
Ensure staff within the learning community are supported to be aware of their professional duties and legal responsibilities.
Ensure that legislation, policy and guidelines are used by staff when documenting and providing evidence of all decisions made and actions taken.
Establishments should ensure parents/carers and learners are aware of their rights, particularly relating to inclusion, equality and diversity, discrimination and confidentiality.
Inclusive environment
Reflective Task: The inclusive environment
Consider all aspects of the school environment: dining area, social spaces, corridors, classrooms. What needs to be put in place to ensure a school community meets the needs of all learners?
Make some notes in your Reflective Log before looking at our suggestions. You will explore this further in Section 3.
Discussion
Below are two suggestions that can be put in place to support a school community meet the needs of all learners.
Supporting health and wellbeing:
Support the promotion of health and wellbeing by considering broader life skills when developing individual learning plans, including processes which help learners to organise and self-manage their resources, deadlines, etc.
Keeping the learner at the centre:
Provide opportunities for learners to express their views about their school experiences, listen and show them respect as individuals. Consider their views, feelings, strengths and support needs and how your own practice takes these factors into account.
Ensure that learners are involved particularly with setting their targets, creating their learning plans and managing transitions.
Continue to develop an inclusive curriculum which offers flexible pathways that meet the needs of all learners.
The accessible curriculum
An accessible curriculum is an inclusive curriculum.
Activity 6: Defining an inclusive curriculum
a.
Subjects within a school’s curriculum are available to all learners - if they can meet the criteria, age and cognitive ability.
b.
The curriculum is defined by the subjects taught.
c.
The curriculum includes all of the experiences which are planned for children and young people through their education. It is not specific to subject areas but applies to activities that take place across the school.
d.
Pupils do not have an entitlement to engage with all aspects of the curriculum.
The correct answer is c.
We’d now like you to consider some areas that would support the development of an accessible curriculum.
Reflective Task: Developing accessible learning
What needs to be put in place to ensure a school community provides an accessible curriculum that can meet the needs of all learners?
Discussion
Listed below are some examples of what could be put in place to ensure a school community provides an accessible curriculum that meets the needs of all learners:
Ensure that the school management team understands the legislative duties regarding the provision of an accessible curriculum.
Ensure that practitioners have access to appropriate information and professional learning so they understand fully what is an accessible curriculum and how they can support it.
Ensure a whole school approach to accessibility, including the provision of reasonable adjustments for learners who have identified needs such as a ‘time out’ pass, access to IT, digital learning and teaching resources and digital exams, distribution of printed notes, extra time or use of scribes.
Keep evidence of adjustments for individual learners to inform ongoing assessment for use in course work and assessments in accordance with The Scottish Qualification Agency Assessment Arrangement Guidelines (SQA AA). Further information is available in the Section 9. Assessment arrangements allow candidates who are disabled, and/or have been identified as having additional support needs, appropriate arrangements to access the assessment without compromising its integrity.
Managing and disseminating information
It is very important that the management and dissemination of information within a school community is effective and understood. See below for some suggested approaches.
Ensure a system is in place for all staff to both share and receive information about learners and their needs (for example, updates on learning, behaviour and attendance) which ensures confidentiality and data protection.
Use templates that provide a clear and consistent format. These will help to provide evidence of the reflective processes used by staff who are involved in the management of individual learners.
Consider the sensitive use of language and labels in all documents. Ask yourself “Would the young person/parents/carers be happy to read this?” “Have I used the appropriate professional language and tone?”
Managing transitions
Transition can be a difficult, nervous and exciting time for any learner. For children and young people who require additional support it can be a particularly stressful time for them and their family. However, the process can be eased with appropriate understanding, partnership work, support and planning.
It important to understand that transitions occur throughout each day and through the year, not only at the obvious stages such as P7 – S1 or S4/5/6 to post school. Some children and young people may need understanding, support and planning at such times.
There are a number of factors which need to be considered when managing and ensuring effective transitions for learners.
Listed below are some suggestions:
Work collaboratively during transitions, sharing good practice for the learner in question with all those involved: the school, the learner, the parents/carers, staff from the previous/future establishments, partner services and agencies.
Consider how this information relates to your practice and whether any reasonable adjustments or strategies need to be put in place in order to meet the learner’s needs.
Reflect on how well transition processes are working in your class/subject area and with more informal aspects of the school day. Arrange to get feedback from all involved, both informally and formally, as part of a whole school process.
For more information on the principles of good transitions the Scottish Transition Forum have developed a support guide on their website entitled Principles of Good Transitions 3.
Reflective Task: Supporting transition
In your Reflective Log consider how you contribute towards supporting the children and young people in your class to ensure that they experience successful transitions.
Reflect on how well transition processes are working in your class/subject area.
You may consider gathering feedback from all involved, both informally and formally, as part of a whole school process.
Collaborative working
When meeting the needs of children and young people, it is vital to work collaboratively with the learner, with your colleagues within the school and with parents and partner agencies (this will be explored further in Section 6).
Reflective Task: Collaboration
What areas support collaborative working?
Make some notes in your Reflective Log.
Discussion
All of the following approaches support collaborative working.
Develop an understanding of others’ roles and responsibilities through discussion or information available related to support services within and external to the school. Support clear and open routes of communication with colleagues in school and from partner services and agencies.
Use established routes of communication to enable learners and their parents/carers to express their views as part of the collaborative process.
Consider opportunities to work collaboratively on school-wide initiatives such as peer mentoring or literacy; consider opportunities to observe other teachers; and support requests by others to observe learners in class.
Professional development to support inclusive practice.
Improving and supporting inclusive practice enables school communities to better meet the needs of all learners more effectively.
There are a number of ways practitioners can access a range of high-quality professional learning opportunities on developing an inclusive school community.
Listed below are some suggestions:
Share specialist knowledge through delivery of professional learning sessions
Consider joint training with staff from other schools or with staff from partner services and agencies
Sharing your resources can contribute to the professional development of all staff
Contribute to disseminating and implementing innovative practice by taking part in working groups - for example, resources developed by a literacy working group should be shared with the wider school.
Access to and participation in effective professional learning opportunities through a practitioner’s career is essential for everyone working in education whatever their role/remit.
For teachers in particular once they have attained the GTCS Standard for Full Registration, they will continue to develop their expertise and experience across all areas of their professional practice through appropriate and sustained career-long professional learning.