2.3.1 Developing an inclusive environment

In a whole school approach the totality of the learner’s experience is taken into account.

Reflective Task: The inclusive environment

Consider all aspects of the school environment: dining area, playground, 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.

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Figure 12 Boy joining in P.E.
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Child taking part in gym lesson, other children in the background.

Figure 12 Boy joining in P.E.

Discussion

Listed below are some ideas

  1. Labelling

    • Ensure labelling of the environment is consistent across classrooms and other spaces such as the dining hall and the school office.

  2. Playground

    • Work with learners to identify what they need in a playground. Is a quiet area required? Are guided games or interactive elements needed to help those who struggle to self-regulate in a large empty space? An inclusive playground should not only be physically accessible to all, it should encourage a range of play experiences that meet a variety of learners’ needs and interests.

  3. Language and culture

    • Think about ways to reflect the languages and cultures of your school community. In one school, for example, the nursery class had a project where they discovered all the languages spoken by the grandparents of the children. A display was created and placed at the entrance to the class.

2.3 Supporting whole school approaches to inclusion

2.3.2 The accessible curriculum