Research - Inclusion Policy in Schools 2021 - 2 December 2024

Children, Young People, Education and Skills (CYPES)

Title:  Inclusion Policy

Date:  June 2011 (updated August 2021)

1. Policy Statement

It is the policy of the CYPES that:

• for everyone in a school community barriers to learning and participation are reduced to allow inclusion

• pupils are placed in the educational environment which best meets their needs, taking into account the views of all concerned and the effective and efficient use of resources

• where possible pupils with  special  educational needs are educated within mainstream catchment schools.

2. Implementation

School placements will be made on the principle of the least restrictive setting commensurate with meeting needs'.

Inclusive education is defined as "the process of increasing the participation of students in, and reducing their exclusion from, the cultures, curricula and communities of local schools. This involves changes in the way schools are organised, in the curriculum and in teaching strategies, to accommodate the range of needs and abilities among pupils. Thus, the school builds its capacity to accept all pupils from the local community who wish to attend and, in so doing, reduces the need to exclude pupils".

In order to assist with the implementation of the policy, schools will use inclusion guidance such as the "Index for Inclusion" as part of their school development planning.

3. Responsibilities required to implement the policy

3.1 It is the responsibility of the Education Department to:

• provide training and support for schools to become inclusive communities

3.2 It is the responsibility of Governing Bodies to:

• ensure that there is a policy statement to develop inclusive education as defined above

3. It is the responsibility of the head teacher to:

• produce a policy statement with supporting guidelines to develop an inclusive community

• ensure a fair and equitable distribution of resources to reduce barriers to learning and participation

• continually work towards reducing any barriers to learning and participation for any member of the school community

• celebrate differences and utilise resources within the schools to support inclusion

4. It is the responsibility of members of staff to:

• follow the school teaching and learning and positive behavior policies to ensure inclusive educational practice

Change History

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