Our Commitment to Inclusion

At Graveney Primary School, we believe that every child is unique, valued and capable of achieving great things. We are committed to creating an inclusive school where every pupil feels that they belong, is listened to and respected, and is supported to achieve their potential academically, socially, emotionally and physically.

We recognise that children learn in different ways and at different rates. We therefore have high expectations for every child, while recognising that the support, adaptations and approaches they need to succeed may look different.

Inclusion is everyone's responsibility at Graveney. We work together to identify and remove barriers to learning and participation, ensuring that children with additional needs are valued and included as active members of our school community.

Inclusive Teaching and Learning

We believe that children with Special Educational Needs (SEND) should have access to a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum alongside their peers. 

Our first response to additional needs is high quality, inclusive teaching and adaptive practice. Teachers consider the needs of all learners when planning and use appropriate adaptations such as visual supports, scaffolding, additional processing time, practical resources, sensory and regulation strategies, pre-teaching and flexible grouping.

Adaptations do not mean lowering expectations. They provide children with the tools they need to access learning and demonstrate what they know and can do.

This may include:

• adapting teaching, resources or the learning environment;

• using visual supports, scaffolds and practical resources e.g. Widget visuals; 

• providing additional processing time;

• adapting the way children record or demonstrate their learning;

• developing communication and language through targeted approaches;

• providing sensory and regulation support;

• pre-teaching or revisiting key knowledge and vocabulary;

• using flexible grouping and targeted adult support;

• making reasonable adjustments to enable children to participate fully in school life.

Mainstream Core Standards

At Graveney, we use the Mainstream Core Standards, a document published by the Local Authority which provides guidance around provision that should be made available to all children in schools, using their best endeavours. This document is a collaborative piece of work between education settings, specialist teachers, education psychologists, colleagues from health and parents, to ensure the recommendations are appropriate and supportive of all individuals. 

The standards cover four broad areas of need:

• Communication and Interaction

• Cognition and Learning

• Social, Emotional and Mental Health

• Sensory and/or Physical Needs

We use the standards flexibly alongside our professional knowledge, assessment information, pupil and parent voice and advice from specialist professionals. Importantly, many of the approaches that support children with SEND benefit all learners, helping us to create an inclusive environment across the whole school.  

You can find both the Mainstream Core Standards document and a Parent guide to the standards by following the link below: 

Special educational needs mainstream core standards 

Mainstream Core Standards guide for parents 

Identifying and Supporting SEND

We use a graduated approach to identify and respond to children's needs. Our SEND provision follows the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle, allowing us to monitor the impact of support and adapt provision where necessary.

Support may include targeted interventions, small-group or individual work, personalised approaches, reasonable adjustments or specialist support from external professionals.

Where a child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), we ensure that the provision and outcomes identified within the plan are understood, implemented and reviewed in partnership with families and relevant professionals.

Working with Families

We believe that parents and carers are experts in their children and that positive partnership between home and school is essential.

We welcome communication from families and encourage parents and carers to share their child's strengths, needs, concerns and aspirations with us. Children are also supported to have a voice in decisions about their education and provision.

If you have concerns about your child's learning, communication, emotional wellbeing, physical or sensory needs, please speak to your child's class teacher or contact Miss Crickson, our SENCo.

Inclusion Beyond the Classroom

Inclusion extends beyond the classroom. We are committed to ensuring that children with SEND have equitable opportunities to participate in trips, clubs, assemblies, performances, playtimes and the wider life of our school.

Where a child experiences a barrier to participation, we consider what reasonable adjustments or additional support may be needed.

We want every child to feel that they do not simply attend Graveney, but belong at Graveney