Inclusion - Every Child Belongs

At East Bergholt CEVC Primary School, inclusion is at the heart of everything we do.

Rooted in our Christian vision and values of compassion, respect, justice, trust and courage, we are committed to creating a nurturing, respectful and inclusive community where every child is welcomed, known and valued and has the opportunity to flourish academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.

Inclusion means more than providing additional support. It means understanding our children well, recognising the barriers that some pupils may experience and taking action so that every child can belong, participate and achieve.

Our Inclusion Strategy

Our inclusion strategy is built around a simple commitment:

Every child belongs. Every child participates. Every child is supported to achieve and flourish.

We maintain high expectations for all pupils while recognising that children have different experiences, strengths and needs. We seek to identify barriers early and make appropriate adaptations so that pupils can access a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum and participate fully in school life.

Our approach considers the needs of all pupils, with particular attention to children who may experience additional barriers to learning, participation or wellbeing. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), disadvantaged pupils, children with medical needs, children known or previously known to children's social care, children with English as an additional language and any pupil whose individual circumstances create a barrier to their learning or wellbeing.

How We Put Inclusion into Practice

Our approach begins with knowing our children well.

Teachers use assessment and their knowledge of individual pupils to identify strengths, needs and potential barriers to learning. High-quality, inclusive teaching is our starting point, supported where necessary by adaptations, scaffolding, appropriate resources and targeted interventions.

For pupils with SEND, we use a graduated approach to identify need, plan appropriate provision and review its impact. Our SENCO works closely with teachers, families and specialist services to ensure that children receive appropriate support and that staff understand their individual needs.

We recognise that barriers to achievement are not always academic. Attendance, behaviour, communication, social and emotional wellbeing, medical needs and individual or family circumstances can all affect a child's experience of school. We work with pupils, parents and carers and, where appropriate, external professionals to understand and respond to these barriers.

Participation and Belonging

We want every pupil to feel that East Bergholt is their school and that they have a meaningful part to play in our community.

Inclusion extends beyond lessons. Pupils are encouraged and supported to participate in the wider life of the school, including leadership opportunities, collective worship, clubs, sport and other enrichment experiences.

Pupil voice is an important part of this. Through our School Council, Class Councils and bi-weekly Pupil Voice sessions and everyday conversations with children, pupils have opportunities to share their views, raise concerns, suggest improvements and contribute to decisions about school life.

“At our school, everyone is included and treated with kindness because we are all different and special. We learn to respect other people's lives and beliefs, and nobody is made to feel left out.”
— Year 5 Pupil

Equality, Diversity and Respect

We want children to understand that difference is a normal and positive part of life.

Through our curriculum, collective worship and wider school experiences, pupils learn about different people, families, communities, cultures and beliefs. We teach children to recognise and challenge stereotypes and discrimination and to treat others with dignity and respect.

Our No Outsiders programme supports this work through carefully selected, age-appropriate books and discussion. It helps pupils explore equality, diversity and belonging and reinforces a simple message:

Everyone is welcome. No one should feel like an outsider.

This work forms part of our wider commitment to the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty and helps prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.

Working With Families

Parents and carers are important partners in inclusion.

We recognise that families know their children well and that effective support is strongest when school and home work together. We listen to parents and carers, involve them in decisions about their child's provision where appropriate and work with external agencies and professionals when additional expertise is needed.

We also listen to the experiences of pupils themselves. Understanding how children experience school helps us identify barriers that may not always be immediately visible.

How We Know Our Approach Is Working

Inclusion is an ongoing process of identifying need, taking action and evaluating impact.

School leaders and governors review the effectiveness of our provision through a range of evidence. This includes, as appropriate, pupils' attainment and progress, attendance, behaviour, participation, individual provision and outcomes, and the views and experiences of pupils and families.

We pay particular attention to the experiences and outcomes of groups of pupils who may face barriers to their learning or wellbeing.

Where evidence identifies a barrier, inequality or area for improvement, leaders consider what action is required, monitor its impact and adapt provision where necessary. Relevant priorities and actions are reflected within school improvement and strategic planning.

Governors provide oversight and challenge, including through their monitoring of SEND, pupil outcomes, teaching and learning, safeguarding and other areas of school improvement.

Our Commitment

At East Bergholt CEVC Primary School, inclusion is not a separate initiative. It is reflected in our teaching, relationships, curriculum, policies, leadership and the decisions we make every day.

We are committed to:

• maintaining high expectations for every pupil;
• identifying and removing barriers to learning, participation and wellbeing;
• providing high-quality inclusive teaching and appropriate additional support;
• listening to pupils and working in partnership with families;
• promoting equality and challenging discrimination;
• celebrating difference and developing understanding of communities, cultures, beliefs and experiences beyond our own;
• ensuring pupils with SEND can access and participate in the curriculum and wider school life;
• considering the experiences and outcomes of disadvantaged pupils and others who may face additional barriers; and
• continually evaluating the impact of our provision so that we can improve it.

Our ambition is that every child is known, valued and included; that every child feels that they belong; and that every child is given the opportunity to achieve and flourish.