Inclusion at Flanshaw- A Tiered Approach

Our intent is that all children have equitable access to the curriculum and opportunities to demonstrate their learning and make progress from their start point.  Our inclusive practice recognises and celebrates children’s individuality and diversity.  We are committed to pupils accessing their age-related curriculum and accessing learning amongst their peers.  We prioritise quality first teaching approaches to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their learning barriers, can successfully engage in classroom learning.  At Flanshaw, we have established a tiered approach to inclusive practise so that the individual need of every pupil is carefully considered.  The tiered approach ensures that pupils with Special Educational Needs are given the targeted and specialist support s that the specific learning barriers are overcome to allow them to access the mainstream curriculum from their start point.

Tier 1 – High quality teaching for all and adaptive teaching principles

The majority of our children will achieve through high quality classroom teaching. Quality First Teaching is at the heart of a broad and rich curriculum that engages children in a range of activities and experiences to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding. It involves creating an inclusive learning environment where teachers use personalised instruction to address the diverse needs of pupils. Adaptions are made within the regular classroom setting to accommodate the learning styles and abilities of all children, including those with SEND.  We have devised a set of adaptive teaching principles that are used across school to ensure that pupils can access learning effectively from their start point.

Tier 2 – Targeted Support to address gaps in foundational knowledge and skills

Some children require additional support to achieve well. This can often be provided through small group intervention programmes delivered by a classroom-based member of staff, which will advance children’s progress and help them achieve in line with their peers, or the use of specialised resources to support their learning. The adaptions made at this stage are tailored to the individual requirements of the pupil from their start point.  In some lessons, pupils may require personalised teaching and learning from their start point so that they can be successful.  Some pupils will receive small group or 1:1 intervention outside of the classroom to address specific areas of foundational knowledge.

Tier 3 – Specialist SEND Support: Small Step Plans, MSPs, EHCPs and access to provision  

Some children require a more personalised approach that is tailored to their specific difficulties. This stage often involves accessing external services such as Educational Psychology or WISENDSS advisory teachers to assess the child’s needs and provide more intensive interventions. This could include in class support, targeted support through Small steps plans or a My Support Plan (MSP) or Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). The adaptions at this stage are highly individualised and aim to meet the unique needs of the pupil. In some cases, where a child is not making sufficient progress or has more complex needs, they may be withdrawn from the classroom at specific times throughout the week to access targeted interventions or high-quality provision rooms. These provision rooms offer a higher specialist staff-to-pupil ratio, quieter learning environments and bespoke, personalised curricula. All such provision is carefully planned, monitored and overseen by the SENCO in collaboration with class teachers, ensuring continuity, inclusion and progress for each child.  Some pupils with complex needs will follow specific SEND pathways; this will involve access to high-quality provision areas outside of the classroom to enable them to access the curriculum from their start point with increased scaffolds and adult support.  These spaces will give the pupils access to the continuous provision areas and play based activities that they still require based on their developmental stage.  Each SEN provision also gives the pupils access to high-quality sensory areas to help with self-regulation. 

The success of the education offered to children with SEND will be judged by the extent to which pupils make progress from their individual starting points and are supported to achieve their full potential. Successful education for all means that every child has the same opportunities as their peers, but their learning journey is personalised to meet their needs, abilities, and interests.

With regard to achievement, the following points are particularly important:

• To ensure that all pupils have equal access to a broad, balanced curriculum, differentiated to meet individual needs and abilities
• To ensure that the aims of education for pupils with difficulties and disabilities are the same as those for all pupils
• To ensure that the expectation of progress for SEND pupils is the same as for other children, while recognising that their starting points and learning journeys may differ.