Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

Trinity Academy Akroydon is committed to providing an appropriate and high quality education to all the children in our care. We believe that all children, including those identified as having additional educational needs’ have a common entitlement to a broad and balanced academic and social curriculum, which is accessible to them, and to be fully included in all aspects of school life.
All children should be equally valued in school. We strive to eliminate prejudice and discrimination, and to develop an environment where all children can flourish and feel safe. We aim to develop cultures, policies and practices that include all learners. Our approach will engender a sense of community and belonging, and will offer new opportunities to learners who may have experienced previous difficulties.

We believe that educational inclusion is about equal opportunities for all learners, whatever their age, gender, ethnicity, impairment, attainment and background. We pay particular attention to the provision for and the achievement of different groups of learners:

• learners of all ages
• minority ethnic and faith groups, travellers, asylum seekers and refugees
• learners who need support to learn English as an additional language (EAL)
• learners with special educational needs
• learners who are disabled
• those who are gifted and talented
• those who are looked after by the local authority
• others such as those who are sick, those who are young carers, those who are in families under stress
• and any learners who are at risk of disaffection and exclusion.

Our aim is to remove any barriers to learning, which are prohibiting any child from achieving their potential. Pupil performance and well-being go hand in hand. Children can’t learn if they don’t feel safe or if health problems are allowed to create barriers. We want every child to fulfil their potential, regardless of their background or circumstances.

We have a SENCo, a Designated Child Protection Officer and two Pastoral workers, who, oversee the progress and additional support of all of the learners described above. They support and liaise with the class teachers about the children’s needs, meet with parents, seek advice from outside agencies and keep the Senior Leadership Team and Governors informed about the needs of the children at the school.

Disability

As a school, it is our duty to provide an inclusive environment for disabled pupils under the Equality Act of 2010.

The Equality Act’s definition of a disability is:
‘You are disabled if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities’.

What ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ means

‘Substantial’ is more than minor or trivial – e.g. it takes much longer than it usually would to complete a daily task like getting dressed.
‘Long-term’ means 12 months or more – e.g. a breathing condition that develops as a result of a lung infection.
For further information on the Equality Act 2010 click on the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-guidance

Access to the Environment

• Trinity Academy Akroydon  is a single site school.
• The school area is built on four levels.
• We have made sure that there are good lighting and safety arrangements (for example, markings on steps) for all visually impaired pupils. Our classrooms provide good acoustic conditions so that the effects of hearing difficulties are minimised (part-carpeting, quiet areas).
• Children requiring equipment due to an impairment will be assessed in order to gain the support that they require.
• Details of our plans and targets on improving environmental access are contained in the Access Plan.

We also have a duty to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to make sure disabled students are not discriminated against. These changes could include:
changes to physical features – for example, creating a ramp so that students can enter a classroom
providing extra support and aids (such as specialist teachers or equipment).

Incorporating disability into the Curriculum

• The PSHE curriculum includes issues of disability, difference and valuing diversity. Advice will be sought from organisations which cater for those with disabilities for appropriate resources.
• Disabled adults are invited to work with the children, as we believe it is important to have role models, and we encourage people living with disabilities to join our governing body.
• The library resources are regularly reviewed to ensure they include books that reflect the range of special educational needs issues and come from a disability equality perspective, and priority is given to the ordering of books with positive images and a positive portrayal of Disabled People as they become available.

Terminology, imagery and disability equality

• The school is aware of the impact of language on children within the school. We work with the children to understand the impact of the words they use, and deal seriously with derogatory name calling related to special educational needs or disability under our Anti-Bullying Policy.
• We also try to make sure we have positive images of disabled children and adults in displays, resources etc.
• We aim to make optimum use of PSHE lessons for raising issues of language and other disability equality issues.