Inclusion
“If you get it right for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable, you get it right for everyone.” Sir Martyn Oliver
At St Agnes CE Primary School, inclusion is at the very heart of everything we do. We are committed to creating a nurturing environment where every child - regardless of their background, needs, or circumstances - can thrive and reach their fullest potential.
Our inclusive approach extends to celebrating and supporting the rich diversity of our school community. As a school which boasts 17 different languages, we warmly welcome children with English as an additional language (EAL), providing tailored support to help them access the curriculum and feel confident in their learning. We are equally committed to meeting the social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs of our pupils, recognising that wellbeing is fundamental to academic success and personal development. Our SENDCo works closely with school staff, pupils, families and outside agencies to ensure the best level of education are available to any pupil identified as having SEN or a disability. As a school, we work tirelessly to identify these needs early and put the right support in place, ensuring that no child is left behind. The commitment of our parents and carers to keep this a key part of our school is vital.
As a proud Peace Mala school, we actively promote understanding, respect and harmony between different cultures, faiths and traditions. All of our children learn to appreciate the beauty of diversity and to stand together against prejudice and discrimination. This commitment is further reflected in our Gold Rights Respecting School status, which demonstrates our ongoing commitment to embedding the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into our daily practice.Our children are proud to be part of our diverse and inclusive school. We teach our children that every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and we empower our pupils to become compassionate and responsible global citizens. All of our student bodies are democratically elected and it is a core foundation of our school - it fosters senses of belonging, value and respect in what they are trying to achieve as student bodies.
We are committed to providing the best support for our pupils and have a dedicated member of staff who has a rolling programme of allocated children to complete sessions with each afternoon. These are led by the children and are an opportunity for the children to talk through any potential worries or thoughts they may have. These sessions are not there to fix children’s problems, the main aim is providing emotional support, to establish a warm, respectful relationship with the children and to provide a reflective space where they can share their thoughts and feelings honestly.
We work utilise the Manchester Inclusion Strategy Toolkit to embed inclusive practices across the school, following its guiding principles of putting relationships first (identified by staff as the most important part of Autumn term), being curious and kind to all children, regarding children with additional needs as ‘vulnerable not troublesome’, working collaboratively to find solutions, and treating exclusion from the classroom as a last resort. Staff use routines and structures to help children meet high expectations, St Agnes SLT ensure all staff are trained to meet children's needs and work closely with staff, parents and carers in decision-making, and collaboratively identify strategies to help every child be included.
To find out more about SEND at St Agnes, please click here.