Our Vision for Inclusion (Intent)

At St Mary’s, inclusion sits at the heart of our mission to ensure that every child can aspire, be nurtured and flourish. Guided by our Christian vision, 'Aspiring, nurturing, flourishing; together shining a light', we are committed to creating a school community where every child feels a strong sense of belonging and is supported to reach their full potential.

We believe that all children, regardless of background, need or circumstance, deserve an exceptional education. Inclusion at St Mary’s is not limited to pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). It is about identifying and removing barriers to learning, whether these arise from SEND, English as an Additional Language (EAL), disadvantage, social, emotional or mental health needs, medical needs or personal circumstances.

We are committed to removing barriers to learning so that every child can grow in confidence, develop independence and achieve success. Through inclusive teaching, thoughtful adaptations and strong relationships, we ensure that all children feel safe, valued and encouraged throughout their learning journey.

Our inclusive philosophy is simple:

“Essential for some, useful for all.”

This means that the strategies, adaptations and supports we put in place for individual pupils often benefit all learners, strengthening access to the curriculum and enabling every child to engage, participate and excel.

Inclusion at St Mary’s is more than a policy. It is a commitment to equity, empathy and high expectations, ensuring that every child is seen, supported and celebrated for who they are and who they can become.

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How We Achieve Inclusion (Implementation)

High-Quality Teaching First

All pupils at St Mary’s benefit from high-quality, inclusive classroom teaching. Teachers have high expectations of all learners and use their knowledge of individual children to adapt teaching, provide appropriate scaffolds and make reasonable adjustments so that pupils can access learning and achieve ambitious outcomes.

We use the Five-a-day approach to support our inclusive classrooms. You can find out more about this within our Curriculum Page.

1. Explicit Instruction

2. Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategies

3. Scaffolding

4. Flexible Grouping

5. Use of Technology

 

 

Support for children is carefully tailored and may include:

• Inclusive classroom strategies and reasonable adjustments using Hertfordshire's Ordinarily Available provision

• Targeted scaffolding and adapted resources

• Small-group or 1:1 interventions where appropriate

• Pastoral and emotional support to nurture confidence, wellbeing and positive relationships

 

Graduated Approach to SEND Support

Where pupils require additional support, we follow a graduated approach in line with the SEND Code of Practice:

Assess – Plan – Do – Review

This ensures that needs are identified early, provision is planned thoughtfully, support is implemented effectively and impact is reviewed regularly. Parents, pupils and staff work together to review progress and agree next steps.

Children receiving SEND support may have an SEND Support Plan and/or Positive Behaviour Plan, which is shared with parents and reviewed termly. Wherever possible, support takes place within the classroom so that children remain fully included in everyday learning alongside their peers.

 

Click here for A Guided Tour of Provision at St Mary's

Areas of Need

Special educational provision that is additional to and different from the differentiated curriculum is planned to support the four broad areas of need:

• Communication and interaction

• Cognition and learning

• Social, emotional and mental health

• Sensory and/or physical needs

 

Working in Partnership

We place families at the heart of our inclusive practice and recognise parents and carers as key partners in their child’s education. We listen carefully to parent and pupil views, ensuring that communication is open, supportive and responsive.

Our SEND provision is led by our SENDCo, Mrs Jane Budd, who works closely with teachers, leaders and families to coordinate support and ensure that children receive the right help at the right time.
senco@stmarys698.herts.sch.uk

We also work in partnership with a range of external professionals and services, ensuring a multi-professional approach to meeting the needs of all vulnerable learners such as:

• Advisory Teachers
• CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service) 
• Hearing Impairment Team 
• Visual Impairment Team 
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Paediatric Services (Occupational Therapy/Physiotherapy)
• School Nurse 
• Educational Psychology

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Personal Development and Inclusion

At St Mary’s, we recognise that personal development is central to inclusion. Removing barriers to learning also means ensuring that all children have equitable access to the wider experiences that build confidence, character, aspiration and a strong sense of belonging.

Our inclusive approach extends beyond the classroom and is intentionally designed through our five Enrichment areas, ensuring that no child is excluded from opportunities that support personal growth:

• Curriculum enrichment – deepening learning, building confidence and applying knowledge in meaningful contexts

• Co-curricular enrichment – ensuring access to clubs, trips, visits and wider experiences that broaden horizons

• Cultural capital – providing rich experiences that develop vocabulary, understanding of the world and life beyond the classroom

• Leadership opportunities – enabling all children, including those with additional needs, to take on responsibility, have a voice and develop self-belief

• The St Mary’s Changemaker Project – empowering pupils to act with compassion, courage and purpose, living out our values and making a positive difference within the school and wider community

Reasonable adjustments and thoughtful support ensure that all pupils, including those with SEND or additional needs, can engage meaningfully and succeed across these enrichment opportunities.

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Measuring Success (Impact)

We know our inclusive approach is effective because:

• Barriers to learning are identified early and addressed promptly

• Pupils with SEND access the full curriculum and wider school life alongside their peers

• Children make progress from their individual starting points

• Pupils grow in confidence, independence and resilience

• Parents feel listened to and confident in the support their child receives

 

Progress is monitored through:

• Ongoing formative assessment and termly summative assessment

• Regular review of SEND Support Plans and Positive Behaviour Plans

• Pupil Progress Meetings involving teachers, senior leaders and the SENDCo

• Continuous dialogue with pupils and families

Where pupils do not make expected progress despite targeted support, the SENDCo works closely with families and the Local Authority to consider next steps, including Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments where appropriate.

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Our Commitment

At St Mary’s, inclusion is woven into daily practice, curriculum design, personal development and school culture. Guided by compassion and high expectations, we work together to ensure that every child is nurtured, supported and able to shine.

We work in close partnership with families and welcome open communication. If you have any concerns, please speak with your child’s class teacher, the SENDCo, the Headteacher or the Assistant Headteacher.

 

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What is Delivering Special Provision Locally (DSPL9)?

DSPL is a Hertfordshire-wide partnership approach where parents, staff in early years settings and schools, further education colleges, local authority officers and representatives from other agencies, work together as part of an Area Group, reviewing and developing the range of provision and support services available to their local community that :

• Meets the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), aged 0-25, as close to home as possible.

• Improves outcomes for wellbeing and attainment
• Widens choice for children and parents/carers
• Removes barriers to learning
• Uses resources more effectively

Further information can be found by clicking on the following link:  http://dsplarea9.org.uk/

The Hertfordshire Local Offer

The Local Offer lets parents and young people know what special educational needs and disabilities services are available in Hertfordshire, and who can access them. 

Further information can be found by clicking on the following link:  https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/microsites/local-offer/the-hertfordshire-local-offer.aspx