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 so that every child can participate, succeed and flourish.

Our inclusive philosophy is simple:

“Essential for some, useful for all.”

This means that the strategies, adaptations and support we put in place for individual pupils often strengthen access to learning and benefit all children across the school community.

We believe inclusion is not about helping children fit into school, but about creating environments where all children are able to participate, succeed and flourish. We are committed to developing a culture where diversity is valued, barriers are reduced and every child feels a genuine sense of belonging within our school community.

Provision for All

At St Mary’s, inclusive classroom practice is rooted in our “Provision for All” approach and Hertfordshire’s Ordinarily Available Provision guidance.

Teachers have high expectations for all learners and use adaptive teaching approaches to ensure children can access learning successfully. This may include:

• scaffolded learning and adapted resources
• visual supports and structured routines
• flexible grouping
• pre-teaching and vocabulary support
• sensory and emotional regulation strategies
• assistive technology where appropriate
• nurture and pastoral support

Our aim is to create calm, inclusive and ambitious learning environments where all children feel safe, valued and ready to learn.

High-Quality Teaching and Adaptive Practice

High-quality teaching is the foundation of our inclusive practice. Through our core pedagogy and Five-a-Day adaptive teaching approach, staff carefully adapt learning to remove barriers and enable all pupils to participate successfully alongside their peers.

We believe inclusive teaching benefits every learner and helps children develop confidence, independence and resilience over time.

Personal Development and Wellbeing

At St Mary’s, inclusion extends beyond the classroom. We are committed to ensuring all children have equitable access to the wider opportunities that build confidence, character and aspiration.

This includes:

• curriculum enrichment
• clubs, trips and wider experiences
• leadership opportunities
• emotional wellbeing support
• the St Mary’s Changemaker Project
• pastoral and nurture support

Strong relationships, consistent routines and supportive environments help children develop confidence, resilience and a strong sense of belonging within our school community.

Working in Partnership

We place families at the heart of our inclusive practice and value open, supportive communication between home and school. Staff work closely with pupils, parents and external professionals to ensure children receive the right support at the right time.

Further Information

Please explore the Inclusion subpages below for more information about:

• SEND
• Pupil Premium
• Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Accessibility
• Equality Objectives
• Attendance
• Provision for All