The King Fahad Academy IB Learning Diversity & Inclusion Education Policy [SEN]
The statement of intent from the KFA Learning Support and Additional/special Educational Needs policy emphatically states that the KFA provides an environment in which all children are supported to reach their full potential. The policy also asserts that: the KFA embraces inclusive practises and recognises that developing the learning of all students is the shared responsibility of the classroom and specialist support teachers...it is the goal of The King Fahad Academy to create an educational setting, where all students benefit from a multimodal approach that facilitates all learning styles in an authentic, interactive learning environment. To achieve this goal, the academy will enhance classroom technology at all levels, and will provide additional teaching resources in all primary and secondary classes as possible. This concept of supplemental instruction will be incorporated into every educational experience. Similarly, the KFA inclusion and disability non-discrimination working document upholds that: We at the KFA Believe all children should have an equal opportunity to attend our school, and this of course includes pupils with disabilities. There are limitations however, to the structure of the building, which limit the range of disabilities the school can cater for. (E.g. Wheel chair access is limited only to the ground floor). Will make reasonable adjustments to ensure that pupils and members of staff and members of the public are not disadvantaged. Will do our best to anticipate the needs of a pupil or member of staff with disabilities before he or she joins the school. Ensure that pupils with a disability will not be treated less favourably than others because of the nature of their disability. Value individuals and celebrate their achievements. Ensure policies and systems are in place to promote inclusive provision and practice. Identify and respond to individual needs Identify and overcome barriers to learning for groups and individuals. Set suitable learning challenges for pupil. The IB s commitment to inclusive approaches to education has been emphatically demonstrated in action and backed by its latest decision to replace the term: special education needs to Inclusive Education and Learning Diversity with reference to all the programmes developed by the IBO. Thus principles and practice of the IB diploma programmes at the KFA mirrors both the IBO and the KFA inclusion policies. Indeed, the enrolment of students into our IB diploma programme is designed to appeal to students with diverse range of skills and abilities. There are some indications that suggest that our IBDP admission principles and practice fully conform to the expectations of the IBO, by ensuring that our enrolment approach and teaching and learning interactions do not view:... Individual differences... as problems to be fixed, but as opportunities for enriched learning, (and), Diversity is a positive resource with regard to what it means to be internationally minded and interculturally aware [SEN within the IB programmes: 2010]. Page 1 of 6
In practice, the KFA inclusion and diversity action at the Diploma level can be grouped into three phases: Enrolment phase Teaching and learning phase Examination phase The enrolment phase is initiated at the enrolment stage and consists of series of tests in English language and Mathematics, followed by an interview before making final offers of admission and acceptance of subjects to new students to join the diploma programme. The feedbacks from the tests enable us to assess the literacy and numeracy levels of the new students with a view to liaise with and make adequate arrangement, where necessary, in consultation with the SENCo and members of the SEN department. We rely on the expertise of the SEN department and the full cooperation of the new student and their parents to be forthright with information necessary to enable the SEN and IB diploma teachers to provide the best learning support possible. The KFA IB diploma fully supports the assertion that: Early identification of SEN is important and the school makes every effort to identify these needs. Identification is achieved through any of the following means: Admission documents Teachers feedback Contact with parents who express concern over the child s progress Classroom monitoring and observation by the class teacher Use of standardised tests taken throughout the school when possible Other assessments made by the class teacher or SENCo Use of transfer records Referral System (see KFA referral form) Referral system to Gifted &Talented (see KFA G&T referral form). [KFA SEN Policy: 2012-13] To maximise the SEN early identification effort, the IBDP will endeavour to work closely with the SEN department and will reassure both students and parents and, indeed, everyone involved, confidentiality of data, document and information. IBDP and SEN colleagues will be provided with relevant publications from the IB, such as [Teaching Students with particular special educational and learning needs a resource for schools: 2004], to aid in identification. The teaching and learning phase kicks in when the IB diploma teaching and learning interactions begin. With reference to the IB s stance on special needs, the KFA IB diploma also expects and support the notion that students may have the intellectual capacity to meet all the curriculum and assessment requirements but may need additional to enable them to attain their full potential. [IBO: Candidates with special assessment needs: 2011] To fully enhance our initiative towards the identification and tailoring of in-class support to where it is specifically needed, we have introduced a template: the KFA IBDP Individual Teaching and Page 2 of 6
Differentiation Initiative for diploma students. This will be used in full consultation with the SEN department, the diploma coordinator and colleagues teaching the diploma programme. With reference to teaching and learning, our aim is to raise achievement and progress in ALL pupils, including those who have Special Educational Needs; thus our endeavour has an increased focus on enabling our IBDP students, from their starting point, to: Make expected progress Make more than expected progress [Ofsted: 2012] From: Visual representation of the four principles of good practice in an IB SEN learning cycle. [Some scaffolding strategies] visual aids demonstrations dramatization small, structured collaborative groups teacher language use of mother tongue or best language to develop ideas and initial plans. [ibid]. It is anticipated that by adopting some of the interactions above, our teaching would appeal to a range of interest and so help to engage everyone in our lessons. To enhance our practice, active support of the SEN department will be sought for such procedures as the use of use of appropriate diagnostic assessment, referral to qualified learning intervention personnel and expert guidance for conformity to the UK SEN code of practice. Thus, the teaching and learning phase will endeavour to promote individual student achievement, helping to build self-esteem and Meet the individual learning needs of those students and Page 3 of 6
improve their inclusion in the mainstream classroom. [IBO: 2004]. Colleagues will be requested to refer to the IB publication: [Teaching Students with particular special educational and learning needs a resource for schools: 2004], helpful hints, such as the nature of difficulty and implications for learner, teaching strategies and resources are highlighted. The Examination phase represents the final piece of the KFA IBDP diploma SEN support jigsaw. It is a short but intense part of our support system and it involves everyone from the teachers, the SENCo, diploma coordinator, parents and the authorisation of the IBO. The IB recognised that to enable all candidates to demonstrate their ability under assessment conditions that are as fair as possible, it is necessary for schools to provide special arrangements for candidates with special needs. [DP handbook: 2012] There are possibilities for KFA IB diploma special needs candidates to be offered the benefit of the following facilities: readers, scribes, prompters, word-processing, additional time and separate examination room, provided that their specific learning needs have been identified early and specific request made to the IB and express permission received. Where such permission is granted, the KFA will endeavour to provide members of staff who are familiar with the use of the hard and software required by the candidate to complete their assessment. Learning Diversity and Inclusion Policy at the PYP and MYP: As is the practice at the Diploma level, the PYP and MYP approaches to learning diversity and inclusion mirrors both the KFA and the IB s philosophy in promoting equal access to the curriculum for all learners. Inclusion practice really comes into good practice at the PYP and MYP with the amplification and application of the four principles of good practice as identified by the IB: affirming identity and building self-esteem; valuing prior knowledge; scaffolding and extending learning. In the process of support provision, teachers try hard to distinguish between ESL and learning diversity cases in students as well as appreciating and understanding various cultural and linguistic differences, to ensure that misunderstanding and misrepresentations do not arise. The KFA learning support department believes in the early identification procedure and involves reference to the following: Admission documents e.g. entrance test Teacher s/ and or parents feedback Referral procedure explained at presentation during INSET and emailed to all staff members and at discussion session with parents delivered in both Arabic and English languages Page 4 of 6
Contact with parents who express concern over the child s progress Classroom monitoring and observation by the class teacher and specialists Use of transferred records of previous school Referral System for the support delivered in Arabic or English (see KFA referral forms) Referral system to Gifted &Talented (ref. KFA G&T referral form). The KFA learning diversity and inclusion department in collaboration with the language department have set in place the provision of TAs (teaching assistants and Internal Individual education Plan (IIEP). Individual TAs work closely with teachers during class period, ensuring that the identified students benefit immensely from the teaching and learning interactions. Where students are formally placed into IIEP, such IIEPs will be created with the full support of the class teacher in PYP or the subject teachers in the MYP group. The duration of the IIEP is determined by the SENCo in conjunction with the class teacher and with reference to the set criteria as outlined in the main KFA SEN policy. In line with the SEN and Disability Act 2001, the KFA operates three stage approaches on inclusion: School Action; School Action Plus and Statement where necessary. At all times, special attention is given to students confidentiality and the need to maintain the students self-esteem. [Revised January 2014] Page 5 of 6