What is Inclusion? 

Inclusion can be defined as attitudes and methods that ensure all learners can access education at Northside. Everyone works to make sure all learners feel welcome and valued, and that they get the right support to help them develop their talents and achieve their goals. When education is truly inclusive it can actually benefit all learners, not only those SEND learners.

The 1981 Education Act defines a pupil with Special Educational Needs as any pupil having a significant difficulty in relation to others of the same age. Children may have a significant difficulty in:

General learning: Children make slower progress than others of the same age in all subjects.

Specific learning: Children progress in most subjects at the same rate as others but they have difficulty in one subject or part of a subject.

Emotional or behavioural development: Children may have poor concentration or motivation, be over anxious or have difficulties with relationships with other children or adults.

Physical development or health-related: Children may have a degree of visual or hearing impairment, a chronic condition such as epilepsy that may affect their learning, or delayed or unusual development in movement, manipulation, etc.

Physical disability: Northside provides wheelchair access at the main entrance and a toilet that can be used by anybody with a physical disability, despite some of the classrooms having access via stairs we will endeavor to provide access for all pupils. 

If you have concerns about your child’s learning or progress in any of the above areas it is best to discuss these first with the class teacher who will refer the matter to the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) if necessary. At Northside, the SENCO is Lucy Mulvihill-Ellis (lmulvihill@northsideprimary.co.uk) We recognise that gifted children also have special educational needs and so we seek to identify these children so that opportunities to use and develop their talents are realised.

We follow the stages recommended in the Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs.