What does an inclusive school look like?

What does this look like?

School leaders implement policies and processes:

• that help students feel safe and accepted

Teachers:

• build supportive and respectful relationships with students and families
• model healthy social, emotional and communication skills
• support students in developing friendships with their peers

Students:

• feel safe, accepted and a strong sense of belonging
• are welcoming and accepting of peers and others in their school community
• develop healthy social, emotional and communication skills

What does this look like?

School leaders:

• promote shared inclusive language across the school community
• create a school culture that recognises the strengths, value and identity of all school community members. This is not tokenistic, such as a once off celebration of a culture once a year

Teachers create learning activities:

• that reflect diversity (for example, stories and pictures include people with disability and a range of cultural backgrounds)
• that do not exclude or harm individuals or groups (for example, family tree activities may be distressing for some children; some activities and games could exclude a student with physical disability)

Students:

• feel their identity, traditions and experiences are represented and valued in the school
• are sensitive and responsive to the perspectives and experiences of others

What does this look like?

School leaders and teachers:

• regularly reflect on and improve school and classroom inclusive policies, processes and practices
• take time to understand and respond to the preferences and needs of all members of the school community
• recognise that the strategies that support students with diverse learning needs tend to benefit all students, and use these consistently across classes and learning environments

School leaders:

• make sure all staff understand their legal responsibilities and mandates in relation to inclusion
• support staff to participate regularly in professional learning on inclusive education practices
• encourage staff to consider and implement adjustments required to support whole class and individual learning

Teachers:

• consider the learning profile, strengths, and readiness of each student
• develop goals and learning activities that are meaningful, interesting, challenging and accessible to every student
• where possible, adjustments are introduced without drawing attention to individual students or acting as a barrier to peer collaboration or group work

For example, written summaries of key points might be provided to all students in a class instead of individuals, or worksheets may contain different questions but use the same colours and formatting.

Students:

• are equipped to recognise when a peer is not able to participate, and to take appropriate action (e.g., change the game, or advocate for their peer)

What does this look like?

School leaders and teachers consider:

• whole school policies and processes
• the physical environment (for example, school and classroom accessibility; sensory or safe spaces)
• the inclusive practices of teachers and education support staff (for example, all students can access learning materials in ways that allow them to demonstrate their learning)
• building strong networks between staff, external providers (for example, allied health professionals), students, and families
• how to include the broader school community in school events and volunteer opportunities, including parents or carers with disability or who are culturally and linguistically diverse
• the accessibility of excursions and school activities, including accommodating for potential costs (for example, accessible transport and support staff)

For example, when planning school events this could involve:

• communicating where clearly identified accessible parking and toilets are located
• presenting information in multiple formats (verbal, captions, brief dot points in a presentation, translator where appropriate, and emailing out summaries of key information)
• acknowledgement of country

What does this look like?

School leaders and teachers:

• create ‘safe spaces’ for all students to share their ideas and views, and are responsive to what students share
• consider the ways in which students may have different preferences for how and where they can communicate confidently
• actively address power imbalances between staff and students, and within cohorts
• allow students to have input and choices in their learning
• teach key skills (for example, problem-solving; self-regulation; and self-advocacy) so that students can tackle and master challenges for themselves

Students:

• share, and advocate for, their ideas and views in their learning, support and engagement at school
• set goals, make choices, problem solve where needed, and experience ownership in their learning and experiences at school
• experience leadership opportunities in ways that align with their personal strength

What does this look like?

School leaders:

• focus on student strengths and successes
• pause and reflect on the attitudes, expectations, and understandings of disability or other intersectional identities that may impact student achievement
• communicate and engage in ways that promote high expectations of all students

Teachers:

• monitor student progress using goals set with students and their families
• engage in teaching practices that reflect high expectations. For example, all engagement with students is supportive and positive; the contribution of all students is planned for; and all students receive similar levels of feedback and opportunities to respond

Students:

• are developing a growth mindset (i.e., the belief that through persistence they can grow in their learning and personal goal achievements)
• set and achieve personal goals