Developing an
Inclusive School Culture

School culture

• Create a whole-school approach to inclusion through establishing a school culture that celebrates diversity in all aspects of school life
• Develop an ‘Engagement and Inclusion Policy’ that promotes the value and importance of inclusion to all staff and students
• Welcome students with disabilities into the school community and support their transition from their previous school. Access AllPlay Learn's secondary teacher guide and information on transitioning to secondary school.
• Over the course of their schooling, guide students with disabilities to fulfilling post-school pathways. Access AllPlay Learn's transitions page for more information.
• Educate students in the school community about disability and the rights of students with disabilities in an informed and sensitive manner. Access AllPlay Learn's social inclusion page, and you can find resources to support peer inclusion here.
• Create a school environment that supports the safety, inclusion and well-being of students with disabilities in the classroom, outdoor areas and in shared areas (e.g. library).
• Facilitate positive peer relationships and actively teach students how to be inclusive. Access AllPlay Learn's teacher guide to bullying/exclusion.

Relationships with families

• Get to know the strengths, abilities and aspirations of students with disabilities and involve them and their families in decisions about their education and post-school pathways. Access AllPlay Learn's strength and abilities communication checklist and strengths poster
• Work in partnership with students with disabilities and their families to create positive educational experiences and to help them achieve their learning goals. Access AllPlay Learn's secondary teacher guide to parent-teacher meetings and inclusive questions page
• Consult with students and their families using Student Support Groups and Individual Learning Plans to maximise the learning. See AllPlay Learn's secondary teacher guide

Staff training and support

• Educate all staff about their obligations as set out in the Disability Standards for Education to provide equitable access to education for students with disabilities
• Appoint an appropriately trained Leading teacher (or Co-ordinator) to support the full inclusion of students with disabilities and the ongoing professional learning of teachers
• Use evidence-based strategies when teaching and engaging with students with disabilities. We have provided a summary of strengths- and evidence-based strategies that cater for a broad range of disabilities here. For strategies for specific disabilities, access our disability strategies page, and for strategies to support students with disabilities with specific situations they may find challenging access our daily strategies page
• Use strength- and evidence-based strategies, resources and tools to differentiate the curriculum for children with disabilities. Teachers can learn more about this by taking part in the AllPlay Learn professional learning courses
• When engaging in activities or classes such as dance or organised physical activity (e.g. football), consider using some of the resources from our AllPlay Move Dance and Footy programs. We have some great resources for dance teachers and footy coaches that may be suitable for you to use as a teacher
• Use evidence-based pedagogical methods and practice principles to differentiate the curriculum for students with disabilities
• Encourage peer support and collaboration among the staff to further teacher confidence and capacity to work with students with disabilities
• Partner with other schools to develop professional learning initiatives focussed on inclusion

Access specialised support services

• Engage Student Support Services who can provide allied health specialists such as psychologists and speech pathologists to support student learning
• Engage the Visiting Teacher Service through referring students who would benefit from specialist support in the classroom

Student support and engagement

• Implement a student engagement policy that actively seeks to support students through learning key skills to enable positive behaviour, and through addressing structures surrounding the student that are contributing to the behaviour. Access more information on emotion regulation, peer mediation, problem solving, and the ABC approach to behavior
• Support student well-being and self-regulation. See resources here, and access AllPlay Learn's stories, Monday freak out and How to be organised

Take a tour

Take an online tour to learn more about how the AllPlay Learn resources can support young people in educational environments.