INCLUSION POLICY

Context

This Inclusion Policy is written in response to ADEK’s 2023 Inclusion Policy, which details how skilled professionals are equipped with the pedagogical knowledge to meet the diversity of needs present in schools. Through its implementation, this policy promotes a rights-based approach to education for all students where an understanding of equity and inclusion is instilled in all aspects of the community as set out in Federal Law No. (29) of 2006 Concerning the Rights of People with Disabilities and its amendments, and the School for All: General Rules for the Provision of Special Education Programs and Services (MOE, n.d.).

2023-24 – formulation of policy

2024-25 – transition year

2025-26 – new Inclusion Policy fully implemented

The school’s vision, mission, strategy, and targets in promoting inclusive education.

Diyafah International School is an inclusive school, with an inclusive history of welcoming and educating students with additional learning needs. Currently the school has 40 students registered on eSIS as having additional learning needs. These students are at Tier 3 and Tier 2 of support.

Vision:We are committed to a holistic based education in a caring and enlightened environment. We aim to foster creative thinking, courage of convictions and a positive attitude to draw out the highest potential in every student’s mind, spirit and body.

Mission:We value every child as a contributor and nurture each to 'Let Their Light Shine' and be a beacon to others in an ever-changing, complex society. We demonstrate this by welcoming students with an array of different needs, to be active members of the school community.

Targets: By September 2025, we will meet all the criteria laid out in ADEK’s 2023 Inclusion policy.

Current Provision – 2023/24

Current Provision is organised around the use of Shadow Teachers (Individual Assistants) to support students who have recognised and diagnosed additional learning needs.

Currently, 19 x Shadow Teachers/Individual Assistants are employed by parents to support their children in school.

The current Inclusion Team consists of:

1 x Head of Inclusion

1 x Gifted & Talented Coordinator, also in charge of the ASDAN programme

2 x Learning Support Assistants

ASDAN

ASDAN is a UK-based initiative where the goal is to engage students with additional learning needs through relevant and motivating courses to achieve meaningful learning outcomes, which elevate them to go on to further education, training and work, and empower them to take control of their lives. This is achievedthrough a number of designed courses with an accessible and practical pedagogy for learners; and by working with our partner educators to foster the personal, social and work-related abilities of young people in greatest need.

We know the development of personal, social and work-related abilities is vital for learners of all abilities because:

  • strengthening these abilities supports academic and vocational learning
  • they are particularly effective in re-engaging young people in greatest need
  • they are important for accessing knowledge and skills at work
  • they are especially important for entry level work
  • they equip learners to live well and make full use of their abilities

We believe that young people should have the opportunity to discover, develop and make use of their abilities to affirm their identities, contribute to society, and challenge educational and social inequalities.

Future Provision – 2025/25 onwards

Diyafah International School will move to a model where Individual Assistants are only used for all-round care provision for the neediest students. Individual Assistants will not work in class but will be on-hand to provide physical, pastoral and social support to the small number of students who require specialist care.

Details of how the school supports the admissions process for students with additional learning needs and their families

2023-24                Admitting Students with Additional Learning Needs:

In line with the principles of Federal Law No. (29) of 2006 Concerning the Rights of People with Disabilities and its amendments, students with additional learning needs shall, under no circumstances, be denied a place at Diyafah International School, provided the school has the capacity to admit them in the appropriate grade/year, as per Policy 44 (Student Admission, Registration, and Distribution). For 2023-24, capacity is defined as the ability

Accordingly, Diyafah International School’s admissions processes shall adhere to the following:

  1. Prioritizing the attendance of students with additional learning needs and their siblings in the same school.
  2. Requesting original clinical assessments reports from parents completed by any relevant specialists such as a therapist, psychologist, or pediatrician.

Supporting the transition process for all students with additional learning needs. In particular, targeted transition support shall be provided to:

a). Students starting school for the first time or coming from alternative early education settings.

b). Students transferring from specialized provision, homeschooling, or any other type of educational provision.

c).Students in exchange programs.

  1. Providing any accommodations required by the student to complete the assessment, if assessments are part of the school’s admissions process, and utilizing such assessments as a means to inform the provision of learning support as per Policy 44 (Student Admission, Registration, and Distribution). These assessments shall not be used to deny admission to the school.
  2. Using all information provided to ensure equitable and safe access to the learning and physical environment of the school for students with additional learning needs, making reasonable adjustments where necessary.
  3. Defining what constitutes the school’s “inability to accommodate” (see Section 2.2.).

Inability to Accommodate Notification: Where a school considers they are unable to meet the needs of any students with additional learning needs, the school shall submit an inability to accommodate notification to ADEK and the parents within 7 days of the admission decision being issued.

Inability to accommodate

Diyafah International School defines inability to accommodate as:

  • any situation where there are no physical places remaining in a classroom, as determined by ADEK’s capacity regulations (Cycle 1 @ 25 students per classroom), Cycle 2+3 @ 30 students per classroom) because the Year group is at capacity
  • any situation where the opening of a new classroom, including the capital expenditure for furniture, IT and teaching resources would result in a deficit in income for the school
  • any situation where, upon admission,a student has not been identified by the parents as having additional learning needs when formal records indicate that the student does, indeed have additional learning needs. These ‘back-door’ admissions will be rejected.
  • Whilst ‘back-door’, undisclosed admissions are not permitted, all other admissions for students who are registered as having additional learning needs will be accepted, provided there is physical capacity in the year group for which they will be admitted. Registered includes:
    • A clinical assessment, report and recommendations are available and shared with the school as part of the admissions process
    • eSIS registration – at either Tier 2 or Tier 3, as a POD (Person of Determination) student
    • an Individual Plan (IEP, IBP, ALP) from a previous school
    • assessment accommodations from a previous school
  • Back-door, undisclosed admissions, where a student is later discovered by the school to have registered additional learning needs will be considered to be a breach of disclosure and, therefore, contract by the school. The school will immediately seek de-registration on the basis of false information being presented
  • Where the additional learning needs include social, emotional and behavioural needs, these are required to be disclosed at the point of admission
  • Where a student requires additional care and support, outside of the classroom, then the school will request the parents to provide funding of up to 50% of school fees for the provision of an individual assistant.

The school’s standard inclusive provision for students with additional learning needs as per Section 3 of ADEK Inclusion Policy

Standard Inclusive Provision including:

  1. Staffing arrangements and eligibility 2023-24 (see Section 3.1 Inclusion Staff Requirements).

    a). 1 x Head of Inclusion

    b). 1 x SEN Teacher (postholder resigned December 2023, currently recruiting a replacement)

    c). 1 x Gifted & Talented Coordinator, also in charge of the ASDAN programme

    d). 2 x Learning Support Assistants

  2. Staffing arrangements and eligibility 2024-25 (see Section 3.1 Inclusion Staff Requirements).

    a). 1 x Head of Inclusion

    b). 3 x SEN Teacher (postholder resigned December 2023, currently recruiting a replacement)

    c). 1 x Gifted & Talented Coordinator, also in charge of the ASDAN programme

    d). 8 x Learning Support Assistants

  3. Accessibility and evacuation of the campus and learning spaces (see Section 3.2 Physical Accessibility).

    All learning spaces are accessible. Evacuation plans are in place for students with limited mobility, including the use of emergency evacuation chairs and trained staff.

  4. Inclusive teaching and learning support in pedagogy, curriculum, assessment accommodations, and through an identification, referral, and tracking system (see Section 3.3 Inclusive Teaching and Learning Support).
    • 2023-24: all students included in the curriculum except for students on the ASDAN programme, who have an adapted curriculum according to learning needs
    • Assessment accommodations are in place for all students
    • There is a centralised assessment and tracking system

Information regarding the charging of additional fees and any support required beyond that of the school’s standard inclusive provision (see Section 4. Additional Fees).

  • 2023-24: additional fees for Shadow Teachers/Individual Assistants are born by the parents
  • 2024-25: students with additional learning needs will be grouped across a year group so that internal provision, in the form of a Learning Support Assistant, can be provided to support learning. The school will base the fees for this additional learning support on a case-by-case basis, but never exceeding 50% of the annual school fee, as the additional learning support fee.

Definition of the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders involved in leading and delivering inclusive provision for students with additional learning needs (see Section 5. Leadership

School Principal: responsible for the implementation of the Inclusion Policy

Admissions Director: responsible for the admissions of students with additional learning needs

Head of Inclusion: responsible for the operational delivery of the Inclusion Policy, including admissions, assessment, planning, monitoring, evaluation, and leading the team of SEN teachers and Learning Support Assistants

SEN Teachers: 1 per cycle, providing in-class and out-of-class support, as determined by individual planning

Gifted & Talented Coordinator: responsible for the identification of, planning and provisioning students on the schools Gifted & Talented register

Learning Support Assistants: specialist class-based teaching assistants, who are deployed in addition to mandatory teaching assistant posts, and whose sole responsibility is the education and welfare of identified students with additional needs

1.2 Schools shall publish their Inclusion Policy on their website in both Arabic and English or their language of instruction.