National Policies | Scottish Borders Inclusion Framework

This Inclusion Framework outlines our local approach to the following key national policies and guidance in relation to inclusion for all learners;

Present
Entitlement to Education – Local Authorities have a duty to provide an education for all children and young people.
The best Inclusive Practice can only happen when children are healthy and attend school. This requires partnership working and the rigorous application of policies and procedures to maximise attendance. Further guidance on attendance is available in Scottish Borders Council’s revised Attendance Policy (2020).
Maximising time, ensuring appropriate learning conditions in schools and early years establishments, including reducing exclusions, is a priority locally and nationally. Absence and exclusion prevents children from being; present, participating, achieving and supported. National statistics on exclusions from schools indicate that children and young people are more likely to be excluded where they:
• are assessed or declared as having a disability; • are looked after; • are from the most deprived areas; • have an additional support need (ASN); and • have an additional support need that has been identified as social, emotional and behavioural

Participating
Entitlement to wellbeing – Local Authorities have a duty to safeguard, support and promote the wellbeing of children and young people.
To ensure all learners are actively participating, appropriate ethos and culture must be in place. The Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research (2016) linked staff perception of positive school ethos directly to behaviour.
A positive school ethos and climate are key determinants in developing inclusive learning communities. All learning communities should engage directly with families, learners and staff to foster a positive and inclusive environment based on positive relationships, partnership and the development of consistent messages and values. National and local best practice with reference to relationships, learning, behaviour and managing and reducing risk are outlined in the following Scottish Borders Councils’ Policies :

Inclusion Policy
Attendance Policy
Framework for Staged Intervention
Guidance on Restraint & Seclusion in Scottish Borders Schools o Nurturing Approaches: In Our Sight, In Our Minds, In Our Actions and Being Heard
Equity in Scottish Borders Schools
Child’s Planning Manual
Keeping Children Safe and Well ToolAnd in
Growing Confidence training and materials
Restorative Practice training and materials
The National Improvement Hub provides guidance and resources on meaningful pupil participation.

Achieving
Entitlement to achieve – Local Authorities have a duty to ensure all learners are supported to maximise their successes and achievements.
All learners should have access to a varied curriculum tailored to meet their needs and which supports them to achieve their full potential. Learners should be supported to overcome barriers to learning (short or long term). For some, this may include an individualised education programme, adjustments or adaptations and careful differentiation of their opportunities and experiences within the curriculum.

Please refer to Scottish Borders Council’s associated Learning, Teaching and Assessment Framework.

Supported
Entitlement to support – Local Authorities have a duty to assess if a young person needs additional support and provide that support at the earliest opportunity.
All children and young people need support to help them learn and develop. The needs of the child or young person should always be central to the identification, planning and provision of support. Support should be appropriate, proportionate and timely. Assessing and meeting individual additional support needs is carried out through our local implementation of the national framework ‘Getting it Right For Every Child’.