Laburnum Primary School Policy Analysis

“We believe that students learn best in a supportive learning environment that caters for all students’ needs by building on the knowledge and skills that each student already possess.” (Laburnum Primary School, 2017). The Laburnum Primary School has a reputation for high academic achievement. As this is something they pride themselves on, they also take great care in catering for the individual needs of every student. The document discussed later on in this essay, outlines a student engagement and inclusion policy. Written for parents by the school, the policy informs the audience of school values, purpose, goals and beliefs about student learning. Each section is addressed strictly and professionally, however, extremely positively. It is

Key improvement strategies provided are well in-depth and offer detailed information on how the improvement strategy will progress their child’s learning. Throughout this document, a sense of belonging ascends from the written words. Optimistic words such as student-centred, inquisitive, curiosity, action, positive, respectful are evident with in, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Inquiry based learning is spoken highly of various times, and is described as being a perspective on learning, explicit teaching and provision of choice. Here, I talk about the importance of children exploring and discovering new and exciting things for themselves and how inquiry learning has a positive effect on meeting the curriculum content. Inclusivity also takes on an important role in children’s learning according to Laburnum Primary School. We look at how it can affect this process and how it can help to better the child for access to the general capabilities. Lastly, Funds of Knowledge, which links in with both other topics, looks at how important knowing your student and their interests are as to how they learn at the top of their

When examining inclusivity in the classroom, we have to encompass the diversity amongst every single student, from cultural background, socio-economic status, religion, and race, to disabilities, family structures, beliefs and values, and hobbies (Department of Education, 2006). In order to understand inclusivity and bring it forward into the classroom, we have to take a step back and recognise how those factors can be dehumanising to a person, and how certain stigmas can greatly contribute. When Cologon talks about looking at Goffman’s three aspects of stigma, enacted, felt and courtesy, we are able to gain a small insight into the effects of stigma in the dehumanising process. To avoid this process, it is evident we need to rid our classrooms of stigma, as it is the basis of segregation and exclusion (Cologon 2014), in order to create a comfortable and inviting space free for all students. As said in Inclusive Education in Early Years by Kathy Cologon, inclusive education involves embracing human diversity and valuing and supporting the belonging and full participation of all people together. Cologon (2014) stresses the more inclusive educational practices are, the more positive the learning experience is and the more children learn and grow in ways that do not occur when segregated. In the Laburnum Primary School document, excessive focus has been