At St Clare’s Primary School, we work hard to ensure that every member of our school community – pupils, parents, staff and visitors – feel safe and included, aligned with the teachings of the Catholic Church.
We are an inclusive school and every child, whatever their individual abilities or needs, is equally valued and welcome here. We expect all parents and visitors to understand and support our inclusive Catholic ethos.
Inclusion is a universal human right. The aim of inclusion is to embrace all people irrespective of race, gender, disability, medical or other needs. It is about giving equal access and opportunities and eliminating discrimination and intolerance.
In education, ‘inclusion’ describes the right of parents and children to access mainstream education alongside their peers. Inclusion is about providing equal opportunities for all children. This means that all of the following groups have the same rights:
- boys and girls
- minority ethnic and faith groups
- travellers, asylum seekers and refugees
- children who need support to learn English as an additional language
- children with additional educational needs
- more able children
- children who are looked after by the local authority
- children with disabilities
- children with medical conditions
- children from families under stress
- children at risk of exclusion
Sometimes, children in these different groups may behave in ways that we find difficult to understand. In particular, children with additional needs and/or disabilities can demonstrate different and even sometimes challenging behaviour. We work hard as a school to support these children and ensure that they feel as valued as those children who are able to enjoy school life without additional support. Indeed, as a Catholic community, we should seek to help those in need and embrace them.
“Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each other, in the same way God forgave you in Christ.”
Ephesians 4:32