Sendsitivity

Another term that is thrown around, by professionals, by Local Authorities…by our Government!

But what does it ACTUALLY mean?

I believe, ‘inclusive’ is a lived experience.

If you go through life, feeling accepted, having the same opportunities to thrive as everyone around you, not feeling left-out or singled-out…then THAT is inclusive.

So is our education system ‘inclusive’?

I would say: no!

As professionals, we try so very hard to ensure that every child has a thriving school experience. That they are able to learn to the best of their abilities and go on to follow a path of their choosing.
But our system makes it VERY hard to ensure that every child receives this.
Local Authorities that REFUSE to recognise dyslexia as a diagnosis, Headteachers who expect a ‘one size fits all’ behaviour policy, parents who single out other children in the class as ‘bad influences’ without knowing a full story…these are all things that contribute to our education system NOT being inclusive.

But then-you may ask- is LIFE inclusive?
I believe we would all LIKE to think we are inclusive, that as adults we role-model inclusivity in our worlds. But do we?
How guilty are we of judging someone for how they look? Mocking someone for the way they talk? Talking about others’ opinions being wrong?

It is human nature to judge and to put people into boxes. We were ALL born differently, we have all grown differently…so why would we not live differently.

Sometimes, not everyone CAN be included. So should the message that we are teaching our children, not be:

We ARE all different, that’s OK! We find where we DO feel included.

Now this is all very romantic and would be lovely if the world worked like that. But-speaking as a professional that has tried to teach a class of 37 VERY different personalities- it can not work like that in a classroom.

So when will our government accept that in order for our education system to be inclusive…it needs to also be separated? Different types of educational setting for different types of learner!

Steps are being taken in a positive direction by certain local authorities. I was part of a webinar recently for m own Local Authority where they set out there future SEND strategy. A large part of this was supporting the development plans for new ‘Resource Provisions’-a stepping stone between a mainstream setting and specialist. These provisions would be attached to mainstream schools/consortia and work to provide places for those young people who have fallen in the middle of the gap between mainstream and specialist. Young People I have spent the last year working with.

I am hoping that the vision would allow training and specialist professionals- both resources that seem to be few and far between at the moment- to be streamlined and focused towards these provisions. Where interventions that are not feasible in mainstream, can easily be implemented and have the impact they need. BUT most importantly, a safe place where these young people- many of who are now living with trauma surrounding their mainstream school journey- may find a space to be themselves and maintain those important social relationships.

Inclusive NEEDS to also mean selective!

Are you familiar with the Einstein Quote ‘if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid.’? THIS is what our current, mainstream education system is doing to our children.

Michael Gove returned the curriculum to draconian, unfair expectations that underpin an elitism based on academia in its simplest form. Where has the creative curriculum gone? The teaching that drew me into the classroom 13 years ago? Capturing young minds with a story and allowing their imaginations to flourish in their own direction…rather than being hung-up on making sure fronted adverbials are used correctly and the perfect presence tense can be identified…HOW MANY ADULTS CAN EXPLAIN WHAT THE PERFECT PRESENT TENSE EVEN IS? I taught it for about 5 years and STILL need to look it up each time! No, not because I’m a pants teacher, but because my brain is filled with real-life information. My brain has yet to decide that the neuron-pathway that cements the idea of perfect present tense is one that needs reinforcing. Instead, different methods to aid sensory processing difficulties and how to work out the correct Calpol dosage are currently living resident in there.

Those children living with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), trauma, attachment disorders and other SEMH barriers (Social, Emotional Mental Health), need a curriculum that allows them to develop and grow in the emotional literacy they may be missing, alongside learning fractions and the pooing-present perfect tense.

Those with ASC, ADHD, ADD, OCD, SD and all the other acronyms that cover neurodivergence. THEY need a curriculum that will allow them to explore their own brains and how they learn before they are forced into the round-hole Michael Gove created.

Now, I am NOT saying that we should be segregating children based around diagnosis…definitely not! BUT what I am saying is that consideration needs to be given and different environments provided for those who learn in different ways and the options given for a suitable provision to be chosen based around Special Educational Needs in all their bright and wonderful colours!

Sometimes inclusive is accepting we are not all the same and so we need to go in different directions.

Discuss.