INCLUSIVE
LEARNING
Roadmap
2022 © International Schools Partnership Limited
International
Schools
Partnership
®
International
Schools
Partnership
®
Inclusive Learning Roadmap
OUR OBJECTIVE
Every ISP student is able to confidently engage in their learning process, in a school
which nurtures a safe and inclusive atmosphere and supports a ‘good struggle’ through
personalisation of learning, and the identification and removal of any barriers to learning.
• This optional resource has been designed to help your school evaluate its alignment against
a set of criteria and indicators which support the overarching objective for Inclusive Learning.
• The roadmap takes a selection of criteria and indicators from the Learning Improvement Process
(LIP) and looks at them through the lens of the objective.
• We have called it a roadmap because it is designed to help you identify where your school is
now in relation to the objective – and orient you towards the steps you can take to get better.
• We recommend completing this as a collaborative learning opportunity, involving different members
of the school community (leaders, teachers, learning assistants, admissions etc.) for a more informed
- and informative - outcome.
• Read through the indicators below and evaluate your alignment against each by placing a mark in the
relevant column – Not Aligned, Partially Aligned, Aligned.
• If the practice is happening in some ages and stages and not others, you would evaluate your school as
Partially Aligned – make a note of the visibility of the practice to support your improvement planning.
• The outcomes of this self-evaluation will provide valuable evidence for your LIP, help your school
to plan learning targets and action steps for Inclusive Learning, and provide information that we
can use to further support your school and region.
KEY DEFINITIONS TO SUPPORT THIS ROADMAP
Inclusive Learning
Ensuring every student experiences a ‘good struggle’ through personalisation of
learning, and by identifying and removing any barriers to learning (ISP’s Inclusive
Learning Policy).
Assistive
Technologies
Technologies that are made available to students to help remove barriers to learning.
Universal Design
for Learning (UDL)
The intentional design of learning which offers students multiple options for
engagement, representation, action and expression (www.cast.org).
Inclusion
A process that helps to overcome barriers limiting the presence, participation and
achievement of learners (UN, 2017).
Inclusive Education
The process of strengthening the capacity of the education system to reach out
to all learners (UN, 2017).
Diversity
People’s differences, which may relate to their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual
orientation, language, culture, religion, mental and physical ability, class, and
immigration status (UN, 2017).
Equity
Ensuring that there is a concern with fairness, such that the education of all learners
is seen as being of equal importance (UN, 2017).
2
Criterion 1: Atmosphere
Indicators
1b) Leaders, teachers, students and parents/carers contribute to making the atmosphere consistent
with the values of inclusion and inclusive learning, and free from prejudice, harassment, bullying
and unwanted behaviours.
Think about the following:
No
Not Sure
Yes
Not
Aligned
Partially
Aligned
Aligned
Does the school community feel free from prejudice, harassment,
bullying and unwanted behaviours?
Do students and staff feel valued and appreciated?
Does the atmosphere help to create a sense of belonging for all staff,
students and families?
Does the school recognise, reflect and celebrate learner variability and
community diversity?
Are structures in place to empower leaders, teachers, students and
parents/carers to advocate for their needs and the needs of others?
Do the values of inclusive learning inform and drive decision making?
eg. about resourcing, recruitment, facilities, materials, professional
development, assistive technologies, additional support etc.
Do all school staff (including transport, ground, facilities, and
administrative support) understand their role in removing barriers
to learning and nurturing a safe, open, caring, and collaborative and
inclusive atmosphere for all?
Have all staff completed ISP’s Dignity at Work and Safeguarding
Essentials courses on the Learning Hub?
Is the school using and adapting relevant policy guidance to meet the
needs of its unique context and community? eg. ISP’s Dignity at Work,
Safeguarding, Inclusive Learning, Employee and Student Wellbeing.
Now evaluate your overall alignment against 1b)
3
Criterion 2: Shared Ideas
Indicators
2a) The school is explicit about its beliefs about inclusion and inclusive learning.
Think about the following:
No
Not Sure
Yes
Not
Aligned
Partially
Aligned
Aligned
Does the school have a set of shared ideas for inclusion and inclusive
learning based on its unique learning profile, provision and vision?
Are these shared ideas explicitly documented and shared?
(See ISP’s Inclusive Learning Policy for guidance.)
Does the school seek to know and understand the individual learning
needs of its students and community? eg. through student interviews and
profiles, authentic assessments (summative and formative), observations,
Learning Visits, parent/carer surveys etc.
Now evaluate your overall alignment against 2a)
2d) Students’ actions, behaviour and attitudes are aligned to the school’s shared ideas about
inclusion and inclusive learning, helping to create a safe, open, caring, collaborative and
inclusive atmosphere.
Think about the following:
No
Not Sure
Yes
Not
Aligned
Partially
Aligned
Aligned
Do students know and understand the school’s shared ideas about
inclusion and inclusive learning?
Do students know how the school’s shared ideas connect to the
development of their own actions, behaviour and attitudes?
Are students supportive of each other’s’ similarities and differences
in ways that enable everyone to contribute and be appreciated for
their strengths?
Do students support their teachers and each other by helping to identify
and remove any barriers to learning?
Do students have voice, choice and ownership in creating a safe, open,
caring, collaborative and inclusive atmosphere?
Do students take appropriate action when others experience prejudice,
harassment, bullying or other unwanted behaviours?
Now evaluate your overall alignment against 2d)
4
2e) Members of the school community understand and actively support the school’s shared ideas
for inclusion and inclusive learning.
Think about the following:
No
Not Sure
Yes
Not
Aligned
Partially
Aligned
Aligned
Does the school support all members of the community (including
transport, ground, facilities, and administrative support) to understand
the school’s shared ideas about inclusion and inclusive learning?
Does the community support each other to action the values of
inclusion and inclusive learning through positive relationships?
Do all members of the community understand what to do when
others experience prejudice, harassment or bullying and other
unwanted behaviours?
Does the school seek feedback on the experiences of staff,
students and families, and action these to improve inclusion
and inclusive learning?
Now evaluate your overall alignment against 2e)
5
Criterion 4: Learning & Teaching
Indicators
4a) Learners and their individual learning needs are central to the design and facilitation of learning
outcomes, content and experiences.
Think about the following:
No
Not Sure
Yes
Not
Aligned
Partially
Aligned
Aligned
Does learning and teaching in all ages, stages and subjects reflect
good practice in inclusion and inclusive learning?
Do teachers (including subject, specialist and support teachers)
know their students and their individual needs and preferred ways
of learning?
Do teachers reflect on the whole student when designing learning?
eg. paying attention to medical or personal issues, disrupted learning
patterns, language preferences etc.?
Do teachers use evidence to adjust planning, learning and teaching
strategies and assessment in response to the needs of all learners?
Are teachers familiar with the principles of the Universal Design
for Learning (UDL) framework? www.udlguidelines.cast.org
Do teachers plan for and provide multiple means of engagement,
representation, action and expression using the UDL framework?
eg. providing options for self-regulation, expression and communication,
physical action etc.
Do teachers facilitate collaborative activities that build students’
confidence and sense of belonging?
Do students understand themselves as learners and their preferred
ways of learning?
Do students understand what their barriers to learning are, how they
learn and what their preferred and successful ways of learning are?
Do students understand how they can support and facilitate the
learning of others?
Now evaluate your overall alignment against 4a)
6
4f) All students make progress through personalisation of learning and the identification and removal
of barriers in and beyond the classroom.
Think about the following:
No
Not Sure
Yes
Not
Aligned
Partially
Aligned
Aligned
Do staff (including extra-curricular staff) have access to – and knowledge
of - assistive technologies which remove barriers to learning and help all
learners reach their potential? eg. wheelchairs, protheses, calculators,
hearing aids, visual aids, portable writing aids, computer hardware to
increase mobility, hearing/vision/communication capacities such as
reading pens, eye gaze devices, alternative keyboards, and mice etc.
Are staff aware that challenging or unwanted student behaviours are
usually the result of sensory, internal and/or external stressors and the
student may be in significant distress?
Do staff seek to remove barriers to student access to and engagement
in learning as a way of reducing challenging or unwanted behaviours?
Do individual learning plans (eg. IEPs) state strengths and interests
before the challenges the learner faces?
Do learning support staff understand how they may inadvertently
contribute to learned helplessness and how to mitigate for this?
Do learning support staff understand how they may inadvertently
create exclusion within the classroom and how to mitigate for this?
Is best practice in inclusion and inclusive learning supported
and developed beyond the classroom? eg. through any pastoral
programmes, ILOS, co-curricular activities etc.
Now evaluate your overall alignment against 4f)
7
Criterion 5: Evidence of Learning
Indicators
5e) Teachers know their students and their learning well, and design authentic, fair and equitable
assessments that respect and support learner variability.
Think about the following:
No
Not Sure
Yes
Not
Aligned
Partially
Aligned
Aligned
Do teachers understand the barriers to assessment that students
experience and take action to reduce these where possible?
eg. flexible timings, assistive technologies, graphic organisers,
scribes, breaks, task modifications etc.
Do teachers personalise student learning outcomes and
subsequent assessments?
Do teachers ensure assessments are accessible, fair and equitable for
all learners? eg. ensuring a maths assessment doesn’t rely heavily on
English language competency to the exclusion of some learners, or that
a reading comprehension assessment doesn’t rely on knowledge of a
subject that excludes certain cultures or backgrounds etc.
Do teachers assess student engagement during learning experiences,
understanding that if students aren’t engaged/are not able to engage,
this will impact their achievement?
Do teachers design assessments which offer multiple means
of engagement, representation, action and expression using
the UDL framework?
Are students offered multiple options for demonstrating their
knowledge, skills and understanding to increase access, and
reduce anxiety and inequality?
Now evaluate your overall alignment against 5e)
8
Criterion 6: Leadership for Learning
Indicators
6b) Leaders establish, model, and drive a safe, open, caring, collaborative and inclusive atmosphere,
with structures, systems and processes in place to support a diverse range of learners.
Think about the following:
No
Not Sure
Yes
Not
Aligned
Partially
Aligned
Aligned
Do leaders model inclusive behaviours with staff, students and families?
Does the school invest in and allocate resources (human and material),
structures, systems and processes to support inclusion and inclusive
learning? eg. learning support staff, assistive technologies, accessible
campus, co-teaching opportunities etc.
Does the school have an inclusion and/or inclusive learning policy?
(See ISP’s Inclusive Learning Policy for guidance).
Does the school follow accessibility regulations and standards
with regard to school facilities, classroom access and exam/
assessment arrangements?
Does the school take into account inclusion and inclusive learning
when organising the timetable?
Does the school use assistive technologies to support students,
staff and families to access information and learning? eg. laptops,
speech to text, visual organisers, augmented communication,
enhanced accessibility etc.
Does the school arrange induction programmes for inclusion
or inclusive learning to support students and parents/carers
who are new to the school?
Does the school have systems in place to support accessibility
as part of its induction processes? eg. Survival communication,
welcome packs, buddies, assistive technologies.
Does the school take inclusion and inclusive learning into account
when recruiting leaders, teachers, and support staff?
Does the school have policies and procedures in place for dealing
with prejudice, harassment, bullying and other unwanted behaviours?
Now evaluate your overall alignment against 6b)
9
6e) The quality of learning and teaching gets better by empowering the community to continuously
improve their knowledge, skills and understanding about inclusion and inclusive learning.
Think about the following:
No
Not Sure
Yes
Not
Aligned
Partially
Aligned
Aligned
Does the school provide/engage in professional learning
opportunities to support its community’s knowledge, skills
and understanding about inclusion and inclusive learning?
Are all staff empowered and equipped to identify and remove
barriers to learning?
Do teachers and learning support feel confident in planning
for, supporting and assessing a diverse range of learners?
Do teachers have sufficient time and opportunity to collaboratively
design and facilitate inclusive learning? eg. co-teaching opportunities,
dedicated staff meetings etc.
Does the school have a dedicated and trained inclusion and/or
inclusive learning support lead?
Now evaluate your overall alignment against 6e)
10
Criterion 7: Learning Spaces
Indicators
7b) Teachers demonstrate ownership and commitment to improving learning spaces in ways that
facilitate inclusive learning and increase access and engagement for their students.
Think about the following:
No
Not Sure
Yes
Not
Aligned
Partially
Aligned
Aligned
Do teachers have access to resources and assistive technologies
that support students’ individual learning needs?
Do teachers consider the physical space, lighting, acoustics, and
technology when designing learning spaces?
Do teachers consider the optimal placing of their students in the
classroom based on their individual learning needs? eg. optimal
placement for students with vision or hearing impairment, sensory
stimulation, accessibility needs etc.
Do teachers consider the possibility of sensory overload when
creating space, colour schemes and learning displays?
Do teachers make learning spaces engaging, interactive and
accessible for all learners? eg. taking into account space, height,
language, manipulatives, visuals etc.
Do students play an active role in contributing to, developing and
using learning spaces?
Now evaluate your overall alignment against 7b)
11
7c) The school has structures and systems in place to maintain and adapt learning spaces to reflect,
reinforce and celebrate inclusion and inclusive learning.
Think about the following:
No
Not Sure
Yes
Not
Aligned
Partially
Aligned
Aligned
Does the school understand the individual needs of its students and
how learning spaces can be personalised to support a ‘good struggle’
for everyone?
Do learning spaces promote the schools shared ideas about
inclusion and inclusive learning?
Do learning spaces recognise, reflect and celebrate learner
variability and community diversity?
Are buildings, facilities and learning spaces physically accessible
and optimised to remove barriers to learning? eg. wheelchair access,
considerations to lighting/textures/colours, sensory adaptations etc.
Are spaces used thoughtfully to avoid any negative associations
or stigmatisation about their use? eg. not using spaces in ways which
exclude anyone, or spaces that invite a negative label or association.
Do recreational spaces have quiet areas for students who may
experience sensory overload?
Does the school library provide books and digital resources on a
range of inclusive themes? eg. culture, language, disability, LBTQ+.
Does the school ensure that funding is available to maintain, adapt
and develop inclusive learning spaces?
Does the school have a plan for improving increase access
and engagement within its learning spaces?
Now evaluate your overall alignment against 7c)
12
Criterion 8: In Partnership with Parents & Carers
Indicators
8a) Parents/carers know the school’s shared ideas for inclusion and inclusive learning, and their roles
and responsibilities in supporting children to develop to their full potential.
Think about the following:
No
Not Sure
Yes
Not
Aligned
Partially
Aligned
Aligned
Do parents/carers know the schools shared ideas for inclusion and
inclusive learning?
Do parents/carers understand how to support their child’s individual
learning needs?
Does the school provide parents with resources, guidance and
professional learning to help them support their child’s individual
learning needs?
Does the school actively engage parents/carers in their child’s
learning process?
Now evaluate your overall alignment against 8a)
8c) The school organises opportunities for students and parents/carers to value, support, contribute
and celebrate learner diversity in and beyond the classroom.
Think about the following:
No
Not Sure
Yes
Not
Aligned
Partially
Aligned
Aligned
Does the school organise opportunities and events which recognise,
reflect and celebrate learner variability and community diversity?
Do these include opportunities for students? eg. assemblies, ILOS,
Student Speaker Series, educational trips, learning buddies etc.
Do these include opportunities for parents? eg. inclusion workshops,
inclusive learning working parties, Parent Speaker Series etc.
Do these include opportunities for parents and students to learn,
experience and celebrate learner variability and community
diversity together?
Now evaluate your overall alignment against 8c)
13
8e) The school has structures, systems and processes in place to induct and welcome families into
the community and takes time to understand and support them.
Think about the following:
No
Not Sure
Yes
Not
Aligned
Partially
Aligned
Aligned
Does the school organise intake interviews with new students
and their families to better understand their background and needs?
eg. interests, strengths, achievements, medical history, language
preferences, learning needs etc.
Does the school gather, document and use information about the
unique profile of new students and their families to support their
needs over time?
Does the school have systems in place to support accessibility for
new students and parents/carers as part of their induction processes?
Does the school ascertain what the students’ future learning
pathways are likely to be, and what adjustments and support
would be required to be successful in these?
Does the school translate key information for accessibility?
eg. offering multiple means of engagement with reports,
newsletters and important documents.
Does the school provide regular opportunities for students
and families to provide feedback about their inclusion-related
experiences and needs?
Does the school facilitate a buddy system, for students and their families,
to support inclusive learning and create a sense of belonging?
Now evaluate your overall alignment against 8e)
14