Best Practice

Inclusion: We learn better together...

How can schools provide pupils of all abilities and backgrounds with access to a high-quality education? Laura McPhee discusses how her school has built and maintained an inclusive learning environment

Practitioners widely acknowledge that inclusive practice equips pupils with the skills required to live full lives. Inclusion in education treasures diversity, fostering our talents and unique abilities, reaching into the heart of our community.

Gainsborough Primary School is a larger than average primary school in Hackney, east London, with a children’s centre and provision for two-year-olds celebrated for its inclusive approach.

There are currently 528 pupils on roll. Fifty-seven per cent are known to be eligible for free school meals, 91 per cent are from ethnic minorities and 47 per cent have English as an additional language. Around 18 per cent receive SEN support (national average 12 per cent). Four per cent of pupils are supported with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), although this number continues to increase over time. The school has high mobility and is situated in an area of high deprivation.

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