Learning Spaces

Inclusion, integration & design implications for schools

It has been recognised by Government and society as a whole that it is imperative that the education of our children provides equality for all, no matter what the child’s gender, religion, racial ethnicity, physical or cognitive abilities. The Building Schools for Future (BSF) programme, which is well underway, will provide schools for decades to come. With this substantial investment in education it is essential to ensure that these schools are as inclusive as possible, enabling all, including those with profound disabilities, whose physical requirements go beyond the minimum standard, access to educational establishments equally.

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      string(2113) "is intended that work will becompleted to consider disabled children’s needs.Building Bulletins, 90, 91, 93, 94 and 100.There are various Building Bulletins produced by the DCSF.Draft 77, 91 and 94 are soon to be replaced by BB102; the latestdate for publication is autumn 2008. This is a very importantdocument which will advise on both mainstream and specialschools design. BB93 relates to acoustic requirements and BB100to fire. All can be found on the Teachernet website.■■■■■■■Dulux – Colour and Contrast: A design guide for the use ofcolour and contrast to improve the built environment forvisually impaired peopleGuidance on the use of tonal contrast in the built environment,this gives advice on the important elements and how to developan appropriate strategy.MU Access Partnership/Sign Design Society – Sign DesignGuideAn essential document that is a referenced in ApprovedDocument M, this should be used for all signage, internal andexternal schemes.Inclusive Mobility – A Guide to Best Practice on Access toPedestrian and Transport Infrastructure – Department forTransportFor use when considering the external infrastructure andhighways works. It gives guidance amongst other things onfootpaths, lighting, cycle routes and car parking.Guidance on the use of Tactile Paving Surfaces – Departmentof TransportAdvice on tactile surfaces which often prove problematic. Thepublication is quite old and should be used in conjunction withrecent research by the RNIB and JMU.Sport England ‘Access for disabled people’ referencedwithin BS8300, Part M and the Key Design Guidancedocument supplied by the DfES (DCSF).Part M refers you to this document; it is seen as the standard forsports buildings. Mistakenly, some view this document as onlyrelevant when funding has been made available. In any caseunder the DDA it will be seen as the most appropriate standardfor sports facilities.There will be conflicts between school needs, third partyuse and space availability; use this document to inform thebrief and the design.■■■■■"
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Learning Spaces

Inclusion, Integration and the Design Implications for Schoo

6 May 2009

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      string(379) "... the school anddevelop scenarios to help all staff understand their contribution to the creation ofthe school as a moral community focused on securing equity and inclusion.Leaders as models – leaders lead by example and are highly visible indemonstrating the practical implications of the school’s core values.Schools as communities ..."
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      string(5716) "the Scandinavian countries tendto focus on wellbeing and social justice, the English system, currently, on performance.Of course most systems are a blend of these elements but one will tend to dominate,and that gives schooling its distinctive nature. Equally, schools will tend to identify withparticular outcomes.Committing to diversityIn many ways, these principles provide a powerful and practical expression of the basisfor any strategy to secure diversity. ‘The heart of the school as a moral community isits covenant of shared values. This covenant provides the basis for determining itsmorality … the virtuous school subscribes to and uses these moralities as a basis fordeciding what its values are and how they will be pursued.’12This has fundamental implications for effective leadership – in essence, it is aboutmoving beyond the historical boundaries of the school as an autonomous institutioninto recognition of a far wider, moral, responsibility.According to Hargreaves and Fink, ‘The hardest part of sustainable leadership isthe part that provokes us to think beyond our own schools and ourselves. It is thepart that calls us to serve the public good of all people’s children within and beyondour community and not only the private interests of those who subscribe to our owninstitution . . . Sustainable leadership is socially just leadership.’13All of this implies leaders who are very clear and have high confidence about whatthey believe and see their role as the translation of principle into practice. If inclusionand diversity are to be embedded into a school’s culture and working practices in aconsistent and sustainable way, then leadership has to focus on the creation of a moralconsensus.This in turn implies that leaders have a deep and authentic commitment todiversity and inclusion as moral principles. This has to be more than a policy to beimplemented – this isfundamental to the integrityof leadership.Effective leadershipemerges from a model similarin principle to figure 2.Leadership has to bedeeply rooted in an ethicalcode, a clear set of principlesthat provide the foundationsfor personal and professionallife. However, most ethicalcodes and philosophies arehistorical and generic andthey need to be applied to aparticular time and place i.e.contextualised into a personalvalues system. The effectiveleader thus takes a genericprinciple and translates it into a personal value that they can live by and one that willinform their leadership decision-taking. However, values have to operate in the realworld and so they have to be translated into moral principles that inform day-to-dayliving.So a school leader who is committed to social justice (ethical principle) translatesthat into a belief that a school has to respect diversity and be inclusive (personaland professional values) which is then reflected in school policies and practice in asystematic and consistent manner (moral practice).This is where school leaders need to create opportunities to spend time inFigure 2: Developing moral confidence41Vol 5.6School Leadership Todaywww.teachingtimes.comLeadershipSkillsRethinkingschoolsandschooling–seriesJohn West-Burnhamconversations and dialogue with colleagues and friends and perhaps a coach, in orderto refine, clarify and explore the implications of their personal values.‘Walking the walk’It is not enough for leaders to argue for certain principles – they have to embody themin their own lives and practice. In other words, they have to be authentic.Authenticity is the result of the interaction of personal and professional values, thelanguage adopted and the behaviours employed. Authenticity is the product of theconsistency of beliefs, language and behaviour – ‘walking the talk’.‘Authentic educational leadership must promote and support the core valuesof schooling. Authentic educational leaders challenge others to participate in thevisionary activity of identifying in curriculum, in teaching and in learning what isworthwhile, what is worth doing and preferred ways of doing and acting together.’14In practical terms, this means that we need to see the ethical dimension ofleadership in terms of the following behaviours and strategies:Dialogue and engagement – leaders develop a shared language and vocabularyso that there is consistent usage of key concepts and shared understanding of theunderpinning values. Leaders tell stories of the preferred future of the school anddevelop scenarios to help all staff understand their contribution to the creation ofthe school as a moral community focused on securing equity and inclusion.Leaders as models – leaders lead by example and are highly visible indemonstrating the practical implications of the school’s core values.Schools as communities – the school works as an inclusive community thatembodies diversity in its day-to-day working. It works as a highly interdependentand interconnected network. Crucially, there is a culture of care and acceptance ofmutual responsibility for the wellbeing of all members of the community.Personalising learning – in order to ensure that diversity and inclusion are directlyexpressed in the actual experience of students, the design of the curriculum andteaching and learning strategies are designed around the needs of the student– the approach is à la carte, not table d’hôte.Student voice and leadership – it is not enough to assume that policies torespect diversity and enhance inclusion are working. There has to be systematicintelligence gathering to ensure that services are being provided"
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Leadership

Rethinking diversity, vision and values

8 Apr 2014

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      string(3601) "whileproviding the best possible space for our pupils andtheir parents.  Our vision was that at the very leastour pupils would have social inclusion and meetmainstream children in the communal areas andat most, be able to spend time in the Prior Westonprimary school classrooms engaged in learning withtheir peers.  We made a promise to our parents thatthere would be no loss and lots of gains.  I confessthat we argued fiercely for what we had promised,■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■55 Volume 3:3  21 Century Schoolsbut we believe that we brought much benefit to theoverall look and feel of the Campus.  The buildingis superbly accessible and very easy for children tonegotiate.  We are downstairs in our well-definedspace and the primary school is upstairs.  We sharereception areas, the administration offices, the diningarea, the school halls, the multi-sensory room, thestaff room and the large central area.  The spaces lookand feel very comfortable without a loss of intimacy.Our parents love the building and are very pleasedthat their concerns were addressed in the new design.Prior Weston School brought wonderful ideas to thedesign process that have benefited all the children.The architects from Nicolas Hare, led by Jayne Bird,have designed a building that has more than metour expectations and demands.   All the needs of thepupils have been met and they delight every day inthe wide spaces afforded to them.  The building isgenerous with remarkably few challenges that stemfrom the design and construction. The adults whouse the building enjoy the light and the range ofdesign ideas including beautiful large windows andinteresting internal courtyards.The brief was challenging and we, as clients, weredemanding for the sake of our students and theireducation. We have been an equal partner with PriorWeston School and the children’s centre and haveappreciated that we have had full involvementin all aspects of the process.  It is significantthat Nicholas Hare and Wilmot Dixon with theproject manager have actively and successfullydeveloped a strong working relationship withthe head teachers and school governors.  Themany discussions and the long, tireless meetingsabout design and fabric have had a very positiveoutcome. From a special school perspective wethink we have the ideal design that suits thechildren’s emotional, social and educationalneeds.  Hats off to the architect who took a difficultbrief and turned it into an all-round success!MAINTENANCE FREE ROOFING SOLUTIONS FORNEW BUILD AND REFURBISHMENT OF SCHOOLSBritmet Tileform have been working closely withschools, education departments and local authoritiesfor over 30 years, providing a total roofing solution,specifically tailored to meet the requirements ofeducational roofing projects and to overcomethe effects of vandalism and weather damage ontraditional slate, felt and concrete roofing systems.All roofing systems come with soffits, fascias andguttering, all manufactured in the same materials asthe tiles, thus providing an anti-vandal roof with theappearance of traditional tiles.We also provide:• On-site surveys• Written Specifications• Free, no obligation written quotations• Guaranteed delivery in 12 working days   from the day of the orderFor more information on our fullroofing solution and productrange, please call our sales andtechnical team on 01295 250998.www.britmet.co.ukBritmet Tileform LtdSpital Farm, Grimsbury, Banbury,Oxon, OX16 4RZ Email: BritmetTileform@hotmail.comFocus on Inclusive Designwww.teachingtimes.co.uk"
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Learning Spaces

A Challenging Integration Project

6 May 2009

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      string(5643) "understanding, of the school’saspirations and hopes, and the means of achieving them.Leaders need to be confident that what was discussed is actually beingimplemented. The third behaviour is therefore monitoring. This includes analysing awide range of evidence, which will provide the basis for developing valid, appropriateinterventions that will have the intended impact.Finally, coaching provides one of the most significant strategies for leaders tosupport the development of colleagues. In this context, coaching is seen as a short-term, authoritative intervention in order to support improved performance or changingstrategies and behaviours.2. Leadership is an ethical activityLeadership to secure sustainable high performance has to be rooted in a shared ethicalframework. This provides the touchstone for translating ethical roots into moral actions.In practical terms, one of the most effective ways of creating a high-performing,self-improving culture is for teachers to be actively engaged in researching what worksand then embedding it into consistent practice. This is the same process as the medicalprofession’s commitment to curing and preventing illness, which is largely expressedthrough research that translates the aspiration into actual remedies and techniques.School-based research is perhaps better understood as ethics in action –professional enquiry that is designed to identify those strategies that actually makea difference in terms of pupil achievement. What is needed is a profession thatconstantly and collectively builds its knowledge base and corresponding expertise,where practices and their impact are transparently tested, developed, circulated andadapted.161Vol 6.5School Leadership Todaywww.teachingtimes.comLeadershipSkillsLeadershipmodelsJohn West-BurnhamThere seems little doubt that school-based research is one of the most powerfulways of identifying and embedding school improvement strategies, as well ascontributing towards the effective practice of the researcher. To make a real difference,teacher-directed research needs to:■ focus on real issues related to closing the gap and improving educational outcomesfor all pupils■ be rooted in shared ethical foundations – e.g. a commitment to inclusion and equality■ demonstrate validity, reliability and trustworthiness■ make a difference and demonstrate real impact■ be professionally relevant and credible■ demonstrate scholarship and academic value■ contribute to the researcher’s learning and development.David Hargreaves argues for joint practice development (JPD) as the answer to theproblem of getting professional development to actually make a difference in termsof the interaction of theory and practice. He explains: ‘In short, what begins as sharingpractice ends up as a co-constructionof practice that entails incrementalinnovation. The term that most accuratelydescribes this process is joint practicedevelopment, for it captures a processthat is truly collaborative, not one-way; thepractice is being improved, not just movedfrom one person or place to another.’2The power of Hargreaves’ model isthat it builds collaboration and reflectionon professional practice right into theimprovement process. Effective, high-impact professional learning is rooted ina model of teacher-driven practice, whichis, in turn, rooted in teaching and learning.This strengthens the case for collaborationin that it is not just structural, but alsoembedded in professional relationshipsand learning that are directly focused onsustainable improvement and securinghigher levels of performance.The implications for leaders of thisapproach might include:■ The development of an enquiry-based culture focused on continuousimprovement that is driven by schoolvalues.■ The movement towards an evidence-based approach in the developmentof school policies and strategies.■ Leaders who are actively engagedin supporting research, carrying outtheir own enquiry-based activities andengaging with the research literatureand research communities.■ Embedding a culture of monitoring, review and evaluation into every aspect of theschool’s work, particularly involving pupils in a data-based approach.3. Leadership works through collaborationFor most people, life is a balancing act between the desire for social interaction andthe need for personal autonomy. This is often reflected in how organisations function.Some choose to actively seek integration and collaboration; others follow a moresolitary path.62Vol 6.5School Leadership Todaywww.teachingtimes.comLeadershipSkillsLeadershipmodelsJohn West-BurnhamSchools are often classic examples of this tension. On the one hand, there is avery powerful tradition of autonomy, often derived from the focus on institutionalaccountability and the need to compete for pupils. On the other hand, it is recognisedthat, professionally, there is a need to be open, share and collaborate in order to securethe best possible outcomes for pupils. For schools in the current climate, while the needfor autonomy is understandable, in fact the need to collaborate is a greater imperative– however challenging and counterintuitive it might appear to be.In essence, sustainable improvement and high performance are more likely whenschools collaborate. However, there is an underpinning moral imperative:‘The hardest part of sustainable leadership is the part that provokes us to thinkbeyond our own schools and ourselves. It is the part that calls us to serve the publicgood of all people’s children within and beyond our community and not only"
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Leadership

Rethinking the future of school leadership

11 May 2015