Head teacher shares how schools and parents can “strengthen approach” to inclusion in early years

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Education
Pupils at Northfleet Nursery stand in a line in the school playground holing up colourful letters spelling 'inclusion and diversity' with the help of teachers

Since September 2023, a team of dedicated education leaders – called inclusion champions - have been working across Kent to help schools become more inclusive for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Their mission is to make sure every child, whatever their needs, can thrive in mainstream education.

One of these inclusion champions is Neerasha Singh, head teacher at Northfleet Nursery School near Gravesend.

Northfleet Nursery is the only stand-alone maintained nursery school funded by KCC and it has earned an Outstanding Ofsted rating five times in a row.

Mrs Singh and her team have created a nurturing, inclusive environment that supports children’s social, emotional and mental health needs, especially for those who have SEND. Their work has seen Northfleet Nursery become recognised as a centre of excellence for early years education.

“I believe that if we can get it right at the foundation level, it sets our children up for lifelong learning and success,” said Mrs Singh.

As an Inclusion Champion, she has been helping other schools strengthen their approach to inclusion, starting from a young age. A big part of her work is making sure families are involved every step of the way.

Mrs Singh said: “We work very closely with our families because achieving the best outcomes for our children means the school, the child and the parents working together. We want to make sure families are supported just as much as children.

“We run targeted workshops to help parents understand and support their child’s needs.

“For instance, if a child is on the autistic spectrum, our tailored workshops and support for parents are designed to help them feel confident and well-equipped to understand and support their child’s unique needs.”

The results speak for themselves. Mrs Singh added: “We have very happy families at our school because they first and foremost trust us in supporting their children in terms of their differences.

“We hold regular coffee mornings and build strong relationships with parents. That trust means they have total faith in the support we offer – even when an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) isn’t needed.

“For us it is about the right support at the right time and the early identification.”

Pupils from Northfleet Nursery sat at a round table with their teacher decorating colourful letters

Pupils at Northfleet Nursery have been learning about inclusion and diversity in class

Parents agree

Mum Navjot Kaur whose son attends the nursery says her son used to struggle to sit still and pay attention, even for two minutes.

“Now he is sitting and paying attention for 10 minutes, which is a really big difference,” she explained. “He’s a totally different child to who he was before coming to this nursery. He has made so much progress, and I am confident in the future, he will be fine.”

Mum Morgan-Lee Whyman added: “Even small steps are big wins. Every week there's always a little improvement, and something new he’s achieved.”

Inclusion Champions like Mrs Singh are working across nursery, primary, secondary and post-16 settings to make education more accessible for every child in Kent. And thanks to education settings like Northfleet Nursery, more children are getting the right support, right from the start.