Page 19 - SEN113 SEN Magazine July-August 2021-V3

Inclusion overseas Embracing inclusion in a remote setting Every child has the right to an education, writes Marytina Osuchukwu and Janice Ireland. According to UNICEF, the Right to an Education is one of the most important principles in becoming a UN Convention Respecting School. Yet UNICEF estimates there are 93 million children worldwide with diverse learning needs, and they are amongst the most likely to be out of school, often facing barriers to education stemming from discrimination, stigma and policymakers decisions. UNICEF reports that ‘nearly 50 percent of children with disabilities are not in school, compared to only 13 percent of their peers without disabilities.’ (UNICEF, 2021). The long- term consequences of exclusion can be devastating, leaving children marginalised, and families aspirations for the future out of reach. Six years ago, RA International School (RAIS) recognised that children in the local area with diverse needs contributed to the unacceptably high number of global exclusions. The school began an ambitious journey towards inclusion with a simple aim – to provide all children, regardless of their needs, with a right to an education. Year on year, this move has literally transformed lives and been the catalyst for outreach work which removes barriers and changes perceptions of physical and neurodiversity. Education Consultant Janice Ireland and RA International School Deputy Head Teacher Marytina Osuchukwu reflect on how this UN Convention Respecting School has embraced inclusion in a remote setting with limited resources. From exclusion to inclusion RAIS is situated on Bonny Island, in the Rivers States of the Niger Delta. The school provides education to around 700 children between 3 and 12 years of age whose parents work in the Nigerian liquefied natural gas industry. The school is central to a close-knit community within a gated residential area. The nearest city is Port Harcourt, a boat ride or short flight away. Until 2015, cultural sensitivities and stigma around physical and cognitive differences, coupled with a lack of specialist provision on Bonny Island, had created a group of children unable to access life outside of their homes. The RAIS leadership team acknowledged that change was urgently needed and mapped out a route to inclusion involving awareness raising, upskilling staff, and employing experts in the field of Special Education. Crucially, the school needed staff with compassion, resilience ■ Teaching staff at RAIS. and adaptability, as well as a commitment to the project until it was firmly established and flourishing. Initial small steps, involving less than five children with complex needs and one specialist teacher, has grown into a thriving Learning Support Unit within the mainstream setting. Today, the Learning Support Unit has 24 children between the ages of 6 and 11 years on roll, with approximately the same number in the mainstream benefiting from the unit’s expertise. The unit has four rooms, six specialist teachers, nine learning assistants, a speech and language therapist and is currently in the process of recruiting two additional specialists. A respectful culture that challenges negativity and prejudice The school’s respectful approach to inclusion ensures there is a balance of time in the Learning Support Unit for one-to-one and small group learning, alongside mainstream provision tailored to individual needs. Inclusion at RAIS means each child’s unique contribution is valued within a system where everyone learns and develops side-by-side. Children from the Learning Support Unit are integrated into mainstream lessons such as art, music, physical education and computing, as well as sharing break times and events with peers across the school. School productions are an example of showcasing talent from across the whole school, and children from the unit have played musical instruments such as the violin and keyboards in school concerts. RAIS has a reputation for children excelling in Nigerian and international competitions and 19 senmagazine.co.uk SEN113