Inclusive education and Early Years in Jersey In 2021, the Government invited the
National Association for Special Educational Needs (nasen) to carry out an independent review of inclusive education and Early Years in Jersey.
The nasen team considered how the Early Years and education system includes all children and young people regardless of their differences. They also considered how the education system ensures that children and young people have access to learning and social activities so they can reach their full potential.
The Independent Review of Inclusive Education and Early Years made 50 recommendations, including that the Government should:
agree what inclusive education should look like in Jersey define it in a way that everyone can understand in a Charter put in place a plan to create a more inclusive education system
The Independent Review of Inclusive Education and Early Years
The right to an education is protected for all children under
Articles 23, 28 and 29 of the United Nations Convention on the Right of Child .
Creating a vision for inclusive education: Education4Everyone
We’re creating a Vision and Charter for Inclusion in Education and Early Years. A charter is a set of principles that will enable inclusive education across the Island. Inclusive education is education that includes everyone.
This is so that everyone who works with children and young people understands:
how to best support all children and young people how to ensure all children and young people feel involved why inclusion is vital for the wellbeing of all children and young people how including all children and young people contributes to the educational, social, cultural, and economic wellbeing of the island We’ll agree a definition and vision for inclusive education in Jersey. To do this, we’ll speak to:
children and young people parents and carers education, Early Years and childcare providers third sector organisations Our aim is for our definition and principles of inclusive education and Early Years to reflect Jersey’s whole community.
This work is led by the Department for Children, Young People, Education and Skills (CYPES). It’s overseen by the Inclusion Review Delivery Board made up of representatives of schools and services supporting children and young people in education and Early Years.
Inclusive education and Early Years consultations In the last 6 months, CYPES conducted online surveys and workshops inviting people to share their views on inclusive early years and education.
More than 1,800 people participated. This includes:
children and young people parents and carers school staff and education practitioners third sector representatives and agencies supporting children and young people Themes ide ntified by the participants included:
including the voices of children and young people in decisions made about them ensuring that nurseries, schools and colleges are accessible to children and young people with physical and mental health needs embracing the diverse cultures and groups on our island building greater community awareness around inclusion adapting the curriculum and delivering it to suit the needs of all children and young people working more closely with parents and carers and providing more support for practitioners Inclusive education charter working group meetings The Inclusive Education Charter Working Group have held 2 meetings so far.
The group includes:
parents early years providers representatives from schools, colleges and government private and third sector organisations They will consider all the feedback given from the online surveys and workshops, and use it to shape the Inclusive Education and Early years initiative, as well as the vision and principles of the Charter.
Jersey’s School Council Network also took part in a workshop in December 2022. Find out what the students thought about what inclusion means to them by watching Education for Everyone video below.
VIDEO
Submit your questions or feedback To share any questions or feedback email
education4everyone@gov.je .