Building an inclusive education and Early Years system in Jersey

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.

Get involved with creating a Vision and Inclusion Charter

All children and young people have the right to reach their full potential and feel included. They need everybody to work together to support them including:

• parents
• carers
• teachers
• practitioners
  

We would like to hear your views on what we should include in the Vision and Charter for Inclusion in Education and Early Years. To share your views and experiences you can attend 1 of our workshops.

During the workshop you’ll be able to:

• learn about the work we’ve done so far
• identify practical solutions to include more children and young people
• develop the content of the Inclusion Charter

You need to be registered to attend our workshops.

Register for Inclusion Vision and Charter Workshops on Eventbrite

Previous engagements

We asked children and young people what inclusive education looks like to them using our Participation Standards. These workshops were held in:

• primary schools
• secondary schools
• colleges
• youth groups

Jersey’s School Council Network also took part in a workshop in December 2022. Find out what the students thought by watching Education for Everyone below.

In March, we invited parents, carers and professional working with children to complete a survey on their experiences of inclusion. We received responses from 906 people and we'll produce a report on our findings. The surveys have now closed.

Over the summer term, we'll run workshops with focus groups with parents, carers and professionals to agree the principles of the inclusion charter.

Everyone who completed a survey has been invited to take part.

Submit your questions or feedback

To share any questions or feedback email education4everyone@gov.je.