What do we mean by inclusive practice?

Over the past 15 years settings and schools have understood that as they have developed their approach to learning activities to ensure the activities are accessible to children with a range of needs that the learning of all children has improved. For example, the use of visual timetables in classrooms, which were often initially introduced to better support the learning of children on the autistic spectrum are now generally regarded as good practice for all children, since they offer all children the opportunity to see how their day will be structured and to understand the learning they will be engaged in. In this way, settings and schools have moved to an approach to learning that that focuses on a social model of learning and meeting children’s needs. That is, the learning environment is inclusive because all children can access the learning – irrespective of their needs or ability. Nothing ‘special has to be done or provided for them.