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At Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School, inclusion is not a separate initiative or a place within the school. It is a fundamental expression of our Catholic mission and our commitment to ensuring that every young person is known, valued and enabled to succeed.
Working closely with families, our aim is to ensure that all learners are supported to belong, achieve and flourish. Our commitment is therefore to remove barriers, not lower expectations. Students with SEND should experience the same ambitious curriculum, high expectations and rich opportunities as their peers, with appropriate adaptations and support enabling them to participate successfully.
The Pope Leo Centre is the school’s central hub for SEND expertise, intervention, staff support and inclusion. It does not operate as an alternative to high-quality mainstream teaching; its purpose is to strengthen the capacity of the whole school to meet need effectively.
Below you will find further information that may be helpful if your child has a special educational need or disability. If you have concerns, please contact the school and speak in the first instance to Mrs Grant, SENDCO and Inclusion Lead.
We provide a highly inclusive learning environment where students with SEND are fully integrated into the life of the school. Our provision is guided by the four broad areas of need outlined in the The SEND Code of Practice:
For students who require additional support with their learning, we offer:
✔ Personalised learning plans tailored to individual needs.
✔ Pupil Passports to inform teachers of the best strategies to support each student.
✔ Targeted literacy and numeracy interventions for those who need extra help.
✔ One-to-one or small group support for pupils requiring more intensive intervention.
For students with speech, language, or social communication difficulties, including those with autism, we provide:
✔ Pastoral support from Form Tutors, Heads of Year and Assistant Heads of Year
✔ Advice and strategies from the Communication and Autism Team (CAT).
✔ Speech and language therapy support, including access to specialist advice.
✔ Daily nurture clubs at breakfast, break and lunchtime for social development.
For students experiencing emotional or mental health challenges, we offer:
✔ Mentoring and emotional support through personalised plans.
✔ Access to our Student Support Coordinators and pastoral support staff.
✔ Referral pathways to external specialists, such as Forward Thinking Birmingham.
✔ Lunchtime games club and structured social activities for emotional well-being.
For students with physical disabilities or sensory impairments, our provision includes:
✔ Adapted learning materials and assistive technologies to support accessibility.
✔ Collaboration with Sensory Support Services for students with hearing or visual impairments.
✔ Specialist support for pupils with medical needs, including care plans developed with the school Medical Lead.
✔ Physical access adjustments and reasonable adaptations to ensure inclusion.
The following links provide additional guidance and advice:
For any queries relating to our SEND provision, please contact senco@ilsley.bham.sch.uk