At Horizons Academy, inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. Every pupil has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), and we adapt our provision to ensure that all children, whatever their starting points, can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Our intent

We want every learner to:

  • Feel safe, valued, and understood
  • Access a broad and ambitious curriculum, adapted to their needs
  • Make progress towards both academic and EHCP outcomes
  • Develop independence, resilience, and confidence for adulthood

Our implementation

Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

  • Each pupil has an EHCP which outlines their long-term outcomes
  • Staff create individual learning plans (ILPs) breaking these into small, achievable steps, reviewed termly
  • Every pupil has a one-page profile capturing their strengths, needs, and strategies that work
  • Support staff provide targeted interventions in literacy, numeracy, social skills, and regulation
  • Therapeutic provision (mentoring, safe spaces, sensory support) is integrated into daily routines

English as an additional language (EAL)

  • Pupils are assessed in speaking, listening, reading, and writing
  • Teachers use scaffolds, visuals, and vocabulary frames to ensure full access to learning
  • Additional sessions focus on building English fluency and confidence
  • We celebrate pupils’ first languages and cultures as part of our inclusive ethos

Looked after children (LAC)

  • Horizons Academy has a designated teacher for looked after children
  • Every LAC has a personal education plan (PEP) reviewed termly with carers and social workers
  • Provision is closely tailored, with joined-up support between home, school, and external professionals
  • Staff receive specialist training in attachment and trauma to meet the needs of LAC pupils with sensitivity

Our impact

We know our inclusion model works when:

  • Learners feel safe and show they belong
  • Progress is seen not only in academic outcomes, but also in social skills, self-regulation, and independence
  • Parents and carers feel listened to and supported as equal partners
  • Learners are ready for their next stage, whether moving to another key stage, reintegration into mainstream, or post 16 pathways

Why this matters?

Many Horizons Academy pupils arrive with disrupted education or unmet needs. Our commitment to inclusion ensures that every young person has the right support, the right adaptations, and the right opportunities to succeed — whatever their background or barriers.

Our commitment to families

  • Families are active partners in every child’s plan and review
  • Support is joined up with external professionals to ensure consistency across home, school, and other services
  • Every child has access to safe spaces, therapeutic provision, and caring adults who know them well

Inclusion at Horizons is about equity, not just equality – giving each young person what they need so they can flourish academically, socially, and personally.