Raising Standards for all children 2004-2008
The Council's vision for Gateshead is set out in its document Towards 2010. The strategy for special educational needs inclusion supports this vision and, in particular, the outcomes identified for children and young people.
These are for "children and young people to be empowered and supported to develop to their full potential and have the life skills and opportunities to play an active part in society".
To achieve its vision, the Council aims to provide the highest quality of education for all children and young people and to offer a continuum of educational provision that:
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Promotes and supports inclusion and ensures children’s needs are met in as inclusive a setting as possible;
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Involves parents, carers and the children themselves in planning, developing and implementing provision;
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Celebrates diversity and is responsive to individual needs and differences;
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Provides equality of opportunity and ensures all children are valued equally;
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Promotes the highest standards of achievement for all children and is directed to the development of the child’s abilities to their fullest potential; and,
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Recognises that learning is a continuous process that goes on throughout life.
The Council, through its SEN and Inclusion Policies, is committed to the principles of inclusive education and has endorsed the Salamanca Statement on special needs education. Through these policies, it supports the principle of entitlement for all pupils to a broad and balanced curriculum with high expectations for all and seeks to ensure that its policies and its procedures, advice, guidance and resources support inclusion
The SEN Inclusion Strategy sets out the means by which the Council's SEN and Inclusion Policies are to be realised.