Inclusion Policy

Our Vision

Advanced Learning Schools prepare global citizens to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world while honoring their own cultural heritage and identity.

Our Mission

Advanced Learning Schools offer a high-quality education in a safe and caring environment, with a commitment to life-long learning and digital citizenship, while inspiring students to become creative, compassionate, and analytical thinkers.

Our Core Values (CREM Framework)

Purpose of the Policy

This policy communicates Learning Support services and their purposes at ALS, outlining the responsibilities of all school members in providing an inclusive environment for all learners in the PYP, MYP, and DP. It aligns ALS’s approach to inclusion with best practices and research, the philosophy and principles of the IB, international frameworks (UNCRC, CIS Code of Ethics), and host-country Saudi education regulations.

Inclusion is an ongoing process that increases access and engagement by identifying and removing barriers, ensures equal access to a rigorous academic programme, acknowledges learner variability through differentiation, designs assessments that meet learners’ goals, and is achieved in a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, support, and problem-solving. The four principles of inclusive education are: affirming identity and building self-esteem; valuing prior knowledge; scaffolding; and extending learning.

The policy is reviewed every two years by a dedicated committee with input from leadership, parents and students, guided by community feedback and current IB Standards and Practices. It is published on the ALS intranet and website, with information sessions during staff meetings, teacher induction, and the admissions process.

The Learning Support Department assists students with exceptionalities in becoming more independent learners. Support services are flexible and tailored to individual needs, helping students achieve academic success through strategies targeting their unique learning profiles.

ALS is committed to an inclusive environment while ensuring it can responsibly provide the resources to meet each student’s needs; admissions decisions are carefully considered so that the school only admits students it has the capacity to fully support. Applications are reviewed against the school’s resources and any existing documentation or entrance-assessment findings. Where the school cannot provide adequate support, it works with families to explore appropriate alternatives. If a student is diagnosed after admission, ALS may reassess support requirements and, if it cannot meet them, collaboratively identify alternative pathways.

5.1 Students Without an EP Evaluation

Where external evaluations are necessary, the school formally notifies parents and requires assessment by a qualified, licensed, registered Educational Psychologist (or equivalent), covering cognitive aptitude and intellectual functioning, academic achievement, executive functioning, social-emotional and behavioral assessment (as appropriate), and any additional areas of concern. The report is submitted within a mutually agreed timeframe.

5.2 Students With an EP Evaluation

• The evaluation must be current, professionally conducted by a licensed, registered Educational Psychologist or equivalent.
• It must include full cognitive aptitude testing and updated academic, behavioral and emotional data as appropriate.
• Evaluations are valid for a maximum of three years; after this a full re-evaluation is required.
• Results are a foundational document for developing, reviewing and revising the IEP, which must remain up to date. The school may request additional evaluations sooner if there is a significant change in the student’s profile, progress or needs.

Barriers may be short-term (e.g. emotional distress after a conflict, or a minor medical issue, followed up by the counselor) or long-term. Medical issues lasting more than 12 weeks are usually classified as chronic, prompting consideration of access arrangements. Where long-term barriers are observed, an extensive medical report should be provided to determine the necessary arrangements.

Levels of Intervention

Shadow Teachers

ALS does not routinely provide for or endorse the use of shadow teachers; the inclusion model supports mild to moderate needs through differentiation, accommodations and support services. In very limited, exceptional cases — and only upon careful review — the school may authorize a shadow teacher (e.g. for significant physical disabilities requiring temporary personal assistance, or particular behavioral challenges requiring short-term, intensive support for reintegration). Such arrangements are temporary and time-bound, subject to school approval with comprehensive documentation and a clear educational plan, rationale-driven around the student’s wellbeing and safety, and coordinated with external agencies with minimal disruption.

ALS recognizes that students with learning support needs may face increased vulnerability and require additional safeguarding measures, as they can encounter barriers in communicating concerns. The Safeguarding Policy establishes clear procedures for identifying and responding to concerns; all staff are trained to recognize potential signs of abuse or neglect; and the school emphasizes open communication and collaboration between staff, parents/caregivers, and external safeguarding agencies.

Inclusion & Differentiation

The ALS curriculum, written and taught, supports learning for all students through differentiation. Any student requiring additional educational support based on an identified need may access Learning Support services. In Primary, support may be offered through in-class assistance, small-group lessons, or individualized sessions; in Secondary (MYP), through specialized classes or in-class support; and in the DP, through appropriate access arrangements and scaffolding.

Tiered Intervention (PYP, MYP & DP)

ALS ensures all students are assessed fairly and equitably, in line with IB standards and Saudi Ministry of Education regulations. Accommodations do not lower expectations or alter core content — they ensure equitable access to the same learning objectives. ALS does not implement curriculum modifications (which would lower expectations) without a specific Ministry licence.

Scaffolding

Scaffolding is temporary instructional support that helps students gradually become more independent without changing curriculum content or expectations — e.g. breaking tasks into smaller steps, providing graphic organizers or templates, offering guided practice or additional feedback, and giving access to peer or teacher support. It is implemented at classroom level for any student who may benefit, with or without a formal diagnosis.

Access Arrangements

ALS follows IB guidelines (IB Access and Inclusion Policy) so accommodations are equitable and consistent. Arrangements reduce the impact of barriers without giving an unfair advantage. Subject to review and authorization, these may include:

• Additional time (consistent with IB percentage guidelines) and supervised rest breaks with no loss of working time.
• Use of a word processor or assistive technology (laptops, speech-to-text), a separate or quiet room, and reader or scribe support.
• Prompter or instruction clarification; use of calculators or approved tools; access to authorized reference materials.
• Alternative formats (braille, audio); task extensions for coursework/internal assessments; task management and chunking; and speech-to-text or text-to-speech technology.

All arrangements are reviewed, authorized and documented by the Learning Support Coordinator in consultation with the relevant IB Coordinator, supported where applicable by professional assessments, historical educational evidence, records of accommodations over time, and teacher observations. For the DP and external IBDP exams, the DP Coordinator works with Learning Support to arrange accommodations, with IB authorization sought via the required documentation and timelines. ALS also provides access arrangements for other external assessments (SAT, PSAT, MAP, NAFIS, and the Saudi Qudrat and Tahsili), following each body’s regulations and mirroring daily-instruction accommodations where possible.

Confidentiality is key in all Learning Support communication. Staff respect the confidential nature of student information and follow established procedures, keeping staff, students and parents informed through appropriate channels while preserving privacy. The school avoids labels that may limit a student’s potential, focusing on individual needs while preserving each student’s dignity and strengths. Information in student records is not discussed outside professional contexts or shared with unauthorized individuals.

Record Keeping & Access

• A student file and portfolio are maintained for all students — report cards, assessment results, signed consent forms, IEPs, health reports, progress reports, and reports from relevant community agencies.
• Records are stored securely in locked cabinets or password-protected systems, with access limited to authorized personnel directly involved in supporting the student, strictly on a need-to-know basis.
• Parents and legal caregivers may request access to their child’s file, provided in the presence of a qualified staff member; copies may be provided on written request after Inclusion Team review.
• No external parties may access records without written parental consent and school-leadership approval, in compliance with data-protection and safeguarding laws.
• Records are retained per the school’s retention policy and, on transfer or withdrawal, shared with receiving schools only with written parental consent.