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Leading schools that include all learners
Strategies to ensure all students are supported to engage, participate, and achieve in ways that honour and value diversity.
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Understanding inclusive practices
Key concepts, terms, and Government priorities relating to inclusion.
Source: Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga
Summary of important concepts:
Strategies for action
Three key strategies for developing an inclusive school where all students are supported and diversity is valued
Leading with moral purpose
All educational leaders, including middle and senior leaders, are responsible for leading a school that that values the presence, participation and achievement of every learner.
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The educational leadership model (ELM).
Five suggestions for implementing this strategy:
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Demonstrate a commitment to inclusion
Includes:
- Video
- Resources
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Model the use of inclusive language
Includes:
- Video
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Have high expectations for all learners
Includes:
- Video
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Includes:
- Video
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Partner with external agencies
Includes:
- Video
- Resources
Strategically resourcing for inclusive practices
Principals, with the support of effective boards of trustees, coordinate time, money, people and actions to maximise the effectiveness of school-wide inclusive practices, including harnessing expertise in the community.

These guidelines are a valuable resource for boards on how to show moral leadership and build an inclusive school with confidence.
Source: Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga
Four suggestions for implementing this strategy:
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Identify and plan how to meet students' learning support needs
Includes:
- Video
- Resources
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Plan actions and resourcing with the school board
Includes:
- Video
- Resources
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Support professional learning in inclusive practices
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- Video
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Includes:
- Resources
Leading learning to support inclusive practices
How do we lead learning with a strengths based approach?
Leona Morrison, a supervisor in the Inclusive Learning unit, talks about a new district document that spotlights the strengths-based approach.
Closed Captions
Four suggestions for implementing this strategy:
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Review inclusive practices, transitions, and pathways
Includes:
- Resources
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Provide vision and active oversight of teaching and learning
Includes:
- Video
- Resources
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Make decisions informed by data
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Support collaborative planning and problem solving
Includes:
- Video
- Resources
Key resources

Implementing an inclusive curriculum
From the New Zealand Curriculum Online website, Inclusive Practice and the School Curriculum
Publisher: The New Zealand Curriculum Online
What an inclusive school looks like
This information sheet describes what an inclusive school looks and feels like. Use it to help reflect upon and review the inclusive values, policies, and practices in your school.
Publisher: Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga
- Download PDF
Responding to neurodiversity in the education context: An integrative literature review
This report presents findings of an integrative literature review designed as one response to Priority 4: Flexible supports for neurodiverse children and young people, articulated in the New Zealand Learning Support Action Plan 2019 – 2025. The review explored research and other resources to identify new or innovative strategies or approaches to neurodiversity with the potential to be implemented in primary and secondary school contexts in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Publisher: Donald Beasley Institute
- Download PDF (405 KB)

Poipoia ngā ākonga kanorau ā-roro
This report provides a Māori-centric view of ākonga kanorau ā-roro, learner neurodiversity. It will help practitioners and educators to work with ākonga kanorau ā-roro and their whānau to provide culturally responsive and effective education and care. It also points to a need to build on the perspectives in the report by sharing oral knowledge and practices that work in today’s education context.
- Download PDF (958 KB)
How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: Leading inclusive schools
Understand:
Strategies for action:
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Leading with moral purposeShow suggestions for Leading with moral purpose
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Strategically resourcing for inclusive practicesShow suggestions for Strategically resourcing for inclusive practices
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Leading learning to support inclusive practicesShow suggestions for Leading learning to support inclusive practices