How Does a Level 2 Rights Respecting School Facilitate Play for Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)?

Respecting schools have been evaluated to embed the rights stipulated within the UNCRC within their policy and practice, at all levels of school life. The awarded is granted at three levels; level 2 is the highest level of award. This case study focuses specifically on how one level 2 Rights Respecting school facilitates play for children with SEND. Data were collected via interviews with three children with SEND, their corresponding teachers, and their head teacher, and analysed using six-phase thematic analysis. Observations of the children, analysed using content analysis, further contributed to the data set. Findings from all data sources were triangulated to identify primary themes. Predominantly, themes of inclusion, child-centred practice and teacher knowledge contributed towards facilitating play for children with SEND.