Children and young people with SEND across the country will be able to attend their local school, early years and college and know they belong there, as the government delivers a first of its kind package of advice to guarantee inclusion for all.
For years families have faced a postcode lottery that has left hundreds of thousands fighting for the right support, travelling miles to access it or waiting months or years to receive it.
Today, the government is taking an important step to end this lottery through clear expectations on how settings can design their SEND provision so children and young people can thrive.
For the first time, new guidance sets out what families can expect to see on the ground, building on the commitment that every secondary school will, in time, have an inclusion base – a dedicated space providing targeted teaching and specialist support those who need it.
Inclusion bases will be run by a qualified teacher, never used as a sanction, and allow access to an adapted, broad, ambitious curriculum to meet the needs of every child, serving as a bridge to school life rather than a barrier to it.
That means more time for children in mainstream classes alongside their friends and will put a stop to inconsistent and patchy provision where children feel excluded from the wider school – being left out of lessons, trips or activities.
The bases go hand in hand with an overhaul on physical spaces including classrooms, with landmark guidance for schools, early years and post-16, setting out a roadmap for how settings can adapt buildings that are shaped around the real experience of a child or young person with SEND.
Whether that’s starting their day through an alternative entrance or taking time out in a calmer space, every child will be able to navigate the day with confidence.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said
Every child and young person deserves to feel included, without fighting for the support they need to succeed.
We are giving schools a clear, practical blueprint to become truly inclusive, from calmer classrooms and sensory-friendly spaces, to specialist support embedded right in the heart of the school, so children can learn alongside their peers rather than miles from home.
Every child deserves to attend a school where they belong, where the environment works for them, and where the right support is simply part of the school day. That’s what we’re building.
The results where high-quality inclusion bases already exist are striking. Eight in ten parents (80%) who want their child to attend a base report a positive experience, and nationwide they are delivering strong outcomes.
In Sheffield, autistic pupils access up to 100% of mainstream lessons with tailored support and every single pupil from the base has entered education, employment or training after leaving, in Nottinghamshire 80% of pupils accessing a base achieve strong passes in GCSE Maths and English and in Oxfordshire, pupils who previously struggled to attend school at all are now averaging 93% attendance.
To make sure the whole site meets the needs of children, the Inclusive Estates guidance suggests tools for understanding the daily experience of a child or young person with SEND, such as structured walkthroughs or “Day in the Life” approaches to identify challenges in navigating the physical space.
It will include tangible improvements including adapting acoustics and light, introducing quiet and calm spaces like sensory gardens or installing ramps or handrails.