Inclusion Strategy development day

Inclusion Strategy development day

The council's Special Education Needs and / or Disabilities (SEND) Improvement Team recently hosted an Inclusion Strategy day which included representatives from across the borough's schools including Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCO), senior leaders and other key partners including health representatives.

The event aimed to support schools in developing their whole-school Inclusion Strategies ahead of new Department for Education requirements.

An Inclusion Strategy is a requirement of state-funded mainstream schools in England receiving the Inclusive Mainstream Fund. The strategy addresses the commonly occurring barriers to learning and participation, activities to alleviate the barriers and a review of the previous academic year. It includes how inclusion is embedded with the school setting, how early intervention is prioritised, how teaching and the curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of all learners, how enrichment opportunities go beyond the classroom which are accessible to all and the importance of working with families and other services.

The event was extremely well attended and provided schools with practical guidance, resources, best practice and dedicated planning time to begin shaping their own approaches to inclusion.

Attendees also benefited from opportunities to network, share ideas and access advice from colleagues across education, health and specialist services.

Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with many reporting increased confidence in developing and implementing their school's Inclusion Strategy and highlighting the value of the practical examples, collaborative discussions and expert support available throughout the day.

Cllr Sean Donnelly, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said "This event reflects our ongoing commitment to support schools and strengthen inclusive practice. A key priority for us is to ensure that all children and young people can thrive, participate and achieve within their local mainstream schools."

The school's Inclusion Strategy must be published on the school's website by 31 December 2026.