Inclusion remains one of the most significant challenges in education today. With over 1.5 million pupils in England identified with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) - an increase of 87,000 since 2022 - schools face growing pressure to ensure all students receive the support they need to thrive. Yet outcomes for students with SEND remain disproportionately poor (Department for Education, 2023).

Students with SEND are less likely to achieve qualifications, more likely to become Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET), and are overrepresented in both the criminal justice system (Careers and Enterprise Company, 2020) and lower-income households (Children's Commissioner for England, 2023) (Department for Education, 2024). Furthermore, 40% of children with SEND exhibit wellbeing scores indicative of possible depression - double the rate of their peers (Children’s Commissioner for England, 2022). In 2024, a staggering 97% of primary school exclusions involved children with SEND (Chance UK, 2024).

Despite the growing complexity of needs - such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD), Speech, Language, and Communication (SLC) challenges, and Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) issues - many schools lack the structures, funding, and expertise to respond effectively. Ofsted’s 2022 report revealed that 55% of local areas needed Written Statements of Action due to significant weaknesses in their SEND provision (Department for Education, 2023).

A 2024 report commissioned by the RISE partnership on behalf of the Department for Education (Currie, G. Gorin, S., Smith, P., Grindle, C., and Hastings, R., 2024) highlights the ingredients that support inclusive education systems and the wide variation in views among schools, local areas, and parent carers – read our summary of the report here.

A new inclusion framework for schools 

Building on the Kent Inclusion Leadership Programme, Education Development Trust’s (EDT) Schools Partnership Programme (SPP) team have worked with experts, educators, researchers, and reviewed evidence to design a new Inclusion Framework. 

This enhanced framework provides schools with a consistent structure for self-evaluation and peer review, helping them maintain the highest standards in inclusive education. Key features of the framework include: 

• A focus on quality: Helping schools identify strengths and areas for development in SEND provision. 

• Evaluating the whole experience: Adopting a multidimensional enquiry approach to understand barriers and identify improvements, ensuring that SEND students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. 

• Actionable insights: Guiding schools toward targeted actions that improve support for all learners, strengthening equity, diversity and inclusion in schools. 

The framework promotes a culture of shared commitment to excellence, fostering environments where every child - regardless of need - has access to quality education and support.  

Inclusion is not just about access - it's about equity, opportunity, and ensuring every child can succeed. By addressing these key areas, schools can lay the groundwork for sustainable, impactful change. The time to act is now - what steps will your school take to create a more inclusive tomorrow?   

References 

Department for Education (DfE). (2023). SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan Right Support, Right Place, Right Time

Careers and Enterprise Company. (2020). Careers Landscape Factsheet

Children's Commissioner for England. (2023). Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23

Department for Education (DfE). (2024). Special Educational Needs in England: Academic Year 2023/24

Children’s Commissioner for England. (2022). Annual Report and Accounts 2021-2022

Chance UK. (2024). Too Young to Leave Behind: The Long-Term Negative Impact of Exclusions and Suspensions in Primary School (Executive Summary)

Currie, G. Gorin, S., Smith, P., Grindle, C., and Hastings, R. (2024). Inclusion of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in Schools – how can local areas support schools? A report commissioned by the RISE partnership on behalf of the Department for Education