Tom Rees, Chair of the Government’s Expert Advisory Group (EAG) on Inclusion, will tomorrow launch a sector-led evidence-gathering project to help shape a reformed SEND system that delivers better experiences and outcomes for all children.
The initiative was trailed by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson in her keynote address today at ASCL’s annual conference. It follows the formation of the EAG, which brings together experts with professional and personal experiences of the SEND system to drive long-term improvements in mainstream inclusion.
Inclusion in Practice is a collaborative sector initiative, and will run alongside the work of the EAG and beyond. It has been convened by Ambition Institute and the Confederation of School Trusts with supporting partners including ASCL and NAHT, amongst many others.
It aims to identify and share practical, scalable solutions for inclusion in mainstream schools. The initiative will provide a national resource to share examples of strong practice showcasing what works in inclusive education, helping to build capability across the sector and to better understand what good looks like.
Educators, school leaders and stakeholders are invited to submit examples of effective inclusion in mainstream settings, including cases where specialist expertise has supported inclusive practice. The submission window opens today (Saturday 15th March) and closes at midnight on Thursday 1st May 2025. Findings will be published in the summer term.
Tom Rees, who is also the Chief Executive of Ormiston Academies Trust, said:
“In just a few months, we’ve engaged with parents, professionals, policy-makers, charities, providers and, most importantly, children and young people with lived experience of the SEND system.
“What’s clear is that there is consensus to move beyond just talking about the problems with the SEND system and to push forward practical and evidence-led solutions which builds on good work where it is happening in the system.
“Inclusion in Practice will allow us to gather evidence to help improve experiences and outcomes for children, young people, families and providers. We are urging schools and stakeholders leading the way to share their approaches – by telling their stories, they will help shape a national resource that ensures every child, in every school, has the best opportunity to succeed.”
Leora Cruddas CBE, Chief Executive of Confederation School Trusts, said:
“Reforming our SEND system is one of our top priorities. We need to create a school system in England that is built on the foundations of excellence, inclusion and equity. There is some brilliant practice in our schools, built on evidence and what works. Inclusion in Practice seeks to capture this practice so that we can use it to transform the SEND system and create the conditions for all our children to flourish in England’s schools.”
Hilary Spencer, Chief Executive Officer, Ambition Institute, said:
“All children deserve the best possible education, and we know that teachers and school leaders up and down the country work hard to achieve that. We want to draw on the high-quality practice that already exists, and help build system-wide capacity to implement effective and evidence-based strategies for children with SEND.
“We are very pleased to be working with partners across the education sector to launch this work, and we hope it will become a useful resource for schools.”
Luke Sparkes, Chief Executive at Dixons Academies Trust:
“Our sector can only provide the high-quality education that all children deserve by working together: Inclusion in Practice is an important step for us all in sharing and collaborating in increasingly challenging times. Learning from each other should be a badge of honour for all educators and we’re proud to be a part of the Inclusion in Practice work.”
