Today the Department For Education published a range of guidance to deliver the SEND Reforms focus of inclusion in mainstream education settings. Three documents were provided covering;
Inclusive Mainstream Fund
This is committed funding for the next 3 years which will go directly to settings to support the development of a whole nursery/school/college approach to inclusion. There are 3 separate guidance documents, covering early years , schools and further education
Settings and Local Authorities will have to produce clear plans about how this money will be used to support inclusion and progress against these plans will be monitored.
The guidance sets out how schools should develop an initial inclusion strategy Schools should plan how they intend to use additional funding provided through their IMF allocation, alongside their main budget allocation (including their notional SEN budget), to start building a more inclusive core offer for all children and young people, including those with SEND.
When developing their inclusion strategy, schools should select approaches that fall under the 7 principles of inclusion (see guidance). Schools can build on and refresh existing strategies but must be clear how the additional funding will be used.
Further education (FE) colleges, sixth form colleges and post-16 independent training providers will need to set out how they will use IMF funding within their accountability statements, demonstrating how it strengthens inclusive practice and improves access, participation and outcomes. When Post 16 settings are planning how to spend their additional funding they must
- identify and understand cohort need and commonly occurring barriers in line with the 7 principles of inclusion
- use well-supported evidence on whole-institution inclusive practice and what works for students with SEND
- consider working with specialist post-16 institutions (SPIs) to strengthen provision
In Early Years settings this additional funding is designed to help settings embed inclusive practices across the whole setting, such as:
- adapting the environment or curriculum
- releasing staff for training
- implementing interventions for groups of children with commonly occurring needs
Core principles for the Inclusive Early Years Fund are;
- Strategic approach: supports setting-wide inclusive practice and supports planning for how the setting can meet the needs of children with emerging special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) today and in the future.
- Complementary funding: works alongside current funding, not as a replacement or top-up.
- Whole-setting benefit: intended to strengthen inclusion for all children across the setting, especially those with emerging SEND.
PACC is championing the need for all settings to co-produce these plans, through effective partnership with Parent / Family Carers and children and young people. We are hosting an initial workshop for Parent / Family Carers to discuss how the Inclusion Mainstream Fund may be used in different settings on 2nd July in Shrewsbury. See more details and book your place here
Inclusive Education Estates (also known as Inclusion by Design)
This guidance is about creating supportive and inclusive environments, that consider communication and sensory needs.
Funding must be used to consider the 10 principles of Inclusive Design
- Accessibility and movement
- Navigation and wayfinding
- Quiet spaces and sensory comfort
- Acoustics
- Lighting and visual comfort
- Ventilation
- Thermal comfort
- Access to nature
- Sanitary provision
- Furniture, fittings and equipment
Inclusion Bases
Inclusion Bases will support Targeted Plus and Specialist tiers of the new SEND system, with some children and young people benefiting from targeted teaching and support through an inclusion base that bridges the gap between mainstream and specialist settings. The term inclusion base replaces the terms SEN unit, resourced provision, and pupil support unit. There will be 2 models of Inclusion bases;
- Support bases – commissioned and funded by individual settings, academy trusts or local groups of schools; and
- Specialist bases – commissioned and funded by the local authority
Six key principles of effective practice for inclusion bases have been identified.
- Supporting inclusion in the school or local area
- High-quality curriculum design
- Effective data, assessment and outcomes
- Effective workforce and leadership
- Effective partnership working
- Inclusive and accessible physical environments