The SEND Reforms recognise the need to improve the understanding of SEND in all education settings; nurseries, schools and colleges. Part of the work being done now is to improve the training offer to mainstream settings, ensuring that all those working in education have a better understanding of SEND. The Government has made a £200 million investment in training focusing on SEND and inclusion across all education workforces, from 0-25, from leaders to support staff.

From September 2026, initial online training will be available free of charge for those working with under-5s. The first set of materials for schools and colleges will also be published in September for everyone to use. More materials will roll out through 2026 and 2027 with fully funded training courses for teachers, leaders, lecturers, and teaching assistants, across schools and colleges beginning in autumn 2027. The training for those working with under-5s will also expand further from 2027, including in-depth webinars and a local support offer to further enable putting inclusive practice into action.

Experts at Hands builds on the learning from the Partnership for Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) and will bring specialist support into education settings to spot and address difficulties early, before they escalate. No diagnosis will be required, and this is an additional service which doesn’t replace existing support, SEN Support duties or EHCPs. Initially support will focus on small groups, whole class interventions, staff coaching and light touch assessments. It will include increasing the availability of advice and support from Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Specialist Teachers.

Nurseries, schools and colleges have received additional funding to support Inclusion and remove barriers to learning and support without waiting for a formal diagnosis. Settings should be working with SEND families to plan how this additional funding will be used and must publish an Inclusion Strategy by 31st Dec 2026.

Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision (OAIP) or Offer describes the baseline, high-quality teaching and everyday adjustments that mainstream schools, early years settings, and colleges must routinely provide from their own resources to support all children and young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Common Examples in Schools • Policies and rules: Adapting uniform requirements for sensory needs or eczema, allowing late arrival • Classroom practice: Providing printed lesson notes or PowerPoint slides, breaking instructions into smaller steps, and allowing regular movement breaks. • Aids and equipment: Using coloured overlays or dyslexia-friendly paper, noise-cancelling headphones, laptops or speech-to-text software, and specialized seating • Exams and tests: Extra time, rest breaks, or alternative formats based on the pupil's normal way of working.

“Inclusion Base” is a new term that replaces what have often been known as SEN units, resource provisions or pupil support units. They are based within mainstream schools and are designed to give children additional support while helping them to feel part of the wider school community. There are two main types: • Support bases, which schools set up and run themselves to provide targeted support for a range of needs • Specialist bases, which are developed with local authorities and offer more specialised support The government expects to see more of these bases created over time, especially in secondary schools. The government aims for every secondary school in England to feature an inclusion base by 2030.

The Department For Education has produced a summary of what is happening now to support children and young people in mainstream education.