The transformational change, including Inclusion Bases, being introduced by the Government is designed to improve the lives of all children with SEN, for many years to come.
At the beginning of this year, we wrote about anticipated changes in England’s special educational needs system. Shortly after our blog, the Government provided detail of the proposed changes, which included the introduction of inclusion bases in mainstream schools. Since that time more information has been published, as the Government implements its proposals. That further information includes guidance in respect of schools providing inclusion bases for children and young people.
What is an inclusion base?
Many parents of children with special educational needs or disabilities know how difficult it can be to secure the right support at the right time. For some families, the concern is academic progress. For others, it is attendance, anxiety, behaviour, communication, emotional regulation or the risk that their child may become increasingly disconnected from school.
The Government’s new guidance on inclusion bases is intended to address that gap. Inclusion bases are provisions within mainstream schools for children and young people with additional needs. They will typically support children with SEN or SEND, children with an Education, Health and Care Plan, children needing behavioural or pastoral support, and children who may be at risk of exclusion or low attendance.
It is important to appreciate that an inclusion base is not a separate school. It is part of the mainstream school. It may be a dedicated classroom, a group of specialist rooms, a base where staff with particular skills are located, or an area used for targeted teaching, support or interventions. Some children may use the base for a limited period. Others may access it on an ongoing basis, depending on their needs.
The key point for parents is that an inclusion base should be designed to help a child remain part of the school community, not to move them out of it. The Government guidance is clear that access to an inclusion base should be planned and needs-led. It should never be used as a punishment or as a sanction for behaviour.
Where did the idea of inclusion bases come from?
The concept of inclusion bases sits within the Government’s wider schools white paper, Every child achieving and thriving, published in February 2026. That white paper sets out a significant shift towards a more inclusive mainstream school system, where children with SEND are supported to attend local mainstream schools wherever appropriate, with earlier identification of needs, better training for staff and increased access to specialist support.
The white paper identifies children with SEND as among those who have too often been “sidelined” by the education system. It proposes a move towards inclusive mainstream education, supported by an Inclusive Mainstream Fund, Individual Support Plans for recording and monitoring SEN provision, and a new Experts at Hand service involving speech and language therapists, educational psychologists and other professionals.
Importantly, the white paper also commits £3.7 billion up to 2030 to make school buildings more accessible, create new special school places and provide tens of thousands of new places in inclusion bases in mainstream settings. It is clear that inclusion bases are not an isolated initiative, but part of a broader Government national policy directive aimed at making mainstream schools better able to support children with additional needs.
Why inclusion bases are important for children with SEN and SEND
For many children with SEN or SEND, a standard mainstream classroom can be difficult to manage without additional support. This may be because of communication needs, sensory needs, anxiety, social and emotional needs, physical disability, learning difficulties or other barriers to learning.
A well-run inclusion base can provide a bridge between mainstream and specialist provision. It can offer a quieter or more structured environment, targeted teaching, specialist interventions, therapeutic support, support with regulation, and planned opportunities to return to or increase participation in mainstream lessons.
The Government guidance recognises that inclusion bases may support children who are at risk of exclusion or low attendance. It also recognises that children should not receive a lower quality or less expert offer simply because they are not in mainstream classrooms all of the time.
That is an important safeguard for children and parents. An inclusion base is not reduced ambition, nor does it mean a child is isolated. It means targeted, skilled, purposeful support that helps the child learn, belong and make progress within their school community.
What support should parents expect from an inclusion base?
There are six principles of effective practice. In practical terms, parents should expect an inclusion base to provide support that is inclusive, ambitious, well planned and properly reviewed.
First, the base should support inclusion in the school. Children accessing the base should remain active members of the mainstream school community. Time in mainstream classes should be maximised and carefully planned. Children should have opportunities to take part in school trips, clubs, school council roles, performances and other aspects of school life where appropriate.
Second, the curriculum should be broad and ambitious. The guidance is clear that all children, including those accessing a base, should have access to a broad and balanced curriculum. The curriculum may be adapted, but it should not simply be diluted. Where possible, it should align with mainstream learning and support reintegration into mainstream classes.
Third, progress should be measured carefully. For some children, progress may be academic. For others, it may include confidence, communication, regulation, independence, attendance, social relationships, preparation for adulthood or increased time in mainstream lessons. Schools should use clear baselines, review progress regularly and communicate with families about the progress their child is making.
Fourth, the base should be properly staffed and led. The guidance anticipates teacher- led teams, with specialist or multidisciplinary expertise where appropriate. The SENCO may have a central role in overseeing provision, working with teachers, support staff, senior leaders and outside professionals.
Fifth, schools should work in partnership with families, children, young people and relevant professionals. This is particularly important for parents. The guidance makes clear that parents and carers should be involved in planning and reviewing their child’s progress, and in decisions about access to the base, time spent there, curriculum, support and reintegration.
Finally, the physical environment should be inclusive and accessible. The base should be designed around the needs of the children who use it, with appropriate teaching spaces, intervention areas, sensory or regulation spaces, accessible facilities and links to mainstream areas of the school.
How should inclusion bases work with families?
Schools must involve parents and carers in planning and reviewing their child’s progress. Parents should be involved in decisions about whether their child accesses the base, how much time they will spend there, what curriculum and support will be provided, and what plans exist for reintegration into mainstream classes.
Schools should take account of what families know about their child’s strengths, needs, anxieties, triggers and successful strategies. The guidance recognises shared responsibility between families, school staff and relevant professionals.
Schools should think carefully about barriers that may prevent some parents from engaging fully. For example, if English is not the main language spoken at home, or if a parent has a disability or additional needs, the school should take steps to overcome those barriers and support a positive relationship with the family. Related to this issue, parents should expect regular communication. Schools should keep families informed about the support their child is receiving, the topics and activities they are taking part in, and the progress they are making. They should also share strategies that work in school and invite parents to share strategies that work at home.
In practical terms, parents may wish to ask the school:
- Who will be my consistent point of contact?
- What are the intended outcomes for my child?
- How often will progress be reviewed in the inclusion base?
- How will my child continue to access mainstream lessons and wider school life?
- What is the role of the SENCO?
- Will outside professionals or Experts at Hand be involved?
- What is the plan for increasing mainstream participation, where appropriate?
However, it is important to note that the introduction of inclusion bases in schools will not happen with a big bang. They will be introduced over time and therefore parents should be cautious at this time about raising questions. Not all schools will have an inclusion base set up for the Autumn term, in September 2026. It is equally important to record that the Government talks of funding a “transformational expansion” of inclusion bases over a period of years. It is only in time that inclusion bases will become a core part of every local education offering.
Working with children and young people
Schools are expected to work directly and sensitively with children and young people. Children should be given clear information about the base before they start using it. This may include where it is, what the day or sessions will look like, how many children will be there, and the names and roles of staff. The information should be accessible, for example using photos, visuals or easy read formats, where needed.
Children should also be kept informed about important events and changes in their mainstream class and wider school, such as staff changes or whole school events. This matters because children accessing a base should not feel cut off from their class or peers.
The guidance gives examples of good practice, including capturing children’s views, involving them in setting their own targets, supporting them to help new children joining the base, and monitoring progress after they leave the base so that reintegration is sustained. For parents, this approach is comforting and means your child’s voice will be heard.
Inclusion bases and the risk of exclusion
One of the most significant aspects of the guidance is its recognition that inclusion bases may support children at risk of exclusion. This is important because many children whose behaviour is described as challenging may in fact have unmet needs. A well-designed inclusion base should help identify and support those needs before the child reaches crisis point.
However, parents should be alive to the difference between support and informal exclusion. The guidance states that access to an inclusion base, even for behavioural or pastoral support, should never be used as a sanction or for removal from the classroom. Where a placement is time limited for behavioural or pastoral reasons, schools should have a clear reintegration strategy. This may involve meetings between the school, the child, parents, carers and relevant agencies.
If your child is being sent to the base repeatedly without a clear plan, without your involvement, or as a consequence of their behaviour, it is reasonable to ask the school to explain the purpose of the placement, the outcomes being sought and how the support relates to your child’s additional needs.
Safeguarding and accountability
Safeguarding remains a key part of this new provision. The guidance states that safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility, and schools, local authorities and relevant organisations must have regard to applicable statutory safeguarding guidance.
Where a child accesses a base in another school on a short term or part time basis, the guidance says there should be clarity about accountability, safeguarding, attendance and transport responsibilities. Parents should not be left uncertain as to who is responsible for their child during the school day, how attendance is recorded, who to contact if there is a concern, or how information is shared between schools.
This is particularly important for children who are vulnerable, have communication difficulties, have medical needs, are looked after by the local authority, or find transitions difficult. Parents should expect careful transition planning so that children feel safe and supported.
How inclusion bases fit with SEN, SEND, SENCOs and Experts at Hand
Inclusion bases are part of the wider SEND reform agenda. The white paper refers to a system where needs are identified earlier, support is recorded and monitored, and specialist help is more readily available in mainstream schools.
The SENCO will usually be central to this. Parents should expect the SENCO to understand how the inclusion base fits with the school’s wider SEN support, any Individual Support Plan, any EHC plan, and the child’s classroom provision. The base should not operate in isolation from mainstream teaching. Staff in the base and mainstream teachers should communicate closely and use shared strategies.
The proposed Experts at Hand service is also relevant. The white paper describes this as a new service involving speech and language therapists, educational psychologists and wider professionals, designed to get support to children earlier. Where professionals are involved in an inclusion base, the guidance says they should be involved in planning, target setting and support at the earliest possible stage, and should help build a whole school approach.
For parents, it is appropriate to ask whether external professionals have been involved, what advice they have given, how that advice is being implemented and how it is shared with classroom staff.
What if parents are concerned?
If, once an inclusion base has been introduced in your child’s school, you are concerned about how an inclusion base is being used, start by asking for a meeting with the SENCO and relevant senior leader. Ask for the plan in writing. You may want to discuss the intended outcomes, the timetable, the curriculum, the role of mainstream teachers, involvement of specialists, safeguarding arrangements, communication with home and review dates.
Parents should also ask how their child’s views have been captured and how the school will know whether the placement is working. Progress may not be linear, but the school should still be able to explain what it is trying to achieve and how the support will be reviewed.
If your child has an EHC plan, the provision in the inclusion base should be considered in light of the outcomes and special educational provision in that plan. If your child does not have an EHC plan, the school should still be able to explain how the support forms part of its SEN support or wider pastoral provision.
Conclusion
Inclusion bases have the potential to be a positive and practical development for children with SEN, SEND and other additional needs. It is too early to judge if inclusion bases will be successful. Hopefully their introduction will result in reduced anxiety, improve attendance, address unmet needs, support reintegration and help children remain connected to their local school community.
For parents, an inclusion base should be inclusive, purposeful and collaborative. It should also be part of a properly planned package of support, shaped around the child’s strengths, needs, progress and voice. Parents should expect to be informed, involved and listened to. Children should expect to be supported, respected and included.
It will be interesting to watch the arrival of inclusion bases in our schools across England, from Plymouth to Newcastle, Tunbridge Wells to Carlisle, and all points in between. The introduction of inclusion bases is part of the Government’s package of reform for schools, which hopefully will remain on course notwithstanding the change of Prime Minister. At the time of writing, the PM has not made a statement in respect of these provisions although according to PoliticsHome, who interviewed Andy Burnham in December 2025, he said “that the SEND system should eventually “move away from” Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), but in a way that does not “destabilise or frighten” the public”. There may be further changes ahead, particularly as we have our 8th Secretary of State for Education (The Rt Hon Lucy Powell MP) since 2019. Let’s see what unfolds and hope that promised funding for children is not withdrawn.
