Inclusive Education

At its core our SEND strategy is built on a simple belief: that all pupils, regardless of need or starting point, should experience a high-quality, equitable education alongside their peers in local schools, where they feel a genuine sense of belonging.

Our strategy brings together research, evidence, statutory responsibilities and our trust values into a coherent approach that strengthens mainstream provision, while ensuring specialist support is available where it is needed. It reflects both long-held principles and a clear, trust-wide commitment to doing this work consistently and well.

Our approach to SEND begins with dignity. We do not define pupils by perceived deficits, nor do we lower expectations in the name of support. Difference and disability are part of human experience, and education should respond with respect, ambition and belief in every child’s potential.

This principle is embedded through the Five Principles for Inclusion, which underpin our SEND strategy and guide decision-making across schools. In practice, this means pupils with SEND are seen as whole individuals, with strengths as well as needs, and are supported in ways that preserve dignity while enabling progress.

By maintaining high expectations and scaffolding support thoughtfully, the trust aims to close attainment gaps without limiting aspiration, recognising that support should lift pupils up, not hold them back.

Belonging sits at the heart of our SEND strategy. Wherever possible, the trust believes pupils should be educated in their local schools, alongside local peers, as part of their wider community.

Research and experience show that encountering difference benefits everyone, particularly when each and every one of us has something that makes them different. When pupils learn and grow together, empathy increases and a shared sense of responsibility develops. For pupils with SEND, this sense of belonging supports wellbeing, attendance and long-term outcomes. For peers, it builds understanding and inclusion that extends beyond the classroom.

This commitment aligns closely with local and regional priorities and reflects our belief that inclusion is not about separation, but about building strong, supportive school communities.

Our SEND strategy is clear that the most effective support starts with excellent teaching. High-quality, inclusive classroom practice is the foundation upon which all additional support is built.

The trust’s approach prioritises a strong universal offer, designed to meet a wide range of needs through adaptive teaching, evidence-informed strategies and thoughtful use of technology. By strengthening everyday practice, more pupils can be supported within the classroom, reducing reliance on withdrawal and intervention where it is not necessary.

Targeted and specialist support play an important role, but they complement, rather than replace, high-quality teaching. This ensures SEND is not seen as separate from teaching and learning, but integral to it.

Where pupils need additional or specialist support, we believe that it should be expert, skilled and well-coordinated. SEND is a professional specialism, and the trust invests in developing staff knowledge, confidence and expertise across schools.

Teachers remain responsible for the progress of all pupils in their classrooms, supported by teaching assistants, specialists and external partners. Strong partnerships with organisations such as Fusion and Let’s Verbalise enhance provision and ensure pupils and staff can access the right expertise at the right time.

This approach reflects a belief that inclusion works best when responsibility is shared and expertise is valued.

Our SEND strategy is underpinned by shared systems and processes that support consistency across the trust. Alignment between strategy, policy and practice helps ensure all pupils, but particularly those with additional needs, are known well and supported effectively, even as they move between phases or schools.

Tools such as standardised pupil passports and the use of Provision Map support a shared understanding of need, planning and impact. The trust is clear that measuring impact takes time, and SEND improvement is a journey rather than a single moment of change.

By combining clear systems with reflective practice, we aim to build provision that is both responsive for the needs of today, and sustainable for the future.