Emma Sanderson, Managing Director of Momenta Connect, part of Outcomes First Group, a leading provider of world-class education, discusses what makes an effective inclusion base.
The government’s proposed special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms signal a significant shift in how support for pupils with SEND will be delivered in England. A key feature is that every secondary school will have an inclusion base providing targeted support within mainstream settings. For education leaders, the challenge is not simply creating the space, but ensuring the base strengthens inclusive practice across the whole school.
Inclusion, Not Separation
A successful inclusion base must support inclusion rather than create separation. The aim of these hubs is to enable more SEND pupils to succeed in mainstream education while remaining connected to their peers.
Inclusion bases should therefore operate as flexible resources rather than isolated units. Pupils may access them for short interventions, regulation support or specialist teaching, but their primary identity remains as members of the wider school community. Clear systems will allow pupils to move between mainstream classrooms and the base without stigma or barriers.
A Graduated Model of Support
Alignment with the emerging tiered model of SEND support is essential. The government’s proposed framework includes targeted, targeted-plus and specialist support, reflecting the need for provision that responds to differing levels of need.
A successful inclusion base will offer support across these levels. This may include small-group interventions such as literacy or study support, more structured programmes delivered alongside specialists, and intensive provision for pupils with complex needs. Designing provision around a graduated model ensures support is proportionate, flexible and responsive.
Access to Specialist Expertise
Effective inclusion bases also act as centres of expertise. Schools will need to work alongside professionals including educational psychologists, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists.
Inclusion bases offer a hub for visiting specialists, assessments, advice and collaborative planning. Crucially, it should function as a knowledge centre, ensuring specialist insight informs classroom practice and helps teachers adapt for a wider range of learners.
Partnerships with Specialist Settings
Developing expertise across all areas of SEND can be challenging for mainstream schools. Inclusion bases help strengthen partnerships with specialist settings and organisations.
Collaboration with special schools, resource bases or alternative provision providers supports joint training, staff development and shared approaches to meeting complex needs. These partnerships allow mainstream schools to access established expertise while helping pupils remain connected to their local school community wherever possible.
Skilled Staff and Distributed Expertise
The success of an inclusion base depends far more on people than on physical infrastructure. Effective provision usually includes a highly skilled SENCo, specialist teachers and well-trained support staff.
However, expertise should not sit only within the base. Its role should include coaching staff, modelling inclusive strategies and supporting professional development so that every teacher becomes able to meet diverse needs.
Strong Systems for Planning and Review
Finally, effective planning and accountability systems are essential. Individual Support Plans for SEND pupils create an opportunity to strengthen coordination across the school.
Inclusion bases should act as the organisational centre for these plans, bringing together information about needs, provision and outcomes. Regular review processes ensure interventions remain purposeful and that pupil progress is carefully monitored.
When thoughtfully designed, inclusion bases become more than rooms or units. They act as strategic drivers of inclusive practice, enabling mainstream schools to meet a wider range of needs while ensuring every pupil feels they belong.
