Opinion3rd March 2026

How to make mainstream education more inclusive

The government’s Schools White Paper, published last week, set out significant changes to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) education provision. Changes that, if implemented well, could reshape the educational landscape for years to come.

Ark Brunel Primary Academy

By Tom Draper, Ark Head of Inclusion, and Ellen Cupples, 
Head of Autism Provision at Ark Brunel Primary Academy School

One of the paper’s key recommendations was for mainstream schools to integrate more SEND provision, reserving places in specialist settings for those in most need of them. This follows the announcement from the Department for Education that all secondary schools will be expected to have ‘inclusion bases’ where “pupils can access targeted support”. 

Making mainstream schools more inclusive is beneficial for many reasons. It enhances academic and social outcomes for all pupils; enables earlier identification and intervention; reduces costly escalation to specialist pathways; and promotes equity and belonging. 

It also allows children to attend their local school – rather than having to travel further afield to a setting that is better resourced to suit their needs. 

The White Paper creates an opportunity for schools to widen their provision and embrace a more inclusive approach. But while the policy case is clear, teachers and school leaders understandably want to know: can this really work in practice? 

Opportunities for everyone 

At Ark, we prioritise knowing every child as an individual, removing barriers to learning, and creating environments where all students can thrive.  

Students at our primaries who have SEND are twice as likely to reach the expected standard as students with SEND nationally – and last year we saw a six-percentage point increase in the number of students with SEND achieving grades 9 to 4 in GCSE English and Maths. 

We have expanded our on‑site specialist provision in recent years. In our mainstream secondary schools at Ark Burlington Danes and Ark Acton, dedicated spaces now support students with developmental language disorder, autism and speech, language and communication needs within the heart of the school community. 

And in September 2024, we opened the Viaduct, a new provision for children with autism at our Ark Brunel primary school. In partnership with the local authority, Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster, we undertook a detailed review of SEND needs in the community – and it quickly became clear that autism was the most significant area requiring support. 

We started with one class of seven students and we now have two classes with six pupils in each. One class runs on a ‘semi-formal curriculum pathway’ for children who are   pre-verbal and are working at an early developmental level. The other class is a ‘formal curriculum pathway’, where pupils are engaging with the national curriculum consistently and spend increasing amounts of time in the mainstream classrooms. 

Working together 

At Ark Brunel, the Viaduct is a valued and fully integrated part of our school community. Our provision is designed so that every child can learn, play and take part in all aspects of school life. 

Every student has their own timetable, tailored to their needs, and reviewed every half-term. All children take part in school life in a range of ways — from lunchtimes, playtimes and assemblies to joining mainstream classes for agreed sessions each week.  

We also have a buddy scheme for years five and six, where the buddies come every day to help us with playtime and lunchtime. They volunteer for the role, and we’re oversubscribed every single time. 

This approach enriches all our students. The mainstream children learn from those in the specialist provision, and vice versa. Slowly we have seen a beautiful behaviour pattern of patience and inclusion spreading among all the children.  

It also benefits our staff. We’ve run a lot of training and personal development with the mainstream staff about autism and SEND to deepen their knowledge and awareness and develop their skills. 

A direct impact 

These efforts translate into profound individual outcomes. One child who previously managed only short, highly supported tasks – and spent much of the day dysregulated – now spends three afternoons a week successfully learning in mainstream with his peers 

Another pupil who had never spoken within their mainstream class joined peers on stage for the Christmas performance, singing and dancing with confidence. Others have formed their first friendships or begun speaking since joining the provision. 

These milestones are quiet but transformative; they are the moments that show inclusion in mainstream is not an ideal but a lived reality. 

A fairer future 

We know that principals and senior leaders can be daunted by the thought of making mainstream education more inclusive – but Ark Brunel is just one example of how it can work.  

The White Paper presents us with a genuine opportunity to invest in a more compassionate and ambitious education system. When schools embed inclusive practice, they lift outcomes and opportunities for every learner. 

Early identification and high‑quality mainstream support give children the best chance to thrive, reducing the need for intervention later and creating more stable, equitable school communities. 

By strengthening SEND provision where most children learn – in our classrooms – we create environments where differences are understood, barriers are dismantled, and every young person is given the dignity of belonging. 

This isn’t just about good education; it’s the foundation of a fairer future for all.