SEND training for schools: what is inclusive teaching? - facilitator guidance
Table of contents Aims to support staff to understand the role that inclusive teaching plays in supporting all pupils, especially those with additional needs, to make progress to support staff to understand the two-part model of inclusive teaching, which includes both universal provision and adaptations and additional support to ensure that staff understand what specific, practical steps they can take to support all pupils in the classroom to build staff buy-in around the importance of inclusive teaching, and the idea that all staff, no matter their role or experience, can improve their practice to get staff excited about future professional development related to the SEND reforms Feel free to add into the box below any additional aims that you would like to achieve from this session: Facilitator instructions Potential adaptations Facilitator checklist This checklist catalogues steps that you may wish to work through in order to prepare for the delivery of this session, and future sessions.
Content knowledge What is inclusive teaching?
Defining inclusive teaching Inclusive teaching is about supporting every pupil to participate and succeed in schools and Further Education settings, including those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It is important to note that there is an intersection between these groups, for example pupils with special educational needs are roughly twice as likely to be on free school meals compared to their peers (DfE, 2026). Outcomes for these groups are still determined by background and circumstances, and this has led to persistent attainment gaps. Inclusive teaching recognises that many pupils face multiple barriers to learning and aims to address these barriers, starting with high- quality teaching.
Effective inclusive teaching involves both strengthening universal classroom approaches that benefit all pupils, while also carefully considering adaptations or additional support for some. It is rooted in evidence-informed practice, ongoing assessment, and a commitment to high expectations for every pupil.
Reflection: Think of a class you are currently teaching.
What are you doing currently that is working well?
How are some of the approaches or strategies that you are using supporting all pupils?
As the facilitator, what parts of this section might be the most challenging to deliver, and how will you
approach this?
Common misconceptions about inclusive teaching It is worth being aware that there are misconceptions regarding the concept of inclusive teaching. When facilitating the session, it will be important to gently correct and challenge these if they emerge: It is not just about what schools do differently for pupils with additional needs; it is about approaches which benefit all pupils, especially those with additional needs.
More adaptations do not automatically mean better outcomes. Ineffective adaptations can hinder learning, therefore adaptations must be carefully monitored to ensure that they are effective.
Interventions are not the only or most important way to support pupils with additional needs; strong everyday teaching acts as the essential foundation.
A diagnosis does not always indicate what will be the best support; ongoing assessment and evidence- informed decisions are crucial.
Specialist expertise is valuable, but inclusive teaching begins with strong universal provision that every teacher can deliver.
Reflection: Which, if any, of these misconceptions do you anticipate staff may have when learning about inclusive teaching?
Why might staff hold these misconceptions do you think?
Given what you know of your staff, what might be the most effective approach to challenging these misconceptions should they emerge in the session?
Universal approaches Universal approaches are high-quality teaching practices we use every day that benefit all pupils but are especially important for those with additional needs. These approaches provide a strong foundation for learning for all pupils but may need adjusting for pupils with and without SEN to provide effective support.
Key universal approaches include: Explicit instruction: clear explanations, modelling, and frequent checks for understanding. This involves breaking down complex concepts, using examples and non-examples, and providing guided practice supported by modelling before independent practice.
Feedback: specific, actionable feedback focused on learning goals, tailored to pupils’ needs, and paired with opportunities to respond and improve.
Scaffolding: temporary support to help pupils complete tasks they could not do independently, informed by assessment, supported by modelling and gradually removed to build independence.
Positive relationships: building trust and high expectations between staff and pupils, supporting friendships, a sense of belonging and engaging with families.
Calm classroom environments: establishing clear routines, modelling expected behaviours, and creating
predictable, safe spaces for learning.
Evidence consistently shows that these universal practices improve outcomes for all pupils but are disproportionately beneficial for those with additional needs (Eef, 2020; Eef, 2026).
Adaptations and additional support Some pupils will need adaptations or additional support to succeed, alongside universal approaches. This might include classroom adaptations, targeted interventions, or specialist input (see Layers of Support, p.12).
Effective adaptations and support: are specific to a learning task, based on ongoing assessment, and enhance elements of high-quality teaching (such as extra modelling or practice) are proportionate, timely, and removed when no longer needed, always aiming to build pupil independence are integrated into whole-class planning, not delivered in isolation Ineffective adaptations tend to: be based on broad labels or assumptions create unnecessary separate tasks lower expectations reduce opportunities for pupils to think deeply or develop independence Targeted interventions Small group or one-to-one interventions can be effective, especially when carefully matched to pupils’ needs, delivered by trained staff, and linked to specific aspects of learning. In addition, regular assessment and adjustment as pupils progress will be needed to ensure effectiveness. However, not all interventions are equally effective; schools should select evidence-based programmes where possible and monitor carefully to ensure they are having the intended impact. It is also important to consider these interventions alongside the school’s inclusion strategy, to ensure pupils are not inadvertently ‘excluded’ from the classroom to receive this targeted support.
A recommended starting point when selecting an evidence-based programme or intervention is the Education Endowment Foundation and the Teaching and Learning Toolkit.
Support from learning support staff (e.g. teaching assistants)
Learning support staff can supplement, and support pupils to access, inclusive teaching. Schools should consider the deployment of support staff, for example, the evidence suggests that teaching assistants can have a positive impact on pupil outcomes when they have been trained to deliver structured, targeted interventions. The Education Endowment Foundation also makes a number of other recommendations about the deployment of teaching assistants.
Use of technology Technology can support inclusive teaching when it enhances access and learning, but should be evidence- based, meet the needs of pupils and be linked to effective teaching.
Monitoring impact It is essential to monitor the effects of adaptations and additional support, as they can help or hinder learning. Professional learning and reflective practice are key to making effective decisions.
Glossary Some selected terms used within the slide deck and within the government’s reforms are included here for reference. Some staff will be familiar with these terms, but others may not. In the latter case, you might consider explicitly providing some of these definitions alongside the slide presentation.
Additional Needs: a general term used to describe where additional support, adjustments or provision is needed by children and young people to access education and training on an equal basis with others. This includes Special Educational Needs and Disabilities but can also refer to economic disadvantage, looked-after children or children and young people who have low prior attainment and need extra support to succeed in education.
Areas of Development: replacing the ‘Areas of Need’, these are focused on promoting the development of children and young people and consider their strengths as well as things they find difficult. The five proposed ‘Areas of Development’ were (Department for Education (2026b), Fig. 5):
Executive function: skills for organising, planning, remembering and managing tasks
Speech, language and communication: understanding and using language to interact and learn
Social and emotional: building relationships, managing feelings and social interaction
Sensory: processing and responding to sensory information (such as sight, sound, touch)
Motor and physical: movement, coordination and physical health needs
Note: The final Areas of Development are subject to change - DfE is considering feedback from SEND reform consultation and recommendations from the Expert Panel.
Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP): a legal document outlining the education, health and social care support that is to be provided to a child or young person who has special educational needs (SEN) or a disability.
Experts at Hand: a new offer of expert advice and services from education and health professionals into mainstream education settings.
Inclusion: the government’s approach to inclusion is guided by the definition set by the Un Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which focusses on breaking down barriers. Children’s needs are not fixed. They may change over time, and many will face barriers to learning at different stages of their lives – whether due to poverty, bereavement, caring responsibilities or other life circumstances. All staff in truly inclusive settings are able to recognise and respond to a wide range of additional needs, not as a response to specific diagnoses, but as a proactive approach towards creating environments where all children can access learning, feel valued and safe, and succeed.
Individual Support Plan (Isp): a record of a child or young person’s barriers to learning and of the provision in place to overcome those barriers. These will be for all children and young people with SEN.
Layers of support: three layers of support, above the Universal offer. These are called:
Targeted: additional support for pupils who need more help, but not specialist provision.
Targeted Plus: more intensive support, possibly involving external specialists.
Specialist: specialist settings or provision for pupils with the most complex needs.
SEN: special educational needs.
SENCO: special educational needs co-ordinator – a professional responsible for overseeing SEND provision within a school or setting.
SEND: special educational needs and disabilities – a broader term than SEN.
Settings: the different types of educational environments where children and young people receive learning and support. This includes early years provision (including childminders, maintained nursery schools, school-based nurseries, and private, voluntary and independent (Pvi) nurseries), schools (mainstream and special), and colleges or other post-16 education providers.
Transitions: the process of moving between stages of education or settings, such as from early years to primary school, or from school to further education.
Universal offer: is the everyday support and inclusive teaching that all mainstream settings
provide for all children and young people.
References Department for Education. (2026) Academic year 2024/25: Special educational needs in England.
Education Endowment Foundation. (2020). Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools.
Education Endowment Foundation. (2026). The Eef guide to inclusive teaching.
Developed in partnership with Timings | Section | Overview 5 mins | Aims of the session | Brief presentation of the aims of the session.
15 mins | Introduction | Briefly defines ‘inclusive teaching’. Explains the Eef’s ‘two-part model’ when thinking about inclusive teaching in practice.
15 mins | Context: SEND reform | Explains that effective teaching for pupils with additional needs contains the same elements as good teaching for all. Explores one effective teaching strategy, deliberately one that many staff will be familiar with: Explicit teaching. Invites staff to reflect on an aspect of explicit teaching which can be especially helpful when supporting pupils with additional needs. Briefly relates other examples of effective universal approaches – these areas are the subject of later resources.
15 mins | What is inclusion? | Briefly explains examples of adaptations and additional supports. Explores classroom / instructional adaptations with a reflection task using an example and non-example of ‘inclusive teaching’. Relates some common myths / misconceptions related to inclusive teaching and making adaptations.
5 mins | Reflection | Suggested end of session reflection task.
Potential adaptations | Suggestions General | You may wish to add your name or the name of your school or college to the bottom of the first slide. Note On Language: Throughout this, and other resources, we have made choices about the names we use to refer to people, places and ideas (such as ‘teachers’ and ‘pupils’). You may be accustomed to using different terms within your own setting. Please feel free to change any of these terms where you feel that doing so would be appropriate and helpful. (A quick way to do so is to use Ctrl+F, ‘Replace All’.) Session timings | Timings of individual slides (e.g., 2 minutes) and a running timing in minutes (e.g., [4]) are provided based on a 60-minute session. However, the session is intended to be flexible enough to adapt this to slightly longer or shorter times as required (e.g., 75 mins or 50 mins). For shorter sessions, you may need to limit optional slides and consider the use of time provided for reflection activities – for example, considering the length of discussion time and how many responses you elicit. For longer sessions, you might offer more of the optional slides and extend the time available for reflection and discussion – for example, taking more contributions from staff and explicitly drawing out the suggested key points as they are raised by teachers and support staff. It might be that you would prefer to deliver this content over several, shorter sessions in which case you can adapt the deck accordingly. For example, you might cover a session via three 20-minute slots, rather than in a single one-hour slot.
Introductory pupil voice quotes | In the introduction, there is a choice of pupil quotes – one primary-age, and one secondary-age. They are intended to illustrate the impact of effective, inclusive teaching. You may wish to use quotes from your own pupils in place of these suggestions. Where you use your own quotes, it is important that they reflect the following: They present positive development on the part of the pupil, not merely talking about difficulties and challenges.
Reflection question options | Throughout the session there are options for different reflection activities to choose from, to reflect the priorities, strengths and challenges in your own context. At the end of the section on inclusive teaching there is an optional reflection question on the two-part model. In the universal approaches section, there are two sets of reflection questions based on two different aspects of inclusive teaching: explicit instruction and positive relationships. Depending on time and what you wish to prioritise, you may choose to present one or both to staff. Towards the end of the deck are a range of reflection questions to end the session. In the reflections section the options suggested are: takeaways from the session on inclusive teaching broader reflections on systems and challenges regarding inclusive teaching broader reflections on the school’s strengths and
areas of development regarding inclusive teaching Task | Status (Tick for complete) Prior to delivery… | Prior to delivery… I have read the aims of this session I have read the instructions on how to deliver the session I have read the section of the guidance on the content knowledge of the session and completed the reflection questions I have established the context within which I will be delivering this session (such as the allotted time, and how this session will relate to other PD) I have considered the prior knowledge and range of experiences of those I will be delivering to I have considered the best route to take through the session I have adapted resources, such as using different examples of practice or pupil voice, where appropriate I have considered how to group or pair-up staff where they will be discussing and reflecting with one another I have identified what I think will be the trickiest parts of the session to deliver, and I have either scripted these or practised delivering the existing scripts I have planned how I might get feedback on the session once it has been delivered Where staff are required to have read a pre-read or attended another session prior to this one, I have ensured that the pre-read has been shared and/or the session has been delivered Having delivered the session… | Having delivered the session… I have reflected on what went well I have reflected on what I might do differently for future sessions I have recorded these insights so that I can use them to support my planning of future sessions