The Department for Education has published new guidance on inclusion bases — the clearest picture yet of where SEND support is heading. More children supported in mainstream, earlier, with stronger evidence. Here’s what it means for your child.
The Department for Education has released new guidance on inclusion bases in schools. It is written for schools and local authorities — but for parents, it quietly answers a question many of you have been asking: where is all of this heading? The short answer is that the government wants more children with additional needs supported well within mainstream schools, earlier, and with far stronger evidence behind every decision. Here is what that actually means for your child, without the jargon.
The headline is a decisive push toward inclusive mainstream education — and, unusually, it comes with real money attached. The guidance sits inside the government’s high-needs capital programme of at least £3.7 billion between 2025 and 2030, and it is paired with a brand-new £500 million Inclusive Mainstream Fund starting in the 2026/27 financial year. That money is meant to help schools adapt their buildings, set up inclusion bases, and strengthen everyday SEND provision. The ambition is striking: over time, the expectation is that every secondary school will have an inclusion base, with an equivalent number of places created in primary schools.
The new Inclusive Mainstream Fund, beginning 2026/27, part of at least £3.7bn of high-needs capital investment between 2025 and 2030 — to help schools build inclusion bases and become genuinely more inclusive. Source: Department for Education, Inclusion bases in schools guidance, June 2026.
An inclusion base is a dedicated space inside a mainstream school that offers targeted teaching and specialist support to children who need more than a typical classroom can give — while keeping them firmly part of school life. The guidance is clear on a few principles that matter enormously for families:
This fits the wider reform, which is organising support into three tiers — targeted, targeted plus, and specialist — with bases delivering the more intensive levels inside mainstream schools, rather than only in separate specialist settings.
Reading between the lines, here is the practical shift for families:
were surveyed by the DfE about their experience of existing SEND bases. Nearly 6 in 10 described it as positive — but around 1 in 4 described it as negative, most often where the base couldn’t meet their child’s specific needs. The lesson is simple: a base is only ever as good as the understanding of the child behind it. Source: Department for Education, 2026.
Pull on the thread running through every part of this guidance and you reach the same word: evidence. Whether your child is supported in a mainstream classroom, through an inclusion base, or you’re building toward an EHCP, the whole system is being re-pointed around assessing need properly, acting on it, and reviewing it honestly.
The families who do best in a system like this are the ones who arrive already understanding their child — clearly, specifically, and in writing.
That is exactly what we’ve been saying at Education With Lauren for a long time: early identification, robust evidence, and the right support in mainstream settings matter more now than they ever have. The SEND landscape is changing quickly, and understanding your child’s needs — and rights — has never been more important.
Not sure what these changes mean for your child, or your school? A free 15-minute call with Lauren is a calm, no-pressure place to talk it through — and work out the right next step.
Book a free 15-minute call with LaurenAn independent specialist assessment gives you — and your child’s school — exactly the kind of evidence this new landscape is built around. It looks far beyond whether a child is “behind,” and builds a clear, specific picture of how your child actually learns, across areas including:
It gives the school something concrete to act on within their graduated approach — and it gives you a clear document that strengthens your position, whether you’re asking for support in class, a place in an inclusion base, or a full EHCP assessment.
“The gap analysis has been so helpful. I now feel like I have a much clearer understanding of what will help her achieve — and I know what I need to be discussing with school in terms of appropriate support.”
“The best thing we could have done. Now we know the reasons for our son’s constant struggles at school — and he actually enjoys going to Lauren.”
The system is shifting toward earlier help and stronger evidence. The parents who feel ready are the ones who already understand their child — clearly, and in writing.
This article is general information for parents about new government SEND guidance. It is a plain-English summary, not legal advice, and the guidance referred to is non-statutory. If you have concerns about your child or your school’s provision, a free 15-minute call is a good place to start.
“Understanding your child has never mattered more than it does now.”