The Inclusive Mainstream Fund 2026–27: A Practical Roadmap for Schools Developing Their Inclusion Strategy

The Inclusive Mainstream Fund provides mainstream schools with additional funding to strengthen inclusive practice, remove barriers to learning and provide earlier support for children with additional needs. For 2026–27, schools are expected not only to invest in inclusive provision but also to publish an Inclusion Strategy demonstrating how they identify and meet the needs of their pupils through whole-school approaches, adaptive teaching and targeted support.

What is the Inclusive Mainstream Fund?

The Inclusive Mainstream Fund is a new government investment designed to help mainstream schools become more inclusive by design. The Department for Education has allocated £400 million annually to mainstream schools as part of a wider programme of SEND reform. The aim is to help schools provide earlier support, reduce reliance on diagnosis-led systems and strengthen inclusive practice for all learners.

Unlike short-term intervention funding, the IMF is intended to support sustainable changes in how schools identify, understand and meet commonly occurring and predictable needs. Schools will be required to publish an Inclusion Strategy setting out how they are embedding inclusive practice across their setting.

Why is the Inclusion Strategy so important?

The Inclusion Strategy is more than a compliance document. It is an opportunity for schools to demonstrate how inclusion is woven through curriculum design, classroom practice, learning environments and wider school culture. The DfE describes the strategy as a report outlining how schools identify and meet predictable needs within their cohort while embedding inclusive approaches throughout the school.

A strong strategy should help answer questions such as:

• How do we identify barriers to learning?
• What support is available before formal diagnosis?
• How do we ensure adaptive teaching is consistently effective?
• How do we support attendance, wellbeing and belonging?
• How do we measure the impact of our inclusive practice?

What should schools prioritise first?

Before spending any funding, many schools will benefit from conducting an inclusion audit. This allows leaders to understand where strengths already exist and where investment could have the greatest impact. A useful starting point is reviewing core strategic operational areas across the institution.

Schools that begin with a clear understanding of current provision are often better placed to create meaningful, evidence-informed plans.

How can schools use the funding to strengthen adaptive teaching?

One of the strongest messages within the IMF guidance is the importance of high-quality adaptive teaching. Adaptive teaching benefits all learners and reduces the need for unnecessary interventions. Examples include:

• Scaffolded learning approaches
• Visual supports
• Flexible grouping
• Explicit vocabulary instruction
• Multi-sensory teaching strategies
• Clear routines and predictable structures

Professional development is often one of the most effective investments schools can make because improvements in classroom practice can positively affect every learner.

How can learning environments become more inclusive?

Many barriers to learning are environmental rather than academic. Schools may choose to review:

• Classroom layout
• Sensory demands
• Lighting and acoustics
• Transition spaces
• Quiet regulation areas
• Visual communication systems

Visual supports can be particularly valuable for pupils who benefit from clear structure and predictability. The Hope SEND range includes practical classroom resources that support communication, independence and routine building.

Where schools are developing consistent approaches across classrooms, a visual timetable system can help children understand expectations and navigate the school day with greater confidence. The Hope Visual Timetable is one example of a resource that can support whole-school consistency when used as part of a wider inclusive strategy.

How can schools support pupils before a diagnosis?

One of the most significant shifts within current SEND reform is the emphasis on providing support based on need rather than waiting for formal assessment or diagnosis. This means schools should consider:

• Early intervention pathways
• Graduated response approaches
• Universal classroom adaptations
• Small-group support
• Emotional wellbeing provision
• Family partnerships

For many pupils, timely support can make a substantial difference to outcomes regardless of whether a diagnosis is later secured.

How can schools build staff confidence in inclusion?

An Inclusion Strategy is only effective if staff understand and believe in it. Professional learning may focus on:

• Adaptive teaching
• Autism-informed practice
• Speech and language support
• Sensory processing needs
• Trauma-informed approaches
• SEMH support
• Inclusive classroom environments

Many schools are also investing in SEND-focused CPD to develop a shared understanding across teaching and support teams. Alongside professional development, schools often review the practical resources available to staff and the consistency of SEND provision across classrooms. The Hope SEND Hub provides further guidance, resources and support for schools developing inclusive practice. Training opportunities available through EuHu and Creative Education can support schools looking to strengthen whole-school inclusive practice and build staff confidence.

What might an Inclusive Mainstream Fund action plan look like?

The most successful strategies are likely to combine immediate improvements with longer-term cultural change.

Year 1 priorities

• Conduct an inclusion audit
• Publish Inclusion Strategy
• Review adaptive teaching practice
• Improve classroom accessibility
• Develop staff training programme

Year 2 priorities

• Refine intervention pathways
• Strengthen family engagement
• Embed inclusive curriculum design
• Improve impact measurement

Year 3 priorities

• Sustain successful practice
• Share effective approaches across teams
• Review outcomes and next steps
• Build inclusion into future school improvement planning

How can schools measure success?

Success should be measured through outcomes, not simply activity. Useful indicators may include:

• Improved attendance
• Reduced exclusions
• Improved pupil wellbeing
• Greater parental confidence
• Better engagement in learning
• Reduced escalation of need
• Improved staff confidence

Schools may also wish to gather pupil voice to understand whether children genuinely feel included, supported and able to thrive.

What is the Hope perspective?

At Hope Education, we believe inclusion works best when it is practical, achievable and embedded in everyday classroom life. The Inclusive Mainstream Fund represents an opportunity to strengthen the support already happening in schools while helping more children access learning, participate fully and develop confidence.

Whether through adaptive teaching, visual supports, staff development or improved learning environments, small changes can often make a significant difference to children's experiences and outcomes. Many schools begin this journey by reviewing both their classroom practice and the resources that underpin it.

Hope's dedicated SEND range has been developed to help schools implement inclusive approaches in practical, sustainable ways via the Hope SEND Catalog. Resources such as visual timetables can support consistent routines and communication across classrooms when implemented as part of a wider inclusion strategy as seen with the specialized Hope Visual Timetable Selection. By focusing on what children need to succeed today, schools can build inclusive environments where every learner feels valued, understood and able to be all they can be.