DfE Inclusion Exchange Project

Introduction

The Inclusion Exchange is a DfE funded project based on a collaborative initiative designed to strengthen inclusive education across mainstream schools in the North West. The project brings together a cross-regional group of special school leaders, mainstream practitioners, and SEND experts to define what effective mainstream inclusion looks like—drawing on lived experience, sector expertise, and the latest evidence.

Through the Sector-Led Inclusion Expert Group (SIEG), made up of senior leaders in outstanding specialist provision, we will co-produce practical tools, including an enhanced inclusion audit framework and a comprehensive toolkit of strategies. These resources will draw upon the original Whole School SEND Review Guide, and integrate existing frameworks including, EEF SEND in Mainstream Guide and Deployment of Teaching Assistants Guide, nasen Whole School SEND Reflection Framework and the 2025 Ofsted School Inspection Toolkit, with particular focus on the 'Inclusion' strand. 

Our goal is to:

• Build capacity in mainstream settings to deliver high-quality inclusive education.
• Improve outcomes for pupils with SEND.
• Foster sustainable partnerships between special and mainstream schools.

The enhanced inclusion audit framework will be piloted with schools, parent/carer groups, and multi-agency specialists, refined through feedback, and shared widely via webinars, cluster groups, and leadership networks to ensure accessibility and long-term impact. The pilot phase will take place from the end of February through to the end of March 2026.

The project will be complete by 31st March 2026.


Call For Evidence

We are inviting schools, Trusts, and Local Authorities across the North West, who identify themselves as providing excellent opportunities for learners with SEND, to contribute to this exciting project by sharing examples of exemplary inclusive practice that directly links to the statement(s) in this Exemplification Guidance document. These examples can be of approaches, strategies, or initiatives that have made a real difference for your learners. These could be big projects or small changes that had a big impact - anything that shows inclusion in action.

Your contributions will help shape practical tools and resources that will support schools and other settings across the region. By sharing what works, you’ll be helping others and celebrating the great work happening in your school. Your school and its contribution will also be acknowledged and recognised in the final output of this high profile DfE project.

Submit your examples via Inclusion Exchange - DfE RISE Universal Grant – Fill in form or use the QR code below.

In order to move this project forward in a timely manner, our preferred submission date is Friday 30th January 2026.
 

Pilot Phase

We are inviting mainstream schools to take part in the pilot of our new Inclusion Audit Framework, developed as part of the RISE Universal Service initiative. This framework is an enhanced inclusion audit tool and a comprehensive toolkit of strategies. It has been developed by integrating existing audit tools and frameworks. It is designed to strengthen inclusive practice in mainstream schools and improve outcomes for pupils with SEND - grounded in real-world experience and sector-led collaboration.

During this pilot, we are asking you to:

• Trial two sections of Inclusion Audit Framework in your setting.

• Provide feedback on its usefulness and practicality.

Your insights will be invaluable in refining the framework before wider rollout. By taking part, you’ll help shape a resource that supports schools across the North West and beyond. This is a unique opportunity to influence a sector-led approach to inclusion and ensure the tools we create are genuinely useful in practice.

Once you have trialed the framework, submit your feedback via Inclusion Audit Framework – Pilot Feedback Form – Fill out form or use the QR code below.

The final submission date for feedback is Friday 6th March 2026.