Main responsibilities
- Lead the school's inclusion strategy and, from 2026 to 2027, the inclusion strategy statement where the school receives the inclusive mainstream fund.
- Line-manage or co-ordinate the SENCO, pastoral, attendance and designated teacher roles.
- Use data on vulnerable groups to plan support and check its impact.
- Oversee reasonable adjustments and accessibility planning.
- Lead alternative provision placements and reintegration.
- Report to governors on inclusion.
Statutory duties and official sources
England.
- Mainstream schools receiving the inclusive mainstream fund must publish an inclusion strategy statement for 2026 to 2027 by 31 December 2026, including activities funded to remove barriers and their budgeted costs. This is a condition of grant, not a SEND law duty. Each academy in a MAT publishes its own statement. Source: DfE, Inclusive mainstream fund: conditions of grant 2026 to 2027; guidance and template.
- SEN duties: best endeavours, a designated SENCO, informing parents, the SEN information report. Source: Children and Families Act 2014, sections 66–67; SEND code of practice, chapter 6.
- Inclusion is a graded Ofsted evaluation area for schools. Source: Education inspection framework (renewed framework from 10 November 2025); toolkit.
- Equality Act duties: reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils, accessibility plans and the public sector equality duty. Source: DfE, Equality Act 2010: advice for schools.
- Supporting pupils with medical conditions is statutory guidance for governing bodies. Source: DfE, Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school.
Reform status. The February 2026 white paper proposes a duty on schools to produce an inclusion strategy and an inclusion base in every secondary school; these are proposals pending legislation the DfE does not expect before September 2029 (SEND reform consultation).
Key dates in the school year (2026 to 2027, England)
- 31 December 2026: inclusion strategy statement published (inclusive mainstream fund schools); pupil premium strategy statement published.
- January and April 2027: further DfE SEND and inclusion training materials expected (SEND and inclusion training).
- 31 March 2028: 2026 to 2027 inclusive mainstream fund allocation must be used by this date (conditions of grant).
- Census days: 1 October 2026, 21 January 2027, 20 May 2027.
Common challenges and good practice
- Avoid a parallel SEN structure. The SENCO remains the statutory role; define how the inclusion lead and SENCO divide strategy and casework.
- One plan. Align the inclusion strategy statement with the pupil premium statement and SEN information report so governors see one picture.
- Proposals are not duties. Brief staff on what applies now and what is proposed.
