By Matt Walker, National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER)
We’ve covered the newly-renamed “Inclusion Bases”— previously known as resourced provision or SEN Units—quite a few times. They make up a large part of the Government’s proposals in its White Paper SEND Consultation. We’ve given our views, but today we’ll look at the research from the National Foundation for Education Research.
Matt Walker of the NFER has been involved in research funded by the Nuffield Foundation, which has found pupils with SEND are already unevenly clustered across mainstream schools, and that schools with a greater percentage of pupils with EHCPs are disproportionately likely to host SEN units or resource provision (RP). These early findings highlight the distinctive role of inclusion bases, highlighting the system‑level patterns with which these reforms will directly interact. The interim report notes these settings “often develop stronger whole‑school SEND expertise” but also tend to attract additional pupils with more complex needs, creating concentrations that stretch staffing, funding and capacity. Matt explains why it’s crucial to understand these dynamics as the government rolls out new inclusion bases as part of the SEND reforms.
By Matt Walker, Senior Research Manager, National Foundation for Educational Research
Parents of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) know how important it is to find the right school. Across England, more children than ever are being identified with SEND, and schools are supporting more pupils with complex needs. As well as being extremely stressful for parents, this is also putting pressure on schools, especially those known for being inclusive. Some have become local “SEND hubs”, taking on more children with high needs than others.
The government has proposed changes to the SEND system, including new “inclusion bases” in schools – spaces that provide extra support on-site. In this blog, I look at what’s happening in schools, the challenges they face, and whether inclusion bases could help.
Why inclusive schools matter
While every mainstream school has a duty to support children with special needs, in reality, some schools are educating many more high-need pupils than others. Our research finds that SEND pupils tend to cluster in particular mainstream schools, which have become known for their inclusive cultures and specialist expertise. Through our research, which includes interviews with parents in a number of these schools, we’ve heard how transformative these settings can be. Parents often describe them as life-changing, saying their children become happier, more confident and better able to learn. Importantly, families of children without SEND also value these environments, recognising the social and emotional benefits for all pupils.
But there are downsides: inclusion is not evenly spread. A small number of schools often support a disproportionately high number of pupils with SEND, placing real pressure on staff, funding and resources. Many school leaders describe reaching a “tipping point”, where taking more pupils with high needs risks affecting quality, staff wellbeing or safety. Primarily, this isn’t about unwillingness to include; it’s about capacity.
Despite this, parents often say they wish more schools could offer this kind of experience. That’s where new government proposals come in.
What are inclusion bases?
“Inclusion bases” are a key part of the government’s proposed SEND reforms. They build on existing models such as Special Educational Needs (SEN) units and resource provision (RP) – specialist spaces within mainstream schools where pupils with SEND can get extra support, sometimes in smaller groups or with specialist staff. The idea of the new inclusion bases is to expand and standardise these kinds of supports, so that every secondary school (and many primary schools) has them, either as lighter-touch Support Bases funded by schools or more intensive Specialist Bases funded by local authorities.
For many families, this could be a positive step. It could reduce long journeys to special schools and ensure more children are supported closer to home.
What our research says
In our survey, 46% of primary schools and 76% of secondary schools reported having a SEN unit or RP. These weighted estimates are substantially higher than figures from government data, which suggest that just under 10% of primary schools and around 20% of secondary schools have SEN units or RP. We believe this difference reflects schools including self-funded/organised bases in their responses, rather than only those funded by local authorities.
Our research findings, based on interviews with parents and staff in 15 high-SEND schools and a survey of 800 SENCOs and school leaders, suggest that inclusion bases could work well—but only when implemented effectively.
Potential benefits of inclusion bases:
- Capacity boosting: Among schools that reported having a SEN unit or RP, around two-thirds of schools agreed that SEN units and/or RP enhanced their overall capacity and expertise to support a wide range of SEND.
- Stronger multi-agency collaboration: Schools with bases reported gaining confidence working with speech and language therapists, educational psychologists, occupational therapists, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), and social care, strengthening the overall quality of provision.
- Improved staff expertise: When implemented well, schools reported that techniques initially adopted by staff for the resource base, including visual timetables, structured routines, and sensory regulation strategies, enhanced learning for all pupils.
However, the evidence also highlights important risks.
What can go wrong:
- Poor integration: In roughly a quarter of schools with SEN units or RP, staff perceived that the children in the base had limited interaction or friendships with their peers in the mainstream classes. However, this may partly reflect differences in how these models are designed. SEN units typically support pupils for a larger proportion of the school day (often more than 50%), which can naturally limit opportunities for integration, whereas resource provision is usually part-time. Even so, ensuring meaningful links with the wider school community remains important for all pupils.
- Limited collaboration: Over a third of schools with SEN units or RP reported weak collaboration between base staff and other teachers – meaning expertise in the base was not being shared across the wider school.
- Not meeting all needs: Only a third of secondary schools and fewer than half of primary schools with a SEN unit or RP felt their base could meet the needs of all pupils who accessed it.
- Resource strain: Over two-thirds of schools with SEN units or RP said their base placed considerable pressure on resources or staffing.
Inclusion is more than a space
The key message from our research is simple: inclusion bases are not a silver bullet. True inclusion depends on the whole school – not just having a dedicated space.
For inclusion bases to succeed, they need:
- Strong integration into everyday school life.
- Collaboration between base staff and classroom teachers.
- Sufficient funding and specialist staffing.
- A whole-school commitment to inclusion.
When these elements are in place, inclusion bases could enhance what schools already do well. Without them, they risk reinforcing separation rather than inclusion.
What this means for parents
The direction of travel is positive. More support in mainstream schools, better-trained staff, and dedicated spaces for SEND pupils are all steps forward. But the most important thing to remember is this: real inclusion isn’t about a specific unit or base—it’s about a whole-school mindset.
The best schools don’t just have inclusion – they live it. With the right support, more schools can do the same.
About the author
Matt Walker is a Senior Research Manager specialising in education research. His areas of expertise include SEND, workforce research, CPD, programme evaluation, and the use of administrative data to inform policy and practice.
This blog forms part of a wider programme of research exploring the uneven distribution of pupils with SEND across mainstream schools in England, funded by the Nuffield Foundation. The project examines why pupils with SEND are concentrated in some schools more than others and what this means for schools, families and policy.
The views expressed here are those of the author. Further findings from the study can be found here. An interim report is available on the NFER website.
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Key Content
Also read:
- Beyond EHCPs: Why Inclusion Needs More Than a Document
- The Unacceptable Truth: 20 SEND legal rights at risk from the Government’s SEND reforms
- How health and family support systems are failing children starting school
- WEBINAR RECORDING! The implications for children’s legal rights to EHCPs and EOTAS of the Government’s SEND proposals
- When things go right: Shining a light on SEND Practitioners making a positive impact [Giveaway!]
- From suspicion to support: why the Government’s child protection reforms matter for disabled children
- Have your say on the future of transport for disabled children and young people
- Unison voices major concerns over SEND reform health plans for sick and disabled children out of school in the EOTAS consultation
- Top Tips for the EOTAS & EHCP consultation: Protect your child’s rights to statutory SEND support
- Navigating constraints: Why a former PCF chair thinks the current model is missing the mark for families
- Dear Secretary of State for Education, Lucy Powell: an Open Letter from Special Needs Jungle and SEND legal charity SOS!SEN
- Research: Disabled young people define inclusive education as “learning in the place that’s right for them”
- Beyond EHCPs: Why Inclusion Needs More Than a Document
- Research: Disabled young people define inclusive education as “learning in the place that’s right for them”
- Research: Inclusion for neurodivergent pupils needs lived-experience trainers and getting the wider school environment right
- Philippa Stobbs OBE: Reform plans must have a clear line of sight from children and young people with SEND to better outcomes.
- Inclusion bases: Can they help solve the SEND crisis?
- Shutting down debate: The Government’s use of ‘Experts’ for SEND reform
- Inclusion bases: a new label, a big ambition, same unanswered questions
- Inclusion doesn’t just happen in mainstream school: being included in education and in life should be the goal
- The complex SEND needs teacher training gap in mainstream schools and how to fix it
- Government must act on the “double disadvantage” of poverty and SEND policies says new report
- Consultation with parents and carers: What can the Government learn from the SEND Review?
- The Ontario system: Are politicians considering a Canadian province’s SEND structure for England?
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- The Unacceptable Truth: 20 SEND legal rights at risk from the Government’s SEND reforms - September 9, 2026
- WEBINAR RECORDING! The implications for children’s legal rights to EHCPs and EOTAS of the Government’s SEND proposals - September 3, 2026
- From suspicion to support: why the Government’s child protection reforms matter for disabled children - August 28, 2026
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