Inclusion is central to everything we do across MAST.

Our ambition is that every child, regardless of need, starting point or circumstance, is able to Belong, Be Safe and Flourish within their school community.

Our Trust-wide approach is built around a simple principle:

Getting it right, right from the start.

This means identifying needs early, designing classrooms and provision to be inclusive from the outset, and ensuring that staff have the knowledge, confidence and support they need to respond effectively to the children in front of them.

We believe that strong inclusion is not something separate from excellent teaching. It is an integral part of it.

Trust Inclusion Lead

MAST has a dedicated Trust Inclusion Lead who works across our schools to strengthen SEND and inclusion provision, support school leaders and SENCOs, and help develop a consistent Trust-wide approach.

The Trust Inclusion Lead provides strategic and practical support, including:

• working alongside Headteachers and SENCOs to review and strengthen provision;

• supporting schools with complex SEND cases and decision-making;

• developing consistent systems for early identification and the graduated response;

• supporting SEND reviews, provision mapping and quality assurance;

• advising on inclusive classroom practice and adaptive teaching;

• helping schools to access specialist services and external professionals;

• supporting statutory processes, including Education, Health and Care Plans;

• developing professional learning for leaders, teachers and teaching assistants;

• facilitating collaboration and sharing effective practice across MAST; and

• providing challenge and support where provision needs to improve.

This means that schools are not working in isolation. Leaders and SENCOs have access to Trust-level expertise, professional challenge and practical support when they need it.

Early identification

The earlier a child’s needs are understood, the earlier appropriate support can be put in place.

Across MAST, we support schools to develop strong systems for identifying emerging needs, recognising patterns and listening carefully to children, families and professionals.

Our central inclusion team works alongside Headteachers, SENCOs and school staff to strengthen assessment, identification and decision-making so that children receive the right support at the right time.

This includes considering a child’s learning, communication, social and emotional development, physical needs, attendance, behaviour and wider circumstances as part of a holistic understanding of the child.

Inclusion by design

Our aim is for inclusion to begin in the classroom.

Through high-quality teaching, thoughtful curriculum design and appropriate adaptation, we seek to remove barriers before they become barriers to learning.

We support teachers to develop inclusive classroom practice that enables as many children as possible to access learning alongside their peers.

This includes developing practice around adaptive teaching, scaffolding, communication, sensory needs, classroom environments and the effective deployment of additional adults.

By strengthening universal provision across our schools, we aim to ensure that additional or specialist intervention complements excellent classroom teaching rather than replacing it.

Understanding child development

Effective inclusion depends upon understanding how children learn and develop.

We support staff to deepen their understanding of child development and the factors that can affect a pupil’s ability to learn, communicate, regulate and participate successfully in school.

This helps colleagues to look beyond presenting behaviour and ask what a child may be communicating through their actions.

By developing this understanding across our workforce, we aim to ensure that responses are informed, compassionate and appropriate to each child’s needs.

A strong graduated response

Where children require additional support, schools use a clear graduated approach of assess, plan, do and review.

Our central inclusion team supports SENCOs and school leaders to ensure that this process is purposeful, evidence-informed and focused on impact.

This includes support with:

• identifying and assessing additional needs;

• planning appropriate provision and interventions;

• reviewing the impact of support;

• developing SEN Support Plans;

• working with parents and carers;

• preparing for and reviewing Education, Health and Care Plans;

• accessing specialist services and external professionals;

• transition between phases, schools and settings; and

• strengthening SEND systems, documentation and statutory compliance.

The emphasis is always on understanding what difference provision is making for the child and adapting support where necessary.

Specialist advice and support

Schools benefit from access to Trust-wide expertise and support.

Our Trust Inclusion Lead works alongside SENCOs, school leaders and staff to provide advice, challenge and practical support with individual pupils, groups of children and whole-school provision.

Where appropriate, we also support schools in working effectively with external professionals and specialist services, including educational psychology, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and local authority services.

Across the Trust, we also seek opportunities to share specialist knowledge, resources and effective practice between schools.

Developing our staff

Sustainable inclusion depends upon knowledgeable and confident staff.

Professional development is therefore a significant part of our Trust inclusion strategy.

We provide training, coaching, networks and opportunities for collaboration for SENCOs, teachers, teaching assistants and school leaders.

Our aim is to build capacity within every school so that inclusive practice becomes increasingly embedded, consistent and sustainable.

This also enables colleagues to learn from one another and ensures that expertise developed in one part of MAST can benefit children across the Trust.

Working with families

Parents and carers know their children best and are essential partners in supporting children with additional needs.

We encourage schools to develop open, constructive relationships with families and to involve them meaningfully in decisions about their child’s support and provision.

Where needs are complex, we aim to support schools and families to navigate systems together and maintain a clear focus on the best possible outcomes for the child.

Building inclusive schools

Our ambition is not simply to provide effective SEND support.

It is to create schools in which difference is understood, barriers are anticipated and every child is valued as a full member of the school community.

Through early identification, inclusion by design, understanding development, a strong graduated response and continued staff development, we are building a consistent approach across MAST that supports schools to meet increasingly diverse needs with confidence.

Above all, we want every child to experience a school where they know that they belong, where they are safe, and where they are supported to flourish.