Achieving inclusion by design with a proven framework for trust-wide consistency in your inclusion strategy
Use mentoring as a framework for a clear, understandable, inclusion strategy that can be replicated across all the schools in your network.
With the Inclusive Mainstream Fund (IMF) for 2026/2027 means all trusts are having to evaluate how best to deploy resources to strengthen their universal offer and provide evidence-based, targeted support for pupils with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs. You are having to not only adhere to the ‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review’ cycle outlined in the SEND Code of Practice, but also cover the DfE’s 7 principles of inclusion:
Ambitious Leadership
That embeds inclusion in all planning.
Evidence-Based Support
Focusing on early intervention.
High-Quality Teaching
With a curriculum designed for all learners.
Accessible And Enriching Provision
Extending beyond the classroom.
A Safe And Respectful Culture
That fosters belonging and attendance.
Strong Partnerships
With families and wider support services.
Inclusive Environments
Featuring continuous accessibility improvements.
The Inclusion Mainstream Fund requirements can cause confusion, lack of clarity, inconsistent and disjointed approaches to inclusion across schools in an academy trust. We want to help you avoid an inconsistent, unmeasurable approach with your schools heading off in their own directions.
As you are no doubt aware, the IMF is intended to particularly support investment in areas including:
- Staff training and professional development
- Early intervention and targeted support
- Data collection and needs analysis
- Inclusive teaching approaches
- Attendance and belonging initiatives
- Partnerships with families
- Evidence and impact evaluation
- Environmental and accessibility improvements
That is where The Mentoring School steps in.
We want to help you ensure your trust’s inclusion strategy takes a consistent approach to covering the DfE’s 7 principles of inclusion.
Mentoring has been frequently shown to have a measurable, positive, impact on behaviour, SEND, wellbeing, inclusion, and attendance.
We have over a decade of experience working with schools like yours to embed a mentoring approach that underpins a culture of belonging.
Our specialised mentor training is key to establishing a baseline of inclusive teaching approaches, whilst also supporting attendance and belonging initiatives.
We work in partnership with you to provide targeted, accredited, training focused on analysing data to idendify needs. This allows staff to:
Identify Root Causes:
Empower staff to look beyond challenging behaviour to understand and address underlying SEMH triggers.
Deliver Targeted Interventions:
Equip your team with a mental health-led framework for delivering high-quality 1:1 and small-group support.
Provide Robust Evidence:
Utilise our documentation toolkits to support internal reporting and EHCP applications, demonstrating the impact of your inclusive practice as required by the new IMF guidance.
Your staff provide earlier interventions and targeted support in a way that can be evaluated for impact.
Included in the Trust Inclusion Strategy Package:
Accredited level 3 mentor training, specialised for primary and secondary schools, for 10 staff members, with the option for on-demand or live-online learning.
Regular meetings with your Inclusion Strategy Development Advisor, who will provide guidance from creating the strategy statement document for your website, through to implementing actions, supporting the training cohort, and monitoring outcomes.
You will also have the opportunity to add further members for a larger cohort, as well as choosing to conduct an Introduction to Mentoring Skills Training Day for all staff.
Our Guarantees:
Tailored Approach
We commit to working with you to create a detailed, evidence-based, inclusion strategy which can be applied to every school in your trust.
You will be assigned an expert Inclusion Strategy Development Advisor, who will begin with an in-depth analysis of your current provision. This will identify target areas and key commitments that enable you to provide a universal offer of targeted support, delivered according to internationally recognised best practice standards.
Strategy Statement
As part of this Trust Inclusion Strategy Package, we will provide expert guidance and advice to help you develop and publish your inclusion strategy statement before the 31st of December deadline.
Your dedicated Inclusion Strategy Development and Impact Coach will work with you to ensure that this document covers:
- the needs and barriers affecting pupils in the school
- how inclusion funding is being used
- how spending aligns with the seven inclusion themes
- the approaches and activities being implemented
- how impact will be monitored and evaluated
You will be assigned an expert Inclusion Strategy Development Advisor, who will begin with an in-depth analysis of your current provision. This will identify target areas and key commitments that enable you to provide a universal offer of targeted support, delivered according to internationally recognised best practice standards.
Build Your Own Quote
At a basic level the Trust Inclusion Strategy Package costs £2,950 + £1,150 per mentor, the tool below to be sent your own bespoke quotation, valid for 30 days. Still not ready after 30 days? Just come back and generate a new quote.
Ready to make the most of the Inclusive Mainstream Fund for your trust?
Please note: to ensure that your Inclusion Strategy receives the full attention that it deserves, we limit our intake to only 3 new school trusts a month.
Secure your tailored support package, get in touch with our specialist team today.