Government publishes inclusion bases guidance in England
4 mins read
Thursday 16 July 2026
This advice applies in England only.
The government has published new guidance explaining how schools should develop inclusion bases – dedicated spaces in mainstream schools where children with additional needs can get extra support.
Inclusion bases are part of the government’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms. The government is introducing them while it reviews feedback to its consultation on other proposed legal changes. The government wants every secondary school to have an inclusion base by 2030.
Families who contact our helpline tell us that experiences of inclusion bases vary widely. Some children thrive with the extra support, while others feel separated from their peers or insufficiently supported and need a special school.
The government has said it will publish parent‑friendly factsheets soon. We will share these as soon as they are available.
What are inclusion bases?
“Inclusion base” is a broad term covering different types of support spaces in mainstream schools. These include what many families already know as resource bases, specialist units or SEND hubs.
Bases are usually located away from the main classroom. They offer quieter or sensory‑friendly spaces, small‑group teaching, specialist support, and help with regulation, communication or confidence. The aim is to help children stay included in mainstream education while getting the support they need.
What the guidance says
There are two types of inclusion bases.
Support bases (school‑funded) are mainly for children who do not have an education, health and care (EHC) plan, but need more help than the classroom can provide. Under the SEND reforms, this sits within the Targeted Plus level of support.
Support bases should help children spend more time in mainstream lessons, be part of the whole school, be led by specialist teachers, and never be used as disciplinary spaces. They can range from small hubs to separate classroom‑style spaces.
Specialist bases (local authority‑funded) are for children who need more specialist teaching and support, usually those with an EHC plan.
Local authorities must:
- Identify the group of children the base will support (for example autism, social, emotional mental health needs, or speech and language needs).
- Commission any therapeutic input.
- Involve families, schools, health and social care in designing and reviewing the base.
Academies that want to open a specialist base must involve the Secretary of State for Education. For less common needs such as physical disabilities or hearing impairment, commissioning may need to happen across a wider region.
The guidance also notes that some children without an EHC plan may be able to access specialist bases in certain circumstances.
A “spectrum of support”
The guidance says inclusion bases should support children who are mostly in mainstream but need occasional help, alongside children who need to spend more time in the base.
Schools must identify the main group of children the base is designed for. For example, children with speech and language needs, sensory needs, or social and emotional needs.
Concerns families have raised
Parents tell us that inclusion bases can work well when they are properly funded, well-staffed, clearly designed around a specific group of children, and genuinely focused on inclusion.
But families also raise concerns. Based on what we hear, and what the guidance says, we are watching for:
- Children who do not fit the chosen “cohort”. It is unclear how schools will support children whose needs fall outside the base’s focus
- Funding and accountability. Without clear rules, there is a risk bases will not have the staffing or resources they need.
- How different types of bases work together. The guidance does not fully explain whether schools can run both support bases and specialist bases, or how or if they should be combined.
- Variability between schools. Because the guidance is non‑statutory, provision may look very different from one school to another.
Contact continues to call on the government to make sure inclusion bases are properly funded, staffed and designed with families, so they promote genuine inclusion rather than segregation.
What other changes are happening?
The SEND reforms include other proposed legal changes to the education system. A 12-week consultation on changes closed on Monday 18 May 2026.
The Department for Education (DfE) is now reviewing the responses submitted to the consultation before publishing its formal response later this year.
The response will set out the feedback received and which proposals the government intends to change, take forward or develop further. Further policy development and engagement will continue over this period.