Inclusion by Design: Building a Culture Where Every Learner Belongs

Inclusion isn’t just a concept at ATT, it’s a golden thread that weaves through every aspect of our organisation.

At our Trust, we believe that every child deserves to feel safe, supported, and seen and that inclusion must be designed into the very fabric of our schools. It’s something we are constantly working on and improving, based on an ever-evolving cycle of feedback from our community.

As we celebrate National Inclusion Week, we’re proud to share how we’re making inclusion intentional, strategic, and transformative through the way we train staff, design systems, and shape culture.

Embedding Inclusion into Everyday Practice

Inclusion by design means every colleague understands their role in creating inclusive environments. Across the organisation, we’re aligning our systems to ensure that inclusion is everyone’s responsibility. Here are just some of the ways that we are achieving this:

We’ve created a Graduated Response Toolkit to support our staff to tailor support for students with absence, working with a support first approach to systemically addressing the barriers to attendance. Last year we ran our first external #ATTendance event, to showcase the strategies that work and the Attendance Curriculum we’re building to support our approach by offering universal input that will make the difference.

We’ve invested in developing Emotion Coaching Trainers and experts at Bristnall Hall Academy, to support our wider teams to embed emotion coaching into daily practice, facilitating emotionally healthy conversations that promote healthy mental models for our young people. Safeguarding teams are embedding trauma-informed practice this year, ensuring that vulnerable students are met with empathy and understanding—fostering confidence so every child feels safe and known.

SENDCOs are supported with robust induction programmes and tools like the SEND Core Offer and Waves of Provision, helping them lead inclusive practice through effective resourcing and professional excellence.

These aren’t isolated initiatives, they’re part of a joined-up approach that ensures every student’s needs are met with skill, care, and consistency and these are implemented through the connected work of our inclusion-focussed communities.

Designing Inclusive Systems That Work

We’re redesigning systems to make inclusion sustainable.

Connection is the thread that binds our inclusive practice; when we connect meaningfully with pupils, families, and colleagues, we create the conditions for every child to feel seen, heard, and valued.

By designing systems that prioritise relationships, trust, and shared understanding, we’re ensuring that inclusion is not just a policy, but a lived experience for every learner.

 

“Inclusion is built into how we work, not just what we say.”

 

Our Behaviour Connection Plans and Attendance Connection Plans have been redesigned to focus on addressing the barriers to success, using the myriad of different tools we have to support students to meet their goals, through multiple pathways to success.

We’ve also developed a new Parent and Carer Partnership Plan which is co-constructed with staff from across the Trust and families to ensure support is personalised and collaborative, nurturing students to find strength through challenge and building our connection with families and the communities we serve.

These tools help us move beyond reactive support to proactive planning, so that inclusion is built into how we work, not just what we say.

Creating Inclusive Cultures Through Training and Leadership

Inclusion by design also means investing in people. We’re building strong leaders and professional excellence across the Trust:

DSLs and SENDCOs receive strategic CPD, including bespoke training on neurodiversity, trauma-informed practice, and safeguarding leadership, developing confident, capable professionals.

Enabling Education Colleagues (EECs) are offered role-specific training in areas like behaviour, attendance, SEND and mental health, empowering them to act with purpose and integrity.

We’re launching events like the #ATTendance Conference to celebrate best practice and share learning across the Trust and beyond. These allow us to value and empowering our staff and the excellent practice they’ve developed whilst heralding the progress of our students, underpinned by the support and guidance they receive from their families and communities.

This culture of professional curiosity and shared expertise is what drives real change, and our staff are making transformational changes every day.