Inclusion Review Consultancy for Schools & Trusts

Strengthen culture, remove barriers, and evidence impact where it matters most.
From November 2025, Inclusion is evaluated as a distinct area in Ofsted inspections and is also threaded through all other evaluation areas. Schools receive a multi‑area report card, so inclusive practice must be visible in classrooms, systems and outcomes—not just in policies.

What is an Inclusion Review — and why now?

An Inclusion Review is a whole‑school (or trust‑wide) diagnostic that evaluates how well you identify needs, remove barriers to learning and well‑being, and secure equitable access and outcomes for pupils who are disadvantaged, have SEND, are known to children’s social care, or face other barriers (e.g., young carers, EAL, SEMH). It mirrors Ofsted’s updated inspection methodology, with a clear emphasis on case sampling, learning walks, and lived experience alongside documentation.

Ofsted’s 2025 framework introduces operating guides and toolkits for each remit; inspectors will triangulate evidence, meet SENCO/inclusion leads, and focus sharply on whether adaptations are meaningful and cultures are fair and consistent.

What our Inclusion Review covers

We evaluate inclusion across the areas that Ofsted will scrutinise—both as a standalone judgement and within other evaluation areas:

1. Early identification & needs analysis
   How effectively you identify disadvantaged pupils, learners with SEND (including EHCPs), those known to social care, and others facing barriers; how early assessment and referral pathways work in practice.
2. Curriculum accessibility & adaptive teaching
   Whether adaptations enable access to the full curriculum without lowering ambition; how cognitive and instructional routines support memory and independence for diverse learners.
3. Classroom climate, behaviour & belonging
   Fair, consistent systems; pupils’ sense of safety and belonging; reduction of exclusionary practices; alignment between behaviour policy and everyday practice. [depedtacurong.org]
4. Assessment, feedback & planning cycles
   How assessment informs adaptation; plan–do–review cycles; monitoring of intervention impact.
5. Leadership, governance & pupil premium strategy
   Strategic oversight of inclusion; use of evidence‑based pupil premium approaches; accountability and evaluation.
6. Alternative provision (where relevant)
   Rationale, commissioning, monitoring, outcomes and transition planning for AP placements, with clear lines to safeguarding, attendance and behaviour.

Why this matters now: From 2025, inspectors judge Inclusion on a five‑point scale and expect to see impact for real pupils, not just intentions on paper.

How we gather evidence

Your Inclusion Review mirrors Ofsted’s current evidence approach:

• Case sampling of a representative group (e.g., a pupil with an EHCP, a looked‑after child, a pupil known to social care, a pupil premium learner, and a context‑specific pupil), including book/work scrutiny, lesson visits, and stakeholder conversations.
• Learning walks that focus on inclusion “in action”: adaptive teaching, routines, relationships, participation and fairness.
• Leadership & SENCO meetings to explore systems, governance and quality assurance.
• Data & documentation sampling (IDSR/contextual information, SEND/Pupil Premium strategy, plan–do–review cycles, AP documentation).
• Pupil, parent and staff voice to triangulate the lived experience of inclusion.

What you receive

• Full written report summarising strengths and priority areas for development, aligned to the Inclusion evaluation area and cross‑referenced to related areas (behaviour/attendance, leadership, curriculum).
• RAG‑rated action plan with practical, evidence‑informed steps that leaders and teachers can implement immediately. (We align actions to the inspection toolkits/operating guides language for clarity.)
• Governor/Trustee briefing (one page) outlining risks, assurance and next steps.
• CPD recommendations for teaching assistants, subject leaders & whole‑staff training
• Optional follow‑up CPD & coaching (e.g., adaptive teaching, behaviour & belonging, pupil premium strategy).

Duration & format

We tailor to your context and calendar:

• 1–2 days on site – a focused diagnostic, ideal for a quick health check or a specific cohort focus.
• 2–3 days on site – our most common full Inclusion Review, allowing robust sampling, learning walks and stakeholder engagement.
• 3–5 days / multi‑school – a deeper review for larger schools or MAT‑wide consistency checks.

These formats are designed to reflect Ofsted’s emphasis on case sampling, learning walks and triangulation, ensuring sufficient time to gather meaningful evidence.

Who is it for?

• Primary, Secondary and All‑Through schools preparing for an inspection or seeking a purposeful reset.
• MATs wanting a consistent approach to inclusion and pupil premium across schools.
• AP/Special settings requiring scrutiny of commissioning, monitoring, outcomes and destination tracking.
• FE & Skills providers where Inclusion is also a defined inspection area under Ofsted’s updated approach.

Independent schools (ISI): how our inclusion review aligns

For independent schools, we align our Inclusion Review with ISI’s F23 framework (leadership, culture, pupil well‑being and compliance) so that the same review provides assurance for both Ofsted‑style inclusion expectations and ISI standards—avoiding duplication.

Why choose JMC?

• Current, inspection‑ready expertise – our published guidance explains exactly how Ofsted inspects Inclusion in 2025/26, including case sampling, AP, and six key factors inspectors consider.
• Credible, senior capacity – our wider consultancy team includes former HMI, Ofsted national subject leads and LA improvement advisers supporting schools before and after inspection.
• End‑to‑end support – from review to action planning, leadership coaching, CPD, and (if needed) a mock inspection to test implementation under the new framework.

What’s included on the day(s)?

A typical programme may include (agreed in advance with SLT):

• Planning call to shape the focus and sampling
• Leadership & SENCO meetings; scrutiny of systems and QA
• Learning walks & lesson visits with an inclusion lens
• Pupil/parent/staff voice conversations
• Case sampling and book/work review
• Review of curriculum accessibility, pupil premium strategy, AP (if used), and attendance/behaviour data
• Feedback to leaders with headline findings and immediate priorities

This mirrors Ofsted’s updated evidence approach and ensures your review generates actionable insight rather than a paper exercise.

Related services you might find helpful

• External Pupil Premium Review for Schools & Trusts – strengthen strategy and impact for disadvantaged pupils.
• Mock Ofsted/ISI Inspections – test your provision against current frameworks, including the new inclusion evaluation area.

How to book

Email us to discuss scope, dates and the most efficient format for your context. We can pencil a slot while you confirm logistics and stakeholder availability.

📧 Email us at enquiries@jmcinset.com