Titled ‘INOVA Belonging: Our approach to inclusive education and SEND’, the strategy reflects our long-held belief that every pupil, regardless of need or starting point, should experience a high-quality, equitable education alongside their peers in local schools, where they feel a genuine sense of belonging.
The strategy brings together research, evidence-informed practice, statutory responsibilities and INOVA’s core values into one coherent framework. It strengthens mainstream provision while ensuring specialist support is available where it is needed, reinforcing our commitment to consistency and excellence across all phases.
At the heart of the strategy is a simple but powerful principle: inclusion must be grounded in dignity and high expectations.
Sally Rivers, Director of SEND at, said:
“We believe that every pupil, whatever their needs, deserves to feel that they belong in their local school and that they are valued for who they are. Inclusion is not about lowering expectations or separating children from their peers. It’s about building strong, inclusive classrooms where high-quality teaching, thoughtful support and a shared sense of responsibility enable every child to thrive.
This strategy reflects years of commitment and practice across our schools. It formalises what we stand for: dignity, ambition and belonging for all.”
Our approach is underpinned by the Five Principles for Inclusion, which emphasise dignity over deficit, shared responsibility, and success in all its forms. Pupils with SEND are seen as whole individuals, with strengths as well as needs, and are supported in ways that preserve self-worth while enabling progress.
Our strategy also places strong classroom practice at the centre of SEND support. By prioritising a robust universal offer, built on adaptive teaching and evidence-informed strategies, more pupils can be successfully supported within mainstream lessons. Targeted and specialist provision complements this foundation, ensuring SEND is not treated as separate from teaching and learning, but integral to it.
Belonging sits at the core of our approach. Wherever possible, we believe pupils should be educated in their local schools, learning alongside local peers. This benefits not only pupils with additional needs, but entire school communities, fostering empathy, understanding and shared responsibility.
The strategy is further strengthened by consistent systems and professional expertise across the trust. Tools such as standardised pupil passports and shared planning processes ensure pupils are known well and supported effectively, even as they transition between phases or schools. Partnerships with external specialists enhance provision and help ensure support is both timely and expert.
National context - Update following the publication of the Government's Every Child Achieving and Thriving Education White Paper
The publication of the Government’s Every Child Achieving and Thriving Education White Paper this week further reinforces the direction set out in INOVA Belonging. Much of the national vision — particularly its emphasis on high expectations, early intervention, inclusion and strengthened workforce development — closely reflects the work already underway across our schools.
Responding to the White Paper, Sally Rivers, Director of SEND, said:
“As Director of SEND I welcome the Government’s Every Child Achieving and Thriving White Paper. Much of its vision reflects the direction already set out in our newly published SEND Strategy, particularly the commitment to high expectations, early intervention and genuine inclusion for every young person.
At INOVA Multi-Academy Trust, our SEND and Inclusion leadership has long championed the belief that local children should attend their local schools, building strong community ties and a deep sense of belonging.
We are pleased to see national reforms that mirror the work already happening across our Trust — our resource hubs provide tailored provision for pupils with more significant needs who cannot manage full-time in a classroom setting, and SEND learners already benefit from Pupil Passports and School Support Plans. We strongly welcome Individual Support Plans gaining legal status nationally.
The increased investment and commitment to supporting staff training set out in the White Paper will be vital for this growing and vulnerable cohort. We look forward to seeing this funding translate into real impact for children and families.”
Through INOVA Belonging, the trust is setting out a clear position: inclusion is not an add-on or a response to reform. It is fundamental to excellent education.
The full SEND strategy, including the one-page overview and detailed framework, is now available here.