Inclusive mainstream - The current SEND position in the UK market

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Lucy Greenland

Senior Architect, Bristol, UK contact form+441454 66 7454

The UK Education sector is going through significant shift - and it's one that's long overdue. With a growing demand for inclusive mainstream education and now the publication of the 2026 SEND and Schools White Paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, we have a clearer national mandate than ever before before (DfE 2026). At AtkinsRéalis, we're proud to be at the forefront of this shift, working hand in hand with Local Authorities to design smarter, more inclusive environments for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and helping mainstream schools evolve to meet today's pressures and tomorrows possibilities.

Political Momentum: From Green Paper to White Paper

In 2022, the SEND Green Paper highlighted some considerable issues - uneven support, poor outcomes, and a system that wasn’t working well for families or schools (DfE 2022). Fast forward to 2023, and the SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan laid out a clearer path: a more consistent national system, streamlined EHCP processes, and stronger local collaboration (DfE 2023).

Now, with the publication of the 2026 White Paper, the landscape has shifted again. The new national direction confirms what many in the sector have advocated for years: Inclusive mainstream must be the foundation of the SEND system, with specialist provision reserved for those with the most complex needs. The White Paper introduces:

A universal offer of high‑quality adaptive teaching in every classroom.
Individual Support Plans (ISPs) for all children with identified SEND.
A new Inclusive Mainstream Fund (£1.6bn over three years) to equip schools to meet commonly occurring needs earlier.
Stronger expectations around inclusion within Ofsted’s new inspection framework.

For designers, education planners, and local systems, this confirms a decisive shift: Mainstream schools will be expected to accommodate more children with SEND, and to do so confidently.

Young boy in classroom

Rising Demand Meets Falling Birth Rates: A Unique Opportunity

As of January 2025, there were 638,745 EHCPs in place in England, up 10.8% higher than January 2024 (DfE 2025). Needs continue to rise due to improved awareness of neurodiversity, expanded definitions of SEND, and targeted funding uplifts.

At the same time, the UK is experiencing the lowest birth rate on record. With falling rolls, many primary schools now have surplus capacity. This creates a unique and time‑sensitive opportunity:

Repurpose underused spaces into inclusion bases, sensory rooms, therapy areas, or small group learning suites.
Reduce reliance on out‑of‑area placements.
Enable children to learn closer to home in high‑quality mainstream settings.

The White Paper reinforces this direction of travel by promising 50,000 new specialist places alongside significant investment to make mainstream environments more accessible and inclusive, supporting everything from sensory regulation zones to adapted classroom layouts (DfE 2026).

What We’re Doing at AtkinsRéalis

Across the country, we are partnering with Local Authorities to reshape the existing estate through:

Strategic estate planning to identify underutilised buildings.
Design and delivery of inclusive mainstream “SEND bases” and small specialist hubs.
Refurbishment projects aligned with Building Bulletins 103 and 104.

Our design approach blends mainstream efficiency with specialist insight, creating flexible, therapeutic, regulation‑supportive, and future‑proofed spaces that reflect the system’s new direction.

Looking Ahead: What Does Success Look Like?

The White Paper strengthens and clarifies what inclusive mainstream must deliver. As we design for the next decade, success will depend on several factors including:

1. Empowering teachers and support staff

All staff will be required to receive new SEND and inclusion training, supported by a £200m national programme beginning in 2026. Effective design must therefore complement evidence‑based teaching practices and help staff adapt provision with ease.

2. Minimising disruption through smart, phased design

Many pupils with SEND experience heightened anxiety around change, unpredictability and unfamiliar environments, meaning that refurbishments, transitions, and the introduction of new spaces or routines can create additional barriers to learning. Interventions must therefore be carefully sequenced, clearly communicated, and embedded gradually, ensuring pupils have time to adapt and that visual, sensory and environmental cues remain consistent wherever possible. Designing projects in manageable phases, maintaining predictable routines, and providing preparatory materials (e.g., social stories, walkthrough videos, or sensory previews) can significantly reduce distress and ensure that environmental improvements truly support, rather than unsettle, the learners they aim to benefit.

3. Making the most of the existing estate

With surplus space in many primaries and new capital funding streams focused on inclusive mainstream environments, there is a significant opportunity to retrofit and reconfigure spaces rather than relying solely on new builds.

4. Embedding the hybrid design philosophy

The White Paper reinforces the need for mainstream schools to incorporate:

Sensory modulation spaces
Calm rooms and de‑escalation areas
Small group rooms
Therapy and intervention spaces
Flexible classrooms with improved acoustics, lighting and environmental comfort

These elements are no longer “nice to haves” but an integral part of a mainstream system designed to meet a wider range of needs earlier and more effectively.

Conclusion: A Movement, Not a Moment

The shift towards inclusive mainstream education is no longer a policy ambition, it is now a clearly defined national mandate. The 2026 White Paper cements inclusion, early intervention, and environmental adaptability as fundamental expectations.

At AtkinsRéalis, we are proud to help deliver this change. Our work goes beyond buildings. It’s about shaping environments that reflect the values of equity, belonging, and opportunity for all.

And as the system moves decisively towards a more inclusive mainstream model, our focus remains the same: creating places where every child can feel safe, supported, and able to thrive.