Since the introduction of the SEND Code of Practice almost 10 years ago we have seen increasing numbers of pupils enter early years with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) in place – and these numbers are rising more quickly year-on-year (Thomson, 2024).
In particular, there has been a significant rise in the proportion of pupils receiving support for autism, language and communication, and social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH).
The rise of internal alternative provision
Naturally this sharp increase has presented challenges for pupils, parents and professionals across the sector. In the face of budget constraints, lack of available provision locally, and increasing numbers of pupils presenting with SEMH, school leaders have sought innovative ways to meet the broad range of pupils’ needs.
From nurture groups to resource bases, many mainstream primaries now find themselves offering some variation of internal alternative provision (IAP).
For some schools, the driver has been the recognition that their local alternative provision is not the most appropriate setting for their pupils. At a time when children on SEN Support are five times more likely to be permanently excluded than their peers without SEN, and children with EHCPs almost four times more likely (DfE, 2024), it is important to note that some school leaders are championing high-quality IAP as integral to reducing exclusion and suspension rates over time.
Risk versus reward
When IAP is executed to a high standard, it has the power to transform lives. However, Dr Craig Johnston, senior lecturer at the University of West of England, warns that we must be aware of the significant challenges of setting up and running IAP, especially where practice is new and emerging (Johnston & Nolty, 2024).
A lack of subject knowledge, insufficient training, and a lack of qualified staff can contribute to poor outcomes and even result in further exclusionary practices. As we continue to develop our understanding, school leaders are reliant upon their own professional networks for guidance and support. While this collaboration is admirable, we must remain alert to unintended consequences, Dr Johnston tells us.
Similarly a lack of understanding regarding the systemic challenges facing pupils and their families can seriously undermine any efforts to promote “inclusion”. For this reason, our pupils and their families need school leaders to have a deepened understanding of the far-ranging barriers that communities face – from structural racism to poverty.
What does strong IAP look like?
Social justice charity The Difference exists to improve the lives and outcomes of the most vulnerable children by raising the status and expertise of educators. The Difference is carrying out independent research led by its senior research manager Dr Emma Simpson into what strong practice looks like in IAP and how schools can implement this. While a full report will be published in March 2025, interim findings include five recommendations (Simpson, 2024):
- Clarity of purpose: Ensure the vision and mission is clear from the outset and effectively communicated to everyone.
- Visible and measurable outcomes: Consider careful use of key performance indicators to measure the impact and effectiveness of the provision. Ideally this will include a balance of quantitative and qualitative data. For example, evaluations of engagement with learning, progress in managing behaviour, improved social skills and confidence, and re-integration rates.
- High-quality of education: Simply put, the bar must be set high in order to challenge traditional thinking around alternative provision and to ensure no ceiling is placed on pupils’ potential to achieve.
- Pathways in, through and out: The most effective provisions have developed equitable admission and referral processes. They work collaboratively with professionals and parents to carry out regular reviews of pupils’ progress and have carefully designed systems to manage a successful re-integration to mainstream. This takes place at a pace that is appropriate for the learner.
- Relationships: Successful provisions place a high premium on creating a sense of belonging for pupils. Practitioners take the time to understand the pupil and their family.
Richard Atkins Primary School
Richard Atkins Primary School in south London is a one-form entry school serving a community with high levels of deprivation. The proportion of pupils with SEND in the school is above national averages.
After a soft launch last January, headteacher Nadia McIntosh officially opened the doors to their IAP in September 2024. In response to local need, the leadership team also applied for funding from the local authority to establish a SEMH resource base as part of this provision.
Assistant headteacher and inclusion leader Kim Litchmore explained: “We recognised that while we could go some way to meeting the needs of pupils within a traditional mainstream classroom, there were still pupils who needed more bespoke support. We needed to stop asking pupils to fit into our traditional model of school and instead devise a model of schooling that would fit our pupils.”
The resource base is underpinned by the six nurture principles as described by Nurture UK (2024):
- Children’s learning is understood developmentally.
- The classroom offers a safe base.
- The importance of nurture for the development of wellbeing.
- Language is a vital means of communication.
- All behaviour is communication.
- The importance of transition in children’s lives.
Pupils refer to the base as The Bubble, a name they chose in recognition of the protective sense of security the base provides but also because bubbles “pop”, enabling pupils to have opportunities to socialise and learn with their peers in the mainstream setting. The layout and learning environment of the base required careful consideration. Prior to opening, leaders from the school visited a number of IAPs and pupil referral units to develop their understanding of “what works”.
The Bubble is made up of five rooms, a sensory room, a classroom (with purpose-built work stations, muted colours and round tables to facilitate focus group teaching), a STEM room (dedicated to the practical application of science and technology), an economics room (complete with a purpose-built kitchen and a working cashiers till) and an additional sensory circuit to support regulation during transitions.
There is imaginative use of space and furniture. For example, pupils can choose from a selection of chairs (including chairs that rock or swivel). They also have access to a sixth space designed to look and feel like a modified mainstream classroom which supports with re-integration. There are also cocoon-like spaces built into the walls to enable pupils to make safe choices when they need to “retreat” (see image opposite). The team is keen to emphasise the importance of personalised provision. Each pupil has an individual locker to store their personalised “toolbox”, which is filled with resources that support them (including physiologically) and their learning.
Safe retreat: The cocoon-like spaces at Richard Atkins Primary School are built into walls to enable pupils to ‘retreat’ if they need to (image: supplied)
The school’s journey
This work began with the development of enhanced provision in 2020 and led to the nurture group forming. As a result, the SEMH provision when it opened in 2024 was firmly rooted in inclusive practice. These approaches have now become the cultural norm at Richard Atkins.
Leaders have identified systems and processes which foster a sense of belonging for pupils, in particular the most vulnerable. For example, the use of zones of regulation and the identification of alternative learning spaces that all pupils have access to during normal school hours (including the solar dome pictured opposite).
The opening of the SEMH base required the leadership team to re-evaluate the curriculum offer. All pupils attending the Bubble still participate fully in the national curriculum, however personalised provision coupled with adaptive teaching supports pupils to reach their potential.
Teachers use the well-known Boxhall Profile as a SEMH assessment tool and refer to the Birmingham SEN Toolkits (see online) to identify pupils’ needs and develop personalised planning.
The leadership team emphasises the importance of collaboration both internally and beyond the setting. Ms Litchmore explained: “Our governors provided great supportive challenge, they understood why the SEMH provision was such an important addition to our community. But we still had to do a lot of winning hearts and minds. It was important to properly prepare staff for the journey ahead and provide them with sufficient training. This helped to destigmatise the provision and prevented pupils from being ‘othered’.”
Naturally collaboration included partnering with experts and practitioners beyond the school as part of a comprehensive Early Help offer. At Richard Atkins this includes collaborating with Lambeth-based charity NOPA (Number One Performing Arts), which offers a range therapeutic services. These professionals are also able to offer families practical support, for example to help them access legal services or assistance with housing.
The therapeutic team at Richard Atkins also includes a skilled integrative therapist. In addition to working with pupils and families, the therapist provides supervision to staff upon request. Teachers and support staff appreciate having access to professional guidance and meaningful investment in their wellbeing, as opposed to token gestures.
The Bubble is staffed with one class teacher and two teaching assistants. As pupils re-integrate back into class, the teaching assistants from the Bubble support the transition to ensure both pupil and teacher are set up for success. Leaders are clear that the goal is re-integration and that the journey to achieve this will look different for each pupil.
Considerable time and energy has gone into ensuring pupils have clear pathways and processes to support transition. Careful deliberation went into devising an admissions policy that was clear and transparent.
The team also offers places to pupils from schools across Lambeth via the local Tier 2 Early Help referral process. Clear frameworks for review also enable all stakeholders (including parents and pupils) to be heard. This is an important factor in facilitating re-integration and recognising necessary adaptations to the provision.
Final thoughts
Most school websites refer to school values describing inclusive practice. However the national data paints a different picture and only three-fifths of pupils say that they feel a sense of belonging in their school (Smith & Culbert, 2024). Are we prepared to ask ourselves challenging questions about how our values translate to the classroom? Are our school or trust values reflected in the school climate? How can we listen and learn from colleagues, parents and, most importantly, our pupils?
- Laura McPhee is director of education at University Schools Trust. She is a facilitator for the National Professional Qualification for Headship on behalf of the London South Teaching School Hub. She is also board member of the Virtual School Management Board and guest lecturer at London South Bank University. Find her previous articles via
www.headteacher-update.com/authors/laura-mcphee
Headteacher Update Spring Term Edition 2025
- This article first appeared in Headteacher Update's Spring Term Edition 2025. This edition was sent free of charge to UK primary schools in January 2025. A free-to-download digital edition is also available via www.headteacher-update.com/content/downloads
Further information & resources
- DfE: Autumn term 2023/24: Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, 2024: https://buff.ly/3SJDNaL
- Johnston & Nolty: Outcomes beyond evaluation: The impetus and measure of relationships within alternative provisions, Youth (3,4), 2023: https://buff.ly/3ZT2bdZ
- Nurture UK: The six principles of nurture, (accessed 2024): www.nurtureuk.org/what-is-nurture
- Simpson: The rise of internal alternative provision: What’s working and what’s tough (blog), The Difference, 2024:
https://buff.ly/3OVtpdJ - Smith & Culbert: School belonging: A literature review by Goldsmiths, University of London, National Children’s Bureau, 2024:
https://buff.ly/41UNadd - Thomson: The rise and rise of Education, Health and Care Plans, FFT, 2024: https://buff.ly/3Dew8w2