Editorial 

21 November 2025

Given the Government’s recent announcements, there is an emphasis in this issue of ‘Inclusion Now’ on what forthcoming legislation should entail. Whilst there has been a dearth of fresh thinking from central government on the issues facing SEND provision, there is no shortage of valuable ideas for ways forward in the central piece from the Coalition for Inclusive Education (page 3). 

Likewise, the pieces from Richard Rieser (page 10) and Nazlin Bimani (page 24) make it clear that an understanding of the history of exclusionary thinking (especially of death and disability and eugenics and disability) is fundamental.  

The inclusion movement has never been overly interested in labelling learners, but Marion Stanton’s piece (page 15) on the needs of students who rely on Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) is a timely reminder that this group of Young Disabled people can easily be overlooked. 

Similarly, Linda Jordan’s article (page 19) urges us to think more deeply about the provision label: ‘Additionally Resourced Schools and Units’ and how they relate to inclusion. 

Inclusionists must remember that no one ever witnessed a thriving example of mainstream inclusion and said: ‘that’s not right’. 

They may quibble that not all headteachers have the vision, that not all Education Authorities are that supportive, but they don’t query the rightness of the inclusion and belonging they see. Inclusion is not up for debate – it’s the right thing to do. 

OK, not all schools achieve this, but not everywhere is the same. Telling the stories of those that go beyond is how we progress. This issue of ‘Inclusion Now’ again tells those stories. 

By Derek Wilson, Co-Founder, Inclusive Solutions.