Framing principle

This badge recognises schools, whether fully inclusive mainstream institutions or specialist SEND schools, that demonstrate exceptional commitment and measurable impact in providing high-quality education for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. The badge celebrates schools that remove barriers to learning and participation, ensure academic, social, and emotional growth, and empower students with SEND to thrive. 

Criteria For Earning This Badge

1. Inclusive Teaching and Learning Practices

Does the school deliver high-quality, accessible, and individualised education tailored to students with special educational needs?

• Implements differentiated instruction and adapts curriculum and assessment methods to meet a wide range of learning needs.
• Ensures meaningful academic, social, and emotional progress for students with SEND.
• Utilises evidence-based strategies and technologies that support inclusive learning.

 2. Educator Training, Collaboration, and Support

How does the school build capacity among educators and all staff to support students with SEND effectively?

• Provides ongoing professional development on inclusion, neurodiversity, and specific needs (e.g., autism, dyslexia, ADHD, intellectual disabilities).
• Promotes co-teaching, collaborative planning, and multidisciplinary teamwork (e.g., with therapists or specialists).
• Fosters a culture of empathy, high expectations, and student-centred practice.

3. School Environment, Accessibility, and Infrastructure

To what extent is the school physically, socially, and emotionally accessible to all students?

• Offers accessible classrooms, learning spaces, and facilities (e.g., ramps, sensory rooms, assistive tech).
• Cultivates in students, teaching and non-teaching staff, a school culture of belonging, inclusion, and respect.
• Ensures emotional and behavioural support through inclusive policies and mental health resources.
• Actively involves students with SEND in school life, leadership, decision making and extracurricular activities appropriate to their age.

4. Family, Student, and Community Engagement

How does the school work in partnership with families, students, and external experts to improve outcomes for children with SEND?

• Engages parents/caregivers in decision-making, goal-setting, and Individualised Education Program/Individual Learning Plan processes.
• Encourages student voice, choice, and self-advocacy for learners with SEND.
• Builds partnerships with healthcare providers, nonprofits, employers, or local agencies to enhance support services.
• Supports transitions into and out of the school (e.g., early intervention, secondary pathways, or employment readiness).

 5. Measurable Impact and Commitment to Equity

What evidence demonstrates the school’s impact in improving educational access and success for students with SEND?

• Tracks academic, developmental, and well-being outcomes for students with SEND over time.
• Demonstrates a reduction in barriers to enrolment, participation, and progress.
• Uses data and feedback to adapt practices and close inclusion gaps.
• Advocates for broader systemic change in inclusive education at the local, national, or global level.

6. Student Outcomes Beyond the School Setting
How does the school prepare students with SEND for meaningful life pathways such as employment, further education, independent living, or community participation?

·      Evidence of alumni success: Follow-up data or case studies showing sustained inclusion beyond school.

APPLY FOR THE SEND & INCLUSIVE EDUCATION CATEGORY