Inclusion bases
Guidance and Support on Inclusion Bases in Schools
In June 2026 the Department for Education published new non-statutory guidance, Inclusion bases in schools. It introduces "inclusion base" as the single term for provisions previously described as SEN units, resourced provisions and pupil support units, and sets out six principles of effective practice for running them well.
Southwark's own guidance, Support Bases: Guidance for Headteachers and Leaders of SEND and Inclusion sits alongside the DfE document as a shorter, implementation-focused companion for Southwark schools.
What is an inclusion base?
An inclusion base is a distinct space within a mainstream school where children and young people can access additional or more specialist support for part or all of their week, while remaining part of the school community.
The DfE sets out a continuum, from a base that operates as an inclusive service supporting pupils across the school, through to a more specialist space where pupils spend a more significant proportion of their time. Schools should be able to say where their base sits on that continuum, and where each individual child sits and why. Access to a base should never be used as a sanction or as a way of removing a child from the classroom.
Support bases and specialist bases
The DfE guidance describes two models:
- Support bases are commissioned and funded by the school, trust or group of schools themselves. The school decides to set the base up, and holds responsibility for its design, staffing and quality assurance.
- Specialist bases are commissioned and funded by the local authority, with places allocated by the LA. In Southwark, our resource bases are specialist bases.
The key difference is who commissions and funds the provision. A school setting up its own base without additional local authority funding is establishing a support base.
Thinking of setting up a support base?
Southwark neither encourages nor discourages schools from setting up support bases. Where schools do, we want them to be well planned, well led and genuinely inclusive.
A strong whole-school universal offer is a prerequisite. If you are considering a support base, we strongly recommend reading our guidance first, and speaking to your Inclusion and SEND consultant.
Southwark Support Base's Guidance