A free interactive worksheet for primary schools. Cost calculator, 7-themes checklist, practical spending ideas — everything you need to draft your inclusion strategy before the statutory 31 December 2026 deadline.
The Inclusive Mainstream Fund (IMF) is new DfE funding for mainstream state-funded schools in England — worth over £500 million a year (£400 million of that going directly to schools) across a three-year period beginning 2026-27.
The stated purpose: help schools move towards practices that are "inclusive by design" — providing early support to children without needing a diagnosis or a statutory EHCP process, and improving both attainment and wellbeing outcomes.
Every mainstream school will receive an allocation. In return, every school must publish an inclusion strategy statement by 31 December 2026.
Enter your pupil roll and low-prior-attainment count for an instant estimate based on 2026-27 rates. (Actual allocations confirmed by DfE in May, adjusted for area costs.)
In return for the funding, every school must develop and publish an inclusion strategy statement. It should:
The DfE intends to provide a template and further guidance. The requirement to publish is expected to continue annually — some schools are choosing to write a multi-year plan.
The DfE recommends schools allocate the IMF across seven themes of evidence-informed inclusive practice. How you split it is your decision, based on your cohort's needs. Tick off what you're already doing, add your allocation notes, and print the whole page to share with SLT or Governors.
Embed inclusion in planning — ongoing consideration of needs across your cohort, data and peer review.
Children with additional needs get effective, targeted provision at the right time.
Staff trained, supported and effectively deployed to teach an adaptive curriculum for all learners.
Opportunities that support personal development, build independence and prepare for adulthood.
Behaviour and attendance approaches, and staff upskilling.
Supporting transitions, wellbeing and attendance.
Spaces that minimise distraction and meet a range of sensory and regulatory needs.
Theme 4 of the DfE framework — "accessible and enriching provision beyond the classroom to support personal development, build independence and prepare for adulthood" — is where a Spark2 Whole-School Programme sits directly.
A Programme provides one hands-on Future Skills workshop per half term mapped to statutory PSHE and 2028-ready topics (first aid, financial literacy, mental health, sustainability, oracy, AI literacy), and the Future Skills Passport underneath provides year-round evidence per pupil, per class and whole-school.
That's one line item in your inclusion strategy that Ofsted can evaluate concretely — with the workshop-days, the year-round Passport evidence, and (from 2027) the Future Skills Mark as an external benchmark.
Take the free Spark2 School Report — 12 questions, 5 minutes, get an 8-page Ofsted-mapped analysis of your provision including inclusion. Priority-gap plan included.
Get your free 8-page report →