Getting Inclusion Right – What Ofsted Really Means by Inclusion

Episode Summary:

In this episode of The Leadership Lens, host Rachael Snowdon-Poole — serving Headteacher in a recently Outstanding school and Director of Performance & Standards across 20 primaries — unpacks one of Ofsted’s sharpest priorities under the renewed Education Inspection Framework: Inclusion.

Rachael explores how inclusion has evolved far beyond SEND and access arrangements, and now sits at the very heart of inspection activity — woven through curriculum design, teaching, leadership, culture, and outcomes. You’ll hear how Ofsted’s renewed view of inclusion challenges schools to move beyond compliance towards a culture where every pupil is valued, barriers are removed, and systems work for the most vulnerable.

Drawing on the School Inspection Toolkit, Whole School SEND recommendations, and lived practice from her own school, Rachael explains: How inclusion is now evaluated through three core questions.

What Ofsted means by “barriers” — and how leaders can evidence their removal.

How inclusion links to curriculum ambition, pastoral care, and behaviour culture.

The new descriptors for Secure, Strong, and Exemplary inclusion — and what it looks like to move between them.

Practical examples of how one school tracks vulnerability, uses pastoral capacity intelligently, and builds belonging.

This episode challenges leaders to ask: “If our curriculum was designed entirely around the needs of our most vulnerable pupils — what would we do differently?”

Because when we get it right for our most vulnerable, we get it right for everyone.

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Go Premium for Exclusive CPD Resources:

When you join the Premium Membership, you’ll receive the complete Getting Inclusion Right CPD Presentation and Script Pack — everything you need to deliver this training in your own school.

Your pack includes:

📊 A fully editable PowerPoint presentation: Getting Inclusion Right – What Ofsted Really Means by Inclusion.

🗂️ A Facilitator Script perfectly aligned to the slides, so you can confidently lead staff training, INSET sessions, or leadership CPD.

🧭 A Leadership Summary PDF outlining the Ofsted toolkit questions, Secure–Strong–Exemplary framework, and five practical recommendations from Whole School SEND.

👉 Access the Premium Hub here: https://the-leadership-lens.mykajabi.com/premium-membership

💬 The Leadership Lens is the podcast that turns research, policy and inspection updates into practical leadership tools you can use tomorrow — so you can lead with clarity, confidence, and calm.