Today, we launch Inclusion for All, a call for support led by Impetus and The Difference and backed by 30+ parent groups, school trusts, charities, and campaigners.

Together, we are calling on the Government to put inclusion for all children at the heart of its upcoming school reforms.

The need is clear: more children than ever are struggling in school and missing out on its social and educational benefits. Last academic year alone, 34 million days of learning were lost to absence and suspension.

And it is children facing the toughest challenges outside school that are missing out on their education. Half of all children suspended from school have special educational needs or receive free school meals.

We want to support schools, communities, and policymakers to place inclusion at the heart of what they do. This means:

• Adopting a broader definition of inclusion in the Schools White Paper to ensure that the learning, safeguarding, and welfare needs of all children are met.

• Making early support the foundation upon which school reform is built.

• Ensuring inclusion is designed to be universal, led from the top, developed through community collaboration, and measured as a strategic objective.

This would mean that the needs of all children are supported by default, so that they are not just present at school, but flourishing – and can go on to pass their exams and take their first steps on the journey to employment for a fulfilling life.

If you’re interested in becoming part of the Inclusion for All campaign, please contact policy@impetus.org.uk.