In the last academic year, the Department for Education has started to make plans for a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) reform. Part of the preparation includes the introduction of the brand-new Inclusive Mainstream Fund (IMF). To access this funding, schools must create an Inclusion Strategy by the end of this calendar year. To help schools prepare for this new funding, LMP Education has created a guide to the IMF.

What is the Inclusive Mainstream Fund (IMF)?

The IMF is a £400 million annual UK government grant for mainstream state-funded schools and providers in England. Launched in 2026, it aims to strengthen inclusive practices, improve early intervention, and better support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

How much funding do schools get?

Through the IMF schools have access to additional funding to be invested in inclusive education. The allocation of the budget is calculated using a formula based on four components drawn from the National Funding Formula:

• A lump sum of £3,000 paid to every school, regardless of size
• A basic per-pupil rate of £16 for primary school
• A per-pupil rate of £79 for pupils with low prior attainment (LPA), applied to the proportion of your cohort who qualify
• An area cost adjustment (ACA), which uplifts the total to reflect higher labour costs in certain parts of the country

The national average allocation for primary schools is around £14,000 per year. Secondary schools receive more, averaging around £48,000, due to larger cohort sizes and higher LPA weightings.

What do schools need to do to access the funding?

By 31 December 2026, every school must have published a statutory inclusion strategy. The inclusion strategy is not a new concept for most schools. You may already be doing much of this work, but there are likely some pieces that you need to add to your current provision to meet the statutory requirements. The deadline requires that you document it, map it to the 7 themes, and publish it as an Inclusion Strategy.

For schools that already have a structured whole-school approach to children’s wellbeing and inclusion, the audit stage will often reveal more coverage than expected. There will likely be some areas that need strengthening but an audit is the right place to start.

The 7 Principles of Inclusion in the IMF

The DfE recommends that schools spend across seven themes, and inclusion strategies must report against them. These themes are:

1. Ambitious leadership and governance that embeds inclusion- strategic oversight, clear accountability and a culture where inclusion is everyone’s responsibility.
2. Evidence-based support prioritising early intervention – identifying need early and responding before difficulties escalate, using approaches grounded in evidence.
3. High-quality teaching with a curriculum designed for all learners – adaptive teaching, accessible materials and curriculum design that anticipates diversity rather than retrofitting for it.
4. Accessible and enriching provision beyond the classroom – ensuring extracurricular activities, trips, and wider opportunities are genuinely inclusive.
5. A safe and respectful culture fostering belonging and attendance – relational approaches, behaviour support, and environments where pupils feel they belong.
6. Strong partnerships with families and wider services, especially through transitions – collaboration with parents, health services, and other agencies, with particular attention to key transition points.
7. Inclusive environments with improved accessibility – physical accessibility, sensory considerations, and environmental adjustments.

How early intervention can improve inclusion

Early intervention helps to identify and provide support to children and young people who are specifically at risk of poor educational outcomes. It aims to reduce the effects of a child’s condition on their development and education. Early intervention is important as it enables the prevention of problems that might occur, or strategies to manage problems if they have already developed.

Once identified the needs of the pupil are then addressed on a one-to-one basis or through other forms of therapeutic intervention such as speech and language therapy.

Early intervention means that a child is less likely to fall behind in school or, in some cases, become completely disengaged from the school environment due to being unable to keep up with their peers and are powerless to speak up about their needs.

Invest in an early intervention specialist

LMP Education has recently launched a brand-new Level 4 Early Intervention Specialist (also known as Pastoral Support Practitioner) apprenticeship to help schools upgrade their Early intervention provision.

Am Early Intervention Specialist in a school setting identifies and supports children of all ages with developmental delays, disabilities, or behavioural challenges. They implement tailored strategies, such as Individualised Education Plans (IEPs) or small-group interventions, to improve learning outcomes, boost social-emotional skills, and prevent long-term difficulties.

The Level 4 Pastoral Support Practitioner apprenticeship helps schools strengthen internal capacity to respond to complex needs and demonstrate inclusive practice aligned with Ofsted and sector priorities.

Learn more about the Level 4 Early Intervention Specialist apprenticeship programme.

About LMP Education

LMP Education is an award-winning apprenticeship training provider that offers a range of funded training solutions for schools. We support organisations in upskilling their staff through apprenticeship training programmes.

If you are interested in learning more about how LMP Education can support your school through funded training for staff, book a discovery call with a member of the team today!