Making Inclusion Work: The University of Southampton’s Resourced Provision Toolkit

Inclusion isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a commitment. Increasingly a commitment that schools are going to be held accountable for delivering. For pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), being part of a mainstream school can open doors to friendships, opportunities, and a sense of belonging. But let’s be real: inclusion doesn’t happen by accident. It takes planning, collaboration, and the right tools. That’s exactly why the University of Southampton developed the Resourced Provision Toolkit.

What’s Resourced Provision All About?

Resourced Provision (RP) is a model that combines specialist support with mainstream education. Pupils with SEND—often those with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)—spend time in a dedicated resource base for targeted help, while also joining their peers in mainstream classes. Think of it as the best of both worlds: tailored support without losing the benefits of a wider school community.

Why Create a Toolkit?

RP sounds great, but making it work in practice can be tricky. Schools often ask:

• How do we balance specialist support with inclusion?

• How do we manage transitions between RP and mainstream classrooms?

• How do we build friendships and avoid isolation?

The toolkit was designed to answer these questions with practical, evidence-based strategies, co-created by researchers, teachers, parents, and pupils themselves.

What’s Inside the Toolkit?

This isn’t just theory—it’s a hands-on guide packed with resources, including:

• Whole-school approaches to embed inclusion.

• Co-planning strategies for smooth transitions into mainstream classes.

• Classroom tips for supporting SEND pupils alongside their peers.

• Guidance for RP classrooms, ensuring specialist spaces remain nurturing and purposeful.

• Collaboration frameworks for working with parents and external professionals.

• Friendship-building activities to strengthen social connections.

• Advice on liaising with Local Authorities for additional support.

The Big Picture

The toolkit encourages schools to see RP not as a “special school within a school,” but as providing service that supports safe spaces and promotes participation and belonging. It’s about flexibility- the provision can exist anywhere along a continuum from providing a safe space to providing an inclusion service. This ensures that individual needs are met even while keeping inclusion at the heart of everything.

Why Educational Psychology Services for Schools Loves It

What makes this toolkit stand out is its authenticity. It was co-designed with real voices—teachers, SENCOs, learning support assistants, parents, and pupils—so it reflects the realities of school life, not just policy. It’s practical, easy to use, and grounded in research.

How to Access It

You can download the full toolkit for free from the University of Southampton website and start using its strategies to make your RP a hub of inclusion, not isolation.