In schools in England, inclusion has rapidly become a prominent theme, brought even further into the spotlight by the publication of the updated Ofsted framework in November 2025, followed by the Department for Education’s White Paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving in February 2026. With national policy now placing greater emphasis on belonging, broad educational experiences and equitable provision, inclusion is being discussed more than ever.
Yet despite this focus, many school staff tell me that inclusion can still feel complex, overwhelming, or difficult to apply in everyday practice. I often hear comments from school staff along the lines of:
The BASE Model was developed in response to these challenges. It is not a programme, initiative or checklist. Instead, it offers an evidence-based, flexible framework – one that schools can return to as often as they need to support ongoing reflection on how inclusive their systems, practices and cultures truly feel for the people within them.
At its heart, the BASE Model is about creating school environments where children and adults feel safe, valued, heard, and supported to thrive.
Inclusion is sometimes spoken about as a placement or a provision. But for children and young people, inclusion is something they feel – often quietly, personally, and in the small moments of school life – not something that can be easily observed or measured.
Inclusion is about
Placing a child in a mainstream classroom is a starting point, but inclusion is created through the environment, relationships and everyday interactions that surround them. Meaningful inclusion grows through ongoing reflection, collaboration and whole‑school commitment.
The BASE Model offers a way of navigating this process. It helps schools build on their strengths, stay curious, and continue refining inclusive practice in a way that feels purposeful rather than overwhelming.
The BASE Model is built around the metaphor of the school as an inclusive ecosystem. That is, a living, interconnected community made up of pupils, staff, leaders, families, supporting professionals, and the wider community. Just like in a biological ecosystem, every part of the school community both influences and is influenced by the others. When one area is nourished, supported and in balance, the whole system is strengthened.
The model is supported by four interconnected elements:
The elements of the BASE Model interact continuously, shaping the day‑to‑day experiences of everyone in the school. As such, the different elements should not be considered in isolation. A change in one area often has a ripple effect across the others. For example, strengthening belonging can increase feelings of safety; improving autonomy can support equity; nurturing staff relationships can enhance the sense of belonging for pupils.
Thinking ecosystemically encourages a holistic approach to inclusion. Rather than focusing solely on individual pupils or isolated strategies, it asks us to consider how the wider environment, culture and relationships work together. When the whole ecosystem is cared for, every member of the community is better able to thrive.
A sense of belonging is central to inclusive practice.
When children (and adults) feel they belong, they are more likely to:
Belonging grows through relationships – through being known, noticed and treated with care and respect.
In inclusive schools, attention is paid not only to pupil‑adult relationships, but also to:
A strong sense of belonging cannot be created through policy alone. It is built in everyday interactions – in how adults speak to children and to each other, how differences are talked about, and how moments of difficulty are handled.
Autonomy is about having a sense of agency and voice.
For pupils, this might mean:
For staff, autonomy often means:
Schools that support autonomy tend to foster greater engagement, motivation and wellbeing because people feel respected and involved, rather than controlled.
Autonomy does not mean a lack of structure. Instead, it fits alongside clear expectations, but with flexibility and compassion built in.
A sense of safety is foundational for learning and wellbeing.
In inclusive schools, safety is understood as:
Clear routines, predictable adult responses and consistent boundaries all contribute to this sense of safety. So too does a relational approach to behaviour – one that focuses on repairing relationships and rebuilding trust rather than relying on shame or fear.
For some pupils, feeling safe may require reasonable adjustments. When these are explained openly and compassionately, they can become part of a culture of understanding rather than a source of tension.
Equity recognises that children do not all need the same things, but they all deserve high expectations and the same opportunity to thrive.
An equity‑focused approach asks:
Equity includes high‑quality teaching for all, alongside targeted and personalised support where needed. It involves looking carefully at systems, expectations and assumptions, and being willing to adapt when they unintentionally exclude.
The BASE Model is designed to be used flexibly, in ways that make sense for your setting.
Schools often use it to:
It can be helpful to start gently:
Inclusion is rarely about one big change. More often, it grows through small, thoughtful changes made consistently over time.
Inclusive practice is not about getting everything right. It is about staying curious, remaining reflective, and being willing to adapt when things are not working as we hoped.
The BASE Model provides a way of bringing together both aspiration and realism. It is is designed to support schools to develop inclusive environments that feel safe, manageable, and sustainable for everyone within them.
When schools invest in their school as an inclusive base for the whole school community, they create the conditions for children and adults alike to flourish.
Further BASE Model information and resources for school staff and supporting professionals are available for free download on the Professional Resources link.
A summary of the development of the BASE Model can also be found on the January 2025 edpsy.org.uk blog article: The BASE Model: An evidence-based and flexible framework to support inclusive practice in schools – edpsy.org.uk