The Difference

Our team have been raving about their day working with brilliant leaders from Middlesbrough's secondary schools on Internal Alternative Provision development - thanks for your contributions Jacob Lawton!

On suspensions and exclusions, Kiran Gill of The Difference: “When I worked on the Timpson review [on exclusions, published in 2019], what we saw was that the schools which excluded more pupils had behaviour policies which only focused on escalation, removal from the rooms, suspension and exclusion. What we also need to see is schools working on policies and training for their staff which support de-escalation and reintegration into schools.” In John Roberts' Tes magazine piece: https://lnkd.in/e9-D7X6M

(Sponsored) How do you measure inclusion? For years, pastoral development has lagged behind curriculum CPD — but that’s changing. At IncludEd Conference 2026, hosted by The Difference, school leaders and experts will share practical tools to measure belonging, attendance, behaviour and wellbeing. Because inclusion isn’t a buzzword — it’s something you can track, improve and celebrate. 📍 UCL Institute of Education | Saturday 10 January 2026 🎟️ Get tickets for just £50 with code 10by10 👉 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/e2asraAi #IncludEd2026 #TheDifference #Inclusion #EducationLeadership #SEND #Ofsted #Wellbeing #SchoolImprovement

Ofsted’s new framework names pupils known (or previously known) to children’s social care as a group schools should identify and support. This change matters. 1 in 10 children were known to social care pre-pandemic - and newer estimates put that figure closer to 25%. Yet too often, schools can’t even see these pupils in their data. I’m proud to have been part of Ofsted’s advisory group shaping this new inclusion judgement - and to see leaders like Adela and Rebekah already finding ways to make invisible vulnerability visible. 🔗 You can read my full Schools Week piece here: https://lnkd.in/e82ceriU ➡️ We’ll be continuing this conversation at #IncludEd2026 on 10th January - buy tickets here: https://lnkd.in/e8kc7F6g #Inclusion #Education #Leadership #Ofsted #SchoolsWeek #TheDifference Schools Week, Pupil Pathways - The home of SixIntoSeven

💡Inclusion isn’t a side policy - it’s the cornerstone of reform. As Shashi Knott writes in Tes, exclusion, persistent absence and mental health crises aren’t isolated issues. They’re warning lights - signs that our education system hasn’t yet made space for every pupil to thrive. Across the country, school leaders and teachers are already doing incredible work to make inclusion real - building cultures of belonging and support in the face of huge pressures. But too often, they’re not fully supported by the current system to do this work consistently or sustainably. At The Difference, we know that when inclusion is an afterthought, learning is lost. When it’s the foundation - supported by expert training, early intervention and strong school culture - everyone benefits: pupils, teachers and leaders alike. This is what we’re calling for in government reform: a system that supports and strengthens the inclusive leadership already happening in schools every day. 👉Read the full piece here: https://lnkd.in/ewEyAZBV #Inclusion #EducationReform #TheDifference #Education #SchoolInclusion

(Sponsored) 📣 Are you ready to be interrogated on inclusion? With Ofsted’s new framework placing inclusion centre stage, school leaders everywhere are asking the same question — where do we start? This January, The Difference brings you IncludEd Conference 2026: Get Inclusion Ready — the UK’s largest event dedicated solely to Whole-School Inclusion. Join hundreds of leaders, researchers, and practitioners shaping what inclusive education really looks like in 2026. 📍 Saturday 10 January 2026 | UCL Institute of Education 🎟️ Use code 10by10 for £50 tickets 👉 Read more: https://lnkd.in/e2asraAi #IncludEd2026 #TheDifference #Inclusion #EducationLeadership #Ofsted #SEND #WholeSchoolInclusion #EdConference

🚨 Schools Week is our official media partner for IncludEd 2026, the UK’s biggest inclusion conference! Expect practical CPD, powerful keynotes and the national conversation on what inclusion really looks like. 🗓 10 January 📍 UCL Institute of Education 🎟 Read more here & get your tickets now → https://lnkd.in/e2asraAi #Inclusion #EducationLeadership #IncludEd2026 #Education #CPD #InclusiveSchools #DefinitionofInclusion

Closing soon | Chair at The Difference We are partnering with The Difference to secure a new Chair of Trustees to help them shape their next phase of growth and impact. Founded in 2018, The Difference exists to create a more inclusive education system where every young person can thrive. Their mission is to ensure that rates of lost learning are falling by 2030 through: - equipping school leaders to embed whole-school approaches to inclusion - conducting research to inform best practice - and using their networks and expertise to influence policy and drive system-wide change. As Chair, you’ll play a pivotal role in guiding this mission; providing strategic leadership, strengthening governance and supporting a talented executive team. If you are an experienced, empathetic and inclusive leader, with a collaborative leadership style and are interested in making a tangible difference to the lives of young people we’d love to hear from you. #CharityLeadership #ChairRecruitment #TrusteeOpportunities #Education #Inclusion #SocialImpact https://lnkd.in/e453yRsn