We visit schools across the country and hear the same story: staffing is tight, interventions are stretched and specialist support is hard to come by. Yet the needs in classrooms are more complex than ever – from language delays and SEND to SEMH and wider disadvantage.
As leaders, we know inclusion isn’t just a logistical challenge. It’s a moral one. But good intentions alone don’t help teachers help pupils.
So what does inclusive teaching look like when there aren’t more adults to deploy?
The answer rarely lies in new interventions or quick fixes. Instead, it’s about embedding a small number of high-impact, inclusive strategies that every teacher can use confidently and consistently.
You can’t – and shouldn’t – enforce prescriptive approaches. But you can build shared routines that work. That’s the opportunity: moving from isolated efforts to collective alignment.
Too often, adaptations happen in pockets. One teacher uses oral rehearsal brilliantly; another relies on colour-coded scaffolds. Each has impact – but only for some pupils. When inclusion becomes fragmented, staff become overwhelmed and learners fall through the gaps.
Imagine instead that your team co-designed a small suite of inclusive writing strategies – rooted in research, tailored to your curriculum and implemented through shared practice. Every teacher would know what to draw on, and when. That’s what strong implementation makes possible.
Four stages to make adaptations stick
At Leading English, we use the EEF’s implementation guidance to help schools embed inclusive strategies that last.
1. Explore
Start with what’s working. Use book looks, pupil voice and lesson observations to understand where adaptations are effective and where impact is missing. Map common barriers and ground every decision in context and research.
2. Prepare
Facilitate a co-design process. Identify three to six inclusive strategies for writing. Use evidence, team expertise and existing curriculum materials to create shared examples, lesson prompts and key vocabulary.
3. Deliver
Start small – a year group, a phase, a pilot. Use peer coaching, planning time and CPD to build confidence. Stay close as a leader: check in, celebrate and support thoughtful risk-taking.
4. Sustain
Embed your chosen strategies into curriculum plans, feedback policies and CPD. Revisit them in staff meetings, moderations and professional conversations. Make sure new staff can pick them up easily. Reliability builds impact.
Eight inclusive writing strategies that make a difference
These aren’t SEND strategies – they’re teaching strategies, applied inclusively.
1. Modelled and shared writing
Show, don’t just tell. Live modelling demystifies writing decisions, reduces cognitive load and makes structure and vocabulary visible. Paired with shared writing, it empowers pupils to co-construct ideas and rehearse before writing independently.
2. Oral rehearsal before writing
Talk is a planning tool. When pupils articulate ideas aloud – to a partner, in role or using sentence stems – they clarify thinking, build fluency and internalise syntax. This is especially powerful for pupils with language needs or working memory challenges.
3. Redrafting for purpose, not polish
Redrafting isn’t about copying up. Guide pupils to refine one element at a time – like sentence openings, cohesion or vocabulary – based on a clear goal. It deepens thinking and builds confidence, particularly for those who often “finish early” or struggle to know what to improve.
4. Tier 2 vocabulary in context
Give all pupils access to rich language by teaching Tier 2 words explicitly and in context. Use Tier 1 synonyms, visuals and repeated application to deepen understanding. Encourage precision: “Why choose this word, not another?”. This builds thinking and expressive skills, not just recall.
5. Focused formative checkpoints
Use short, targeted tasks mid-unit – rewriting a paragraph, justifying a sentence change – to check what’s landing. These allow teachers to adapt swiftly, ensuring no pupil is left behind, especially when stamina or transcription is a barrier.
6. Sentence stems and writing frames
Provide scaffolds that support syntax, cohesion and participation. When used thoughtfully, sentence starters boost confidence, widen engagement and scaffold independence without limiting creativity. Rotate formats to prevent over-reliance and encourage gradual release.
7. Live feedback during writing
Interrupt the “write and mark” cycle. Pause mid-lesson for feedback that shapes learning in the moment. This supports self-correction and metacognition, particularly for pupils who struggle with executive function or organisation.
8. Structured oracy routines
Use planned talk structures – “say it three ways,” think-pair-share, verbal rehearsals – to develop reasoning and fluency. This benefits pupils with SLCN and strengthens clarity and confidence across the class.
How we can help
At Leading English we support schools to make inclusive teaching part of everyday practice, not an add-on. Our support includes:
- Three whole-day consultancy visits from an implementation partner
- Guided use of the EEF Implementation Model
- Strategic CPD, planning support and coaching
- Full access to the Leading English curriculum
