Camden Learning is pleased to announce the publication of new guidance to help mainstream Primary school leaders provide effective enhanced provision for pupils with high levels of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
Planning for Enhanced Provision: Guidance for Mainstream Schools draws together learning and examples of best practice from Camden schools that are successfully meeting the needs of pupils who require more personalised support than can be provided within a mainstream classroom.
As mainstream schools support increasing numbers of pupils with complex SEND, this guidance serves as a practical tool setting out examples of enhanced provision, such as sustained small group teaching pathways, along with core principles to support delivery.
The guidance has been developed by Camden Learning’s SEND Adviser team following visits to schools and discussions with headteachers, SENDCos and practitioners.
Supporting enhanced provision is part of our commitment to inclusion and equity, and this report builds on the Government’s recent Schools White Paper which seeks to promote greater inclusion mainstream, and its recent guidance on inclusion bases.
What is enhanced provision?
Enhanced provision is a planned, structured and sustained model of support for pupils with high levels of SEND who are unable to access learning effectively within their classroom for part or all of the school day.
It is school-led and enables earlier intervention and more personalised responses to pupils’ emerging or ongoing needs and is most effective when it is purposeful, evidence‑informed, relational and fully embedded within a whole‑school approach to inclusion.
Importantly, it is not about creating separate systems or lowering expectations but providing a framework for delivering specialist support while maintaining a focus on participation and achievement.
This new Camden Learning guidance is organised around a set of core pillars that together support sustainable and inclusive enhanced provision. These seven pillars are:
- Purpose and vision
- Identification of need
- Staffing and space
- Quality of curriculum
- Culture and behaviour
- Monitoring and sustainability
- Leadership and management
At the heart of the guidance is a commitment to ensuring that pupils with SEND feel understood, valued and included. It reinforces the principles of the SEND Code of Practice and supports schools to build provision that complements high-quality teaching rather than replacing it.
The guidance ends with a readiness tool which is designed to support leaders take a strategic, whole-school view, ensuring that any provision developed is thoughtfully planned, well-supported and aligned with the school’s inclusive vision.
We hope that the guidance will help schools to reflect on their current offer, make informed strategic decisions and develop provision that is both effective and sustainable.
To further support schools, Camden Learning will be running Enhanced Provision professional development sessions for teachers and school leaders throughout 2026 and 2027. These sessions will help schools to further develop their knowledge and expertise and share their own practice with others.
