The Government has made clear its commitment to improving outcomes, removing barriers, creating better life chances for children and young people in a more inclusive future. The DfE have recognised the importance of the disability duties in Equality Act in contributing to this mission with the publication of a series of guides to support early years providers, schools and FE colleges in meeting these duties.
The guides were published in June and July, with accompanying blogs, and are all available on CDC website, ready to help and support you in the new academic year.
What’s special about these guides?
Firstly, they have all been commissioned by the DfE and this reflects their importance to the direction of travel; they build on many years of CDC guidance and training on the disability duties; they are tailored to different phases; they respond to different needs with some of the guides being practical and operational, while those for governors, trustees and leaders are more strategic; they are informed by recent case law; and they are accompanied by a range of materials to support implementation.
Three of the guides, one for early years, one for schools and one for colleges, are designed for operational use: they are embedded in everyday practice and include examples informed by recent case law. These three guides help to demystify the duties, inform everyday decision-making and empower all practitioners; they are not just for SENCOs and disability experts.
Early years: the early years operational guide is accompanied by online training which is on the CDC website. The training combines information about the duties with opportunities to reflect on practice and explore how well the duties are being met in the setting.
Schools: for school governors and trustees, a second guide builds on the operational guide and provides a framework to support governors and trustees, the ‘responsible body’, in considering how well their school is meeting the disability duties.
A third guide for schools, the Accessibility Planning Handbook adopts a wider school improvement approach to the disability duties. It takes a practical, school-wide approach to the preparation of their new accessibility plans which are due in 2027.
The three school guides are accompanied by online training which will be available on the CDC website later this year.
Colleges: a second guide for colleges is for governors and trustees and, as with the school governor and trustees guide, provides a framework for governors and trustees, the ‘responsible body’, to consider how well their college is meeting the disability duties.
Why now?
The publication of these guides coincides with a wide range of developments designed to secure a more inclusive future. Here are three big ones:
The national curriculum is under review and the interim report from the Review says that:
…in addition to making sure that the curriculum and assessment system prepares young people for life and work, the Review applies a social justice lens throughout its work, applying high aspirations for all. It will consider the positive impact we can make on the outcomes for socio-economically disadvantaged young people and those with SEND with the levers that are at our disposal, while remaining aware of the wider challenges the sector faces.
Ofsted inspection: the new framework will come into use in November this year. Inspectors will expect that:
Leaders set a clear and ambitious vision for inclusion at the provider. They communicate this to children, learners, staff, and parents and carers. They create a culture in which every child and learner belongs, and feels safe, welcomed and valued. They make sure that all children and learners access a high-quality education, taught by experts with high ambition who strive to develop every child and learner’s potential.
Leaders work in a close and effective partnership with parents and carers and other agencies to secure the best possible outcomes for every child and learner, regardless of their starting points. Inclusive providers are relentless in identifying and removing barriers to participation and learning, so that all children and learners can achieve and thrive.
Teacher training: the new combined Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework comes into effect for new trainee teachers this September and is designed to address the low levels of confidence among early career teachers about responding to pupils with SEN and disabilities. The new framework:
… has been designed in the knowledge that high quality teaching is the most important way to improve outcomes for pupils – particularly those with SEND. The framework is designed to enable trainees and ECTs to take their first steps towards becoming expert teachers who can transform the lives all pupils. Our review of content for the ITTECF paid particular attention to the needs of trainees and ECTs when supporting pupils with SEND. There is now significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND […]. We have also made some edits to existing statements to improve inclusivity for SEND throughout the framework.
In these three really significant areas, there is a clear sense of direction: we are all looking towards a more inclusive future.
The new CDC guides are designed to support early years providers, schools and colleges in meeting the disability duties with confidence, in a more inclusive education system, so that all children and learners can achieve and thrive.
Do contact CDC at [email protected] if you would like any help in using the guides and meeting the duties or if you would like to commission training.
And here’s to a more inclusive future!
Philippa Stobbs OBE
September 2025