PROGRAMME IMPACT
SCHOOL LEADERS APPLY LEARNING FROM OUR PROGRAMMES TO IMPROVE INCLUSION OUTCOMES FOR ALL STUDENTS
The Difference exists to improve whole-school inclusion. Children facing the greatest challenges outside the classroom most often miss learning opportunities. This affects the outcomes they can expect from education, and from life.
Schools are the difference
Schools can support children to remain engaged in learning, which improves outcomes and reduces lost learning. This requires leadership teams with specific skills that allow them to create inclusive approaches across the entire school.
Over 650 leaders and 400 schools
Since 2019, more than 650 leaders from over 400 schools across all regions in England have taken part in our programmes. Our cohorts have included middle and senior school leaders, headteachers, and leaders from multi-academy trusts (MATs) and local authorities (LAs).
Always improving
We get regular programme evaluations from our cohorts. This vital feedback helps us refine our offerings and meet the evolving needs of educational leaders.
At the same time, our focus on evidence-based practices makes sure we deliver programmes that create meaningful outcomes for leaders and students.
In Numbers
0
school leaders trained
0
schools
0
attendees joined us at IncludEd in January 2025
MEASURING THE
DIFFERENCE WE MAKE
Whole-school inclusion is complex. We use a holistic evaluation approach that measures outcomes for the leaders we train and the students they serve.
FOR SCHOOL LEADERS
We use diverse research methods to understand school leaders’ experiences of our programmes, and how our initiatives contribute to their school’s inclusion efforts.
FOR STUDENTS
Working with school leaders, we use publicly available data, student wellbeing surveys, and leader insights to understand how our programmes have a positive impact on young people’s lives.
We measure three student outcomes:
- reduced exclusions
- improved attendance
- enhanced wellbeing and safety
FINDINGS
We share evaluation findings with schools to help leaders inform and refine their inclusion work.
Schools partnering with us have achieved transformational change, confounding the rising trend of exclusions in England. These schools have developed inclusive practices and created equitable systems. Students feel safer and happier – they also achieve better outcomes.
HOW WE’RE MAKING THE DIFFERENCE - Latest Findings
0%
of Inclusive Leadership Course participants say our training helps de-escalate incidents in their schools
0%
report improved outcomes for vulnerable students
0%
would recommend the Inclusive Leadership Course to friends or colleagues
0%
of leaders used our course learnings to deliver CPD in the same year for their team, school staff, school groups, or across their multi-academy trust
0%
of leaders plan to use our course learnings to make changes in their school during the next academic year
Policy Impact
“The Difference is at the forefront of the mission to model and share the very best, evidence-based and solution-focused strategies to change education policy and to improve outcomes for the most vulnerable children and young people”
– Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary, ASCL
Part 1: Who is Losing Learning? Report – evidences the scale of lost learning and considers it’s key drivers
Part 2: Who is Losing Learning? Solutions – presents sector led recommendations for reducing Lost Learning by 20230
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