About the INclude Service
About us
Nottingham City’s INclude Service was created in partnership with schools, parents and carers, and professionals. It shares guidance and practical steps to help schools support and meet the needs of children who show challenging behaviour. Our goal is to keep every child learning in a welcoming, high-quality environment and to help them reach their full potential.
The INclude service provides a coordinated and stepped approach to help schools support positive behaviour. We work together with schools, families, the local authority, and other partners to make sure every child—whatever their background or needs—gets the right support and the chance to succeed.
Our Vision
Our goal is to make sure every child in Nottingham feels included, valued, and supported—so they can belong, thrive, and achieve as part of an inclusive school community.
We will work closely with schools and local communities to build inclusive practices and a positive culture, reducing exclusions and suspensions and improving attendance.
Our purpose is to give every child the best chance to succeed in education and look forward to a positive future where they can contribute to their community, their city, and society.
Our Core Values
Child-Centred Approach
We place the needs and well-being of children as central to our work.
Collaborative Partnerships
We work closely with schools, families, and wider agencies to provide a holistic understanding of each child’s needs.
Championing Inclusion
We actively promote successful inclusive practices across all schools and settings and share effective inclusive strategies that benefit all schools and every child.
Building Trust Through Relationships
We value the importance of truly ‘knowing our children’, supported by strong, trusting relationships with schools built over time.
Commitment to Expertise and Research
As experienced practitioners, we are dedicated to sharing up-to-date research, resources and approaches in inclusive practice.
Permanent exclusions and suspensions have risen significantly across England in recent years, with Nottingham City historically recording rates well above the national average. These exclusions disproportionately affect some of our most vulnerable children and young people, impacting their wellbeing, educational outcomes and future life chances.
Nottingham City previously had one of the highest permanent exclusion rates in the country, with exclusion levels continuing to rise following the pandemic. However, this trend has now begun to reverse. Exclusions reduced by 13.3% in 2024/25, followed by a further 20% reduction in 2025/26. While exclusion rates in Nottingham remain above the national average, the pace of improvement exceeds the national trend and reflects the city's commitment to inclusion, early intervention and partnership working.
"The impact of exclusion goes far beyond the classroom, shaping a young person's identity and future aspirations."
(The Children's Society)
INclude works collaboratively with schools, families and partner services to prevent exclusion and ensure children and young people receive the right support at the right time.
Our focus is on early identification and intervention where there is a risk of suspension or permanent exclusion. Through consultation, assessment, targeted support and multi-agency working, we help schools understand and respond to the underlying needs that may be impacting a child's engagement, attendance, behaviour or wellbeing.
We provide a flexible, graduated offer that supports children and young people at key points in their educational journey, including:
- Early intervention and targeted support for pupils at risk of exclusion.
- Advice, consultation and planning support for schools.
- Support for vulnerable pupils transitioning from primary to secondary school.
- Reintegration support to help children and young people successfully return to mainstream education.
- Collaboration with families and partner agencies to strengthen outcomes and reduce barriers to learning.
- Opportunities for schools to share effective practice and build inclusive approaches.
By working together, we can reduce exclusions, improve attendance and engagement, and create inclusive environments where every child has the opportunity to thrive.
INclude is being developed through a phased approach, allowing us to build a sustainable, evidence-informed service that responds to the needs of children, young people, families and schools across Nottingham City.
Phase 1: Establish and Test (September to December 2025)
- Worked with a selected cohort of schools to test and refine the INclude model.
- Developed key processes and interventions within the graduated support framework.
- Established multi-agency approaches to reduce the risk of exclusion.
- Designed and implemented the reintegration pathway to support pupils returning to mainstream education.
- Gathered feedback from schools and partners to inform future development.
Phase 2: Expand and Embed (January to July 2026)
- Opened referrals to all Nottingham City schools.
- Launched the INclude website and service resources.
- Recruited and expanded the INclude team.
- Continued to refine processes, tools and interventions.
- Developed and tested a robust transition offer to support vulnerable pupils moving from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3.
- Strengthened partnerships with schools and wider services to ensure a coordinated response to inclusion needs.
Phase 3: Scale and Sustain (September 2026 onwards)
- Further reduce suspensions and permanent exclusions across the city.
- Embed the INclude School Framework and graduated response across all schools.
- Strengthen early intervention to ensure needs are identified and addressed before exclusion becomes a risk.
- Expand transition and reintegration support to improve long-term outcomes for children and young people.
- Increase opportunities for schools to share effective inclusive practice and learn from one another.
- Use data, evaluation and stakeholder feedback to continually improve the service and demonstrate impact.
- Continue to build a culture of inclusion where every child is understood, supported and able to thrive in their local school community.
The INclude team brings together specialists from education, behaviour support and educational psychology to help schools create inclusive environments and reduce the risk of exclusion. Working collaboratively with schools, families and partner agencies, the team provides consultation, assessment, intervention and advice to support children and young people to thrive in education.
Our team combines expertise in teaching, learning mentoring, educational psychology and restrictive physical intervention (RPI), ensuring schools can access a broad range of support tailored to individual needs.
Leadership
Service Manager
TBC
Acting Team Leader
Tim Baker
Teachers
- Emma Bellaby
- Victoria McIndoe
- Sarah Stockley
- Heather Taylor
Learning Mentors
- Helen Baker
- Hannah Brown
- Georgina Cotton
- Emily Davies
- Raj Digva
- Elijah Jefferson
- Donna Mayfield
- Nic Mills
- Caroline Murtagh
- Asha Patel
Educational Psychology Team
Senior Educational Psychologist
Russell Hounslow
Senior Practitioner Educational Psychologist
Hannah Gibson
Educational Psychologists
- Sandra Kempsell
- Erin Lowe
RPI Instructors
The team also includes our Restrictive Physical Intervention (RPI) offer. We have instructors who support schools to develop safe, appropriate and trauma-informed approaches to behaviour and risk management.
- Helen Baker
- Georgina Cotton
- Caroline Murtagh
- Heather Taylor
Together, the INclude team works to build capacity within schools, strengthen inclusive practice and ensure children and young people receive the right support at the right time.
