The Department for Education’s Inclusive Mainstream Fund (IMF) for 2026–27 places a strong emphasis on helping schools create education systems that are “inclusive by design”.
At the centre of the guidance are seven inclusion themes designed to strengthen the universal offer, reduce barriers to participation and ensure pupils with SEND and additional needs can thrive within mainstream education.
For many schools, the challenge is not whether inclusion matters - it is how to embed it consistently across the whole school day, while also identifying and responding to pupils whose social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs may be affecting their ability to engage, regulate and learn.
This is where Thrive aligns strongly with the IMF framework.
Thrive is not a standalone intervention or isolated programme. It is a whole-school approach that helps schools identify and understand SEMH needs at the earliest opportunity, strengthen relational practice and create environments where children feel safe, connected and ready to learn. Because schools cannot deliver effective targeted provision without first recognising and understanding need, Thrive combines staff training, developmental understanding and Thrive-Online assessment and action-planning tools to help schools build both early identification and graduated support into everyday practice.
By supporting schools to strengthen both their universal offer and targeted provision, Thrive closely reflects the priorities outlined in the IMF guidance - helping schools develop inclusive cultures where all pupils, including those with SEND and SEMH needs, can thrive.
How Thrive supports each of the seven IMF inclusion themes:
1. Ambitious Leadership that Embeds Inclusion in All Planning
The IMF guidance highlights the importance of school leadership teams embedding inclusion into every aspect of school improvement, planning and decision-making.
Thrive supports this by helping schools build a consistent, whole-school approach to inclusion and social and emotional wellbeing. Through Thrive, schools can develop:- a shared language around SEMH needs and inclusion
- consistent relational approaches across staff teams
- joined-up practice between SEND, behaviour and pastoral support
- a clearer understanding of pupil needs, barriers and provision
Using Thrive training, Thrive-Online and action-planning tools, school leaders can strengthen how they identify needs early, monitor support and evaluate impact across the school. This helps inclusion move beyond isolated interventions and become part of everyday school culture, systems and decision-making.
By improving whole-school consistency and supporting evidence-informed practice, Thrive also helps schools develop the inclusive strategies and provision planning expected within the IMF guidance from December 2026.
2. Evidence-Based Support Focusing on Early Intervention
The IMF guidance highlights the importance of providing early, evidence-informed support before needs escalate or require formal diagnosis.
Thrive aligns closely with this approach by helping schools identify and respond to SEMH needs earlier. Grounded in neuroscience, attachment theory and child development, Thrive helps staff understand the link between emotional development, behaviour and learning. Instead of focusing only on behaviour, Thrive encourages schools to explore the underlying needs and barriers affecting participation.
- What is this child communicating?
- What barriers may be affecting learning or regulation?
- What support or adaptations could help?
Using Thrive-Online assessment and action-planning tools, schools can identify needs earlier, monitor progress and provide targeted support before difficulties become more entrenched.
Importantly, Thrive’s approach is supported by independent evaluation evidence.
- improved attendance patterns
- lower exclusion rates
- stronger wellbeing outcomes for vulnerable pupils and pupils with SEND
- increased staff confidence and wellbeing
- staff training
- relational practice
- early identification of need
- consistent implementation across the school
3. High-Quality Teaching with a Curriculum Designed for All Learners
The IMF guidance recognises that inclusion starts in the classroom.
Thrive supports high-quality teaching by helping staff understand the link between emotional regulation, relationships and learning. When adults respond consistently and relationally, classrooms are more likely to feel:
- safe
- predictable
- accessible
- supportive of participation
This helps pupils feel calmer, more connected and better able to engage with learning.
Thrive also supports adaptive teaching, helping staff respond to individual needs while maintaining high expectations for all learners. Many schools using Thrive report improvements in relationships, emotional regulation and pupil engagement across the classroom.
4. Accessible and Enriching Provision Beyond the Classroom
The IMF guidance recognises that inclusion should be experienced throughout the whole school day - not just in lessons.
Thrive supports this by helping schools build consistent relational practice across:
- classrooms
- breaktimes
- transitions
- pastoral support
- intervention spaces
Many schools use Thrive to strengthen emotional regulation, social connection and participation in wider school life. This helps pupils feel known, supported and able to fully engage in the school community.
5. A Safe and Respectful Culture that Fosters Belonging and Attendance
This theme sits at the heart of the Thrive Approach. Children are better able to learn when they feel safe, valued and understood. Thrive helps schools build relational cultures where adults respond with:
- consistency
- predictability
- curiosity
- understanding
This is especially important for pupils experiencing distress, dysregulation or difficulties attending school.
The independent ImpactEd Evaluation Report found positive patterns in attendance and wellbeing among Thrive schools, highlighting the importance of emotionally safe and relationally consistent environments.
Schools using Thrive also often report:
- calmer classrooms
- stronger relationships
- improved emotional regulation
- greater pupil engagement
Together, these conditions help strengthen belonging and reduce barriers to attendance and participation.
6. Strong Partnerships with Families and Wider Support Services
The IMF guidance highlights the importance of strong partnerships with families and external professionals.
Thrive supports this by providing a shared relational and developmental framework that strengthens communication between:
- school staff
- parents and carers
- SEND teams
- pastoral staff
- wider support services
When schools and families develop a shared understanding of a child’s needs, support is often more consistent and effective. Many schools also use Thrive to support parent workshops, transition planning and collaborative conversations around emotional wellbeing and inclusion.
7. Inclusive Environments Featuring Continuous Accessibility Improvements
This core expectation encourages schools to reflect on how environments, systems and routines support participation for all pupils.
Thrive aligns closely with this by helping schools consider:
- sensory and emotional needs
- relational safety
- communication approaches
- environmental triggers and barriers
- how routines and expectations are experienced by pupils
This may include creating calmer spaces, improving predictability and strengthening emotionally safe environments.
The focus is not on “fixing” children, but on reducing barriers so pupils feel safe, connected and able to access learning successfully.
Inclusion as Everyday Practice
The IMF guidance reinforces a growing understanding across education: inclusion is not a separate initiative - it is part of everyday school practice.
Thrive helps schools embed inclusion across the whole school community by supporting staff to:
- identify SEMH and additional needs earlier
- build strong, consistent relationships
- create emotionally safe learning environments
- respond effectively when pupils are struggling
By aligning closely with all seven IMF themes, Thrive provides schools with a practical, evidence-informed framework for strengthening both universal provision and targeted support. The result is a more inclusive school culture where more children and young people feel safe, valued and able to thrive.
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