Schools are working harder than ever to support children’s wellbeing and emotional resilience, within increasingly complex systems and amid rising levels of need.

In this context, inclusion is often referenced through the lens of additional provision: something that is introduced after a concern has been identified or a child has met a particular threshold.

This makes sense - but it runs the risk that inclusion can become exclusion because adaptations that are made with good intentions signal to children that they are different.

Taking this into account, at Windsor Academy Trust we have shifted to a mindset of inclusion as ”essential for some and useful for all”.

This means designing wellbeing, accessibility and pastoral scaffolding into everyday practice so that support is available to everyone.

This has two benefits: strengthening emotional resilience and inclusion for all pupils and ensuring that those who need more are identified early and supported effectively.

The work first began in 2021 and was recently given credence when an Ofsted inspection at Goldsmith Primary Academy in Walsall in November 2025 identified the school’s inclusion, personal development and wellbeing work as exceptional, and its pastoral support as “second to none”.

Identifying wellbeing issues early

One of the most effective changes we made was in how we understand pupils’ emotional wellbeing.

Rather than relying on issues being spotted, or on children feeling confident enough to speak up, we now ask pupils to log their emotional state when they arrive and after break and lunch, using a programme that Goldsmith designed based on Zones of Regulation. The programme is now being rolled out into other Windsor Academy Trust schools.

This is done discreetly via iPads, allowing children to be honest without feeling exposed.

Trained staff review these check-ins and follow up where needed, allowing pupils to park their worries and focus on learning. We can see patterns emerge over time, enabling us to adapt routines, curriculum or support at a collective level before issues escalate.

Modifying our language of support

Linked to this, we have modified the language and framing that we use when a pupil does require extra support: across the trust we talk about “quality teaching plus”, rather than interventions.

This reinforces the idea that class teachers retain ownership of every child, academically and emotionally, while drawing on specialist support where appropriate.

Some pupils access counselling, art therapy or emotional literacy programmes. Others benefit from timely conversations that prevent escalation.

Wellbeing work is not just about getting through today’s lessons; it is about helping pupils to recognise emotions, name them and develop strategies to manage them - skills they will need beyond school.

Changing the environment, not the child

A core principle of “essential for some, useful for all” is adapting systems to fit children, rather than asking children to change who they are.

For example, visually impaired pupils once required large equipment and constant adult support, which could prevent them from sitting comfortably alongside their classmates.

Now, with all children using iPads to support learning, accessibility features on the devices have increased the independence of those pupils who need them. Children who have learned to use these features can also put these skills to use independently with their iPads at home and in other locations, such as at the grocery store.

Elsewhere, teachers use “explain everything” on iPads to record their modelling and narration as they explain a concept. With one click, this is shared with pupils so they can revisit the exact explanation afterwards.

This supports children who struggle with processing or working memory, and benefits all learners. Because these tools are normalised for everyone, pupils who rely on them do not stand out.

Collaboration, not judgement

For all children, particularly those who need specific adaptations, a feeling of belonging is built as much through language as through systems. A deficit narrative erodes trust; a solution-focused one builds it.

Following the principle of “essential for some, useful for all”, we design supports such as visual checklists that act as navigational cues for every pupil. Many children may not need them, but for those who do, they are always available.

When speaking with parents, we frame these positively: we explain that “using a visual checklist helps to prompt the next step and reduce language load”, rather than saying that their child is “disorganised”.

The barrier then shifts from the child to the environment, and the conversation becomes collaborative rather than judgemental.

Working with families and partners

The school also works closely with NHS colleagues, including in supporting families who use our nursery provision with health checks for two-year-olds, hosting health-led support on the school site and working proactively with services to remove barriers to learning early.

While some families need this support more than others, this offer is open to all.

By focusing on partnership rather than blame, schools and agencies can work shoulder to shoulder in the best interests of the child.

When support is woven into everyday practice, children are not singled out for needing help. Instead they grow up in environments that adapt, respond and believe in them. That belief is often the most powerful intervention of all.

Leanne Bridgwood is director of primary education at Windsor Academy Trust