Government policy around inclusion is changing, and schools are being encouraged to think differently about how and where children are supported.
For 2026/27, the Department for Education has introduced the Inclusive Mainstream Fund, with £400 million allocated to mainstream schools in England. Schools must also publish an Inclusion Strategy by 31 December 2026, setting out how they will identify needs, remove barriers to learning and invest in inclusive provision.
Alongside this is a growing focus on Inclusion Bases within mainstream schools: dedicated spaces providing additional SEND, behavioural and pastoral support.
But does an Inclusion Base necessarily need to be another classroom?
At The Tipi Company, we've been thinking about what an Inclusion Base could look like if we started with the needs of the child rather than the conventions of the classroom.
What if your school's Inclusion Base was an outdoor classroom?
A calm, flexible learning space within the school grounds, connected to nature while remaining part of everyday school life.
A school tipi can provide somewhere for SEND support, small-group learning, pastoral care, sensory activities, one-to-one sessions, Forest School, reading and quiet reflection.
The DfE's principles for inclusion include creating inclusive environments and providing enriching opportunities beyond the classroom. For children who find a conventional classroom overwhelming, the physical learning environment can be particularly important.
An outdoor classroom offers something intentionally different: natural light, fresh air, space and connection with the outdoors.
A permanent or semi-permanent tipi can create a substantial outside classroom capable of year-round use, with options including flooring, glazed doors, lighting, heating and accessible entrances.
More importantly, it's flexible.
In the morning, it might host a small SEND intervention group. Later, it becomes a quiet pastoral or sensory space. In the afternoon, it supports Forest School or outdoor learning.
One beautiful space. Many different purposes.
We've already seen the impact these spaces can have.
“The tipi has enabled us to be fully immersed in nature, spending all day everyday outdoors. Our staff well-being and motivation has improved and children are calmer, more engaged with outdoor learning and excited to come to nursery in their new space.” Kids Planet Day Nurseries
The most significant capital opportunity is the Government's High Needs Provision Capital Allocation (HNPCA).
For 2026/27, £860 million has been allocated to local authorities, with DfE guidance specifically encouraging them to consider using this funding to create Inclusion Bases within mainstream schools.
Schools considering a project should therefore speak to their local authority SEND and capital teams about local priorities and HNPCA plans.
Other potential routes include:
Funding streams can potentially work together, with capital investment supporting the physical outdoor classroom and separate SEND or inclusion funding supporting sensory resources, equipment and activities within it.
A school tipi or outdoor classroom could provide flexible space for:
✓ SEND and SEMH support
✓ Small-group and one-to-one learning
✓ Sensory and regulation activities
✓ Pastoral and wellbeing support
✓ Forest School and outdoor education
✓ Meditation and yoga
✓ Reading and quiet reflection
✓ Creative and therapeutic activities
For some schools, it could become a dedicated SEND outdoor classroom. For others, a broader outdoor learning space supporting inclusion, wellbeing and the curriculum.
As schools develop their Inclusion Strategies, this is an opportunity to think differently about the physical spaces in which children learn and receive support.
Perhaps an Inclusion Base shouldn't simply be somewhere a child goes when the classroom isn't working for them.
Perhaps we should also ask whether the environment itself could work differently for the child.
At The Tipi Company, we design and manufacture handcrafted school tipis, outdoor classrooms and outdoor learning spaces for schools, nurseries and educational settings across the UK.
Our team can help you explore what a nature-led outdoor classroom or SEND Inclusion Base could look like for your school.
Because sometimes, thinking differently about the classroom means quite literally stepping outside it.