CMS Group asks whether our school buildings are ready for inclusive education

As the national conversation about special educational needs and disabilities turns, inevitably, to funding, CMS Group has published a thoughtful piece on a quieter question: whether the buildings themselves are equipped for the children now learning in them.

Many schools, the practice observes, are working with premises designed for a very different era. Creating suitable SEND accommodation raises real challenges around space, accessibility, cost and the disruption to pupils and staff. The article considers how existing buildings might be better used, what makes a supportive and flexible SEND environment, the relative merits of traditional, SIPS and modular construction, and how programmes can be planned around the school day and holidays. Early feasibility work and collaboration, CMS argues, help schools make informed decisions.

The aim, as the practice puts it, should be more than additional places; it should be environments that truly support the children who use them. A measured contribution from a member who knows the sector well.