Thinking Deeply about Primary Education Accessible by Default: An Inclusive Teaching Discussion
Aug 16, 2025
Jen Barker, National Director of Learning at Ormiston Academies Trust, Peps Mccrea, an expert on evidence-based practices, and Chris Such, a SEND education advocate, dive deep into making teaching inclusive. They discuss the limitations of current teaching tools and the importance of evidence-based strategies. The conversation navigates systemic challenges in education, explores the impact of cultural capital, and emphasizes practical adjustments to enhance student engagement. Their insights aim for classrooms to be 'accessible by default,' ensuring every child thrives.
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Why Now Is The Moment To Act
- The SEND system is failing on feasibility, workforce confidence, and pupil outcomes simultaneously.
- Jen Barker argues political momentum makes this a timely moment to ask better questions.
Resource Dilution Harms The Most Vulnerable
- Resource dilution spreads teachers thinner and disadvantages the students with greatest needs.
- Peps McRae calls this the sharpest, least fair consequence of rising demand and fixed budgets.
Shift Energy Upstream
- Prioritise upstream work: build culture and high-quality teaching before reactive downstream fixes.
- Free teachers' time so they can plan and improve core instruction deliberately.