Inclusion 2.0: Rising Demand, Finite Funding, No Learner Left Behind - Sponsored by Cognassist
A generational shift but smart use of funding, technology and process will help you excel
This webinar is FREE for the sector to attend, as it is kindly sponsored by Cognassist
Overview
In February 2026 the government’s Schools White Paper set the direction for SEND reform, and the new Ofsted toolkit put inclusion at the centre of inspection. For the first time, money is following the mandate. From July 2026, every mainstream 16 to 19 provider in England receives a share of the £83m Inclusive Mainstream Fund (IMF), part of a programme worth more than £500m a year. It arrives as a single payment, with no application required.
The catch is accountability. Providers must set out how they will use the funding in their accountability statement by 31 July 2026, and Ofsted will look for the evidence. At the same time, what is expected of providers is rising faster than the funding. There are not enough specialists to meet the demand, so the money has to be spent smartly, not simply spent.
This webinar turns that challenge into a plan. Chris Quickfall, CEO of Cognassist, unpacks what reform means in practice, how your IMF allocation is calculated and the five second-order effects every leader should prepare for. Most importantly, he sets out a realistic operating model: equipping tutors with validated, evidence-led tools so support reaches every learner, while scarce specialists focus where they add the most value.
You will leave knowing how to spend the IMF well, evidence it for inspection and build an inclusion model that is clinically valid, economically viable and legally defensible, well before the deadline.
What You Will Learn:
By the end of this session, you’ll be able to:
- Explain what SEND reform and the new Ofsted toolkit mean for your provision and where legal responsibility now sits
- See how your Inclusive Mainstream Fund allocation is calculated and what counts as eligible spend
- Recognise the second-order effects of reform and what each means for your decisions as a leader
- Build an assess, plan, do and review model that reaches every learner without relying on specialists you do not have
- Procure inclusion technology with confidence, telling a validated tool from “nonsense-ware”
Who should attend:
Level:
- Heads
- Director and Executive
- Senior managers who will deliver the plan day to day
Job Titles: Principal, CEO, Chief Operating Officer, Vice Principal, Director of Quality, Director or Head of Inclusion, SEND or Additional Learning Support (ALS) lead, SENCO, Director of Curriculum, Head of Apprenticeships and Finance or Funding leads.
Webinar Chair
Paul Stannard, 16-19 Senior Policy Manager, AELP
Facilitator
Chris Quickfall, Founder and CEO, Cognassist
Since being diagnosed with dyslexia at university, Chris has been driven to improve how education identifies and supports learners who face hidden barriers to success. Completing a cognitive assessment was a turning point for him, not as a label, but as a practical framework for understanding how he learns and what support actually makes a difference.
Chris founded Cognassist to help education providers move beyond reactive, diagnosis-led models of support. Today, Cognassist uses cognitive insight to help organisations identify learner needs early, translate insight into practical support, and evidence inclusive practice at scale. The platform enables tutors to deliver personalised support as part of everyday learning, ensuring inclusion is systematic, sustainable, and measurable.
Chris founded Cognassist after being assessed for dyslexia at university showed him how powerful it is to understand how you think and learn. He built Cognassist to bring that same insight to every learner, so no learner is left behind. Today Cognassist is one of the UK’s leading inclusion and neurodiversity platforms, with a validated cognitive assessment used across hundreds of FE and training providers and calibrated against more than 400,000 UK learners. Chris is a regular voice in the national conversation on SEND reform, inclusion funding and the future of post-16 education.
Secure your place!
Fees
FREE for the sector to attend, as this webinar is kindly sponsored by Cognassist.
Please use a business email address when registering.
If you register but are unable to attend, we will send you a copy of the recording after the webinar has taken place.
Inclusion 2.0: Rising Demand, Finite Funding, No Learner Left Behind - Sponsored by Cognassist (FREE to attend)
AELP Webinar
