Inclusive Mainstream Fund
This document explains how the Maths For Life programme can support mainstream schools to deliver the Inclusive Mainstream Fund.
Introduction
The Inclusive Mainstream Fund (IMF) has been introduced by the Department for Education to support mainstream schools in becoming more inclusive by design. The fund supports schools to identify and meet the needs of students earlier, reduce barriers to learning and participation, and embed inclusive practice across the whole school. Schools are expected to publish an Inclusion Strategy demonstrating how funding is being used to support these objectives.
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Maths For Life provides an evidence-informed curriculum, assessment and teaching approach specifically designed to enable learners with diverse needs to access, participate and succeed in mathematics. It offers a practical solution for schools seeking to demonstrate meaningful and measurable improvements in inclusive practice.
Why maths matters for inclusion
For many students with SEND, mathematical learning presents a significant barrier to achievement, confidence, participation and future independence.
Learners may experience:
Gaps in foundational mathematical understanding
Difficulties with abstract concepts
Working memory challenges
Language-processing difficulties
Anxiety and low confidence
Disengagement from traditional mathematics teaching
When these barriers are not addressed early, students can become increasingly excluded from the curriculum, limiting both educational and life outcomes.
Maths For Life was developed specifically to remove these barriers through a structured, developmental approach that makes mathematics accessible to all learners.
Alignment with the Inclusive Mainstream Fund
Inclusive by design
The IMF aims to support schools in moving towards provision that is inclusive by design rather than dependent on individual diagnosis.
Maths For Life supports this by providing:
Universal teaching approaches suitable for all learners
Clear developmental pathways
Multiple representations of mathematical concepts
Practical and visual learning experiences
Flexible assessment pathways
Rather than creating separate curricula, Maths For Life enables students with differing needs to access mathematical learning within a coherent framework.
Early identification of need
The DfE emphasises identifying and responding to needs earlier.
Maths For Life assessments help schools identify:
Gaps in conceptual understanding
Missing prerequisite knowledge
Functional mathematics needs
Patterns of difficulty that may indicate wider SEND needs
The assessments can be used for:
Whole-school baseline assessments
Early numeracy screening
Targeted intervention pathways
This allows schools to intervene before difficulties become entrenched.
High-quality adaptive teaching
The IMF guidance highlights adaptive teaching and high-quality universal provision.
Maths For Life supports teachers through:
Detailed progression frameworks
Practical teaching methodologies
Scaffolded learning sequences
Adapted resources
Consistent assessment information
Maths For Life webinars, courses and workshops can offer training for:
Inclusive maths pedagogy
Development of adaptive teaching practice
Curriculum redesign using Maths For Life progression pathways
Teachers are able to personalise support without creating multiple separate programmes.
Removing barriers to participation
The IMF expects schools to invest in activity that removes barriers to learning and participation.
Maths For Life reduces barriers by:
Breaking learning into achievable steps
Using practical, real-life contexts
Supporting communication and mathematical language
Building confidence through successful experiences
Providing pathways for students working significantly below age-related expectations
Learners can therefore participate meaningfully within mainstream classrooms.
Supporting students without an EHCP
The government's vision is increasingly focused on providing support before formal diagnosis and statutory assessment.
Maths For Life offers a scalable approach that supports:
Students on SEND Support
Student with emerging needs
Disadvantaged learners
Students at risk of disengagement
Learners with EHCPs
This makes it particularly attractive as a whole-school inclusion investment.
Developing an Inclusion Strategy
Schools receiving IMF funding must publish an Inclusion Strategy explaining how they are using resources to identify and remove barriers to learning.
Maths For Life can contribute directly to this strategy by providing evidence of actions under the following themes:
Inclusive Curriculum
Adapted mathematics curriculum
Accessible progression pathways
Universal design for learning principles
Inclusive Teaching
Staff development in SEND mathematics
Adaptive teaching approaches
Evidence-informed intervention
Inclusive Assessment
Early identification of need
Monitoring progress
Tracking development of foundational mathematical understanding
Inclusive Outcomes
Increased participation
Improved achievement
Greater learner confidence
Improved preparation for adulthood
Demonstrating impact
Schools may be asked to demonstrate the effectiveness of their investment.
Maths For Life provides measurable outcomes including:
Academic
Mathematical progress
Curriculum engagement
Closing foundational knowledge gaps
Inclusion
Increased participation in mathematics lessons
Reduced disengagement
Improved learner confidence
Preparation for Adulthood
Functional numeracy development
Financial literacy readiness
Independence skills
Employability-related mathematics
These outcomes align closely with the broader SEND reforms set out in the government's vision for an inclusive mainstream education system.
Example statement for a school IMF application
"Our school will utilise the Maths For Life programme to strengthen our inclusive mathematics provision. The programme will support early identification of learning needs, provide adaptive teaching resources, improve participation for learners with SEND and ensure students can access a coherent mathematical curriculum regardless of starting point. This investment will contribute directly to our Inclusive Mainstream Fund strategy by removing barriers to learning, strengthening universal provision and improving outcomes for students with additional needs."
Why the Maths For Life programme is an ideal IMF investment
The Maths For Life programme enables schools to:
Deliver inclusive-by-design mathematical provision
Support students before diagnosis or statutory intervention
Strengthen adaptive teaching
Identify barriers earlier
Improve participation and engagement
Develop evidence for their Inclusion Strategy
Improve outcomes for students with SEND
Support preparation for adulthood and independence
Create sustainable whole-school inclusive practice