Inclusion: understanding pupil groups

Get to grips with the key pupil groups that Ofsted will focus on when evaluating inclusion. Understand how to identify which of the pupils in your school face barriers to their learning or wellbeing, so you can put the right support in place and deliver truly inclusive provision for all.

Last reviewed on 24 October 2025
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 52507
Contents
  1. What are the key inclusion groups?
  2. How to define pupils who ‘may face other barriers’
  3. Be alert to changes in circumstance
  4. How to use your MIS to find your key inclusion groups
  5. How to support key inclusion groups

What are the key inclusion groups?

Ofsted defines inclusion as how well your school identifies and supports particular pupil groups. Inspectors will look closely at these groups when evaluating inclusion, but they will also be thinking about these pupil groups when inspecting every other evaluation area. 

The key inclusion groups include pupils who:

  • Are socio-economically disadvantaged
    • Those eligible for pupil premium
  • Have special educational needs (SEN) and/or a disability  
    • Pupils receiving SEN support (i.e. on your SEN register), whether or not they have a formal diagnosis
    • Those with an education, health and care (EHC) plan

May face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing This could include pupils who share a protected characteristic such as race or religion, or certain groups of pupils such as young carers – more on how to define and identify these