TCES: A Vision for Inclusion
Creating a National Movement
We are proposing the first National Inclusion Charter in the country following our partnered conference with CYP Now early this year, which brought together industry leaders, educators, and local authorities focused on Preventing ‘Lost Learning’ through Increasing Attendance and Reducing Exclusions. We want to open this opportunity up to educators and local authorities to engage in this national conversation.
Our mission is clear: to support the building of authentically inclusive schools nationwide that work for all through a relentless commitment to reducing exclusions and increasing attendance. At TCES, we believe that inclusion is not just a policy but a practice—embedded in every process, relationship, and moment.
The TCES Inclusion Charter: Six Principles for Success
- A Balanced Approach: Equal focus on fair admissions, belonging, wellbeing, and attainment.
- A Sense of Belonging for All: Creating an environment that values every student’s potential.
- Addressing Root Causes: Early intervention tailored to each child's strengths and needs.
- Deploying Specialist Expertise: The sharing of evidence-based inclusion and SEND models, by creating learning partnerships across specialist, alternative provision and mainstream education.
- Building Relationships with Families: Fostering collaboration and support beyond the school gates. 'Real' voice, participation, training and support for Parents and Carers.
- We Never Give Up: An authentic commitment to relational inclusion, therapeutic education, and continuous support.
Why TCES and Inclusion?
For over a quarter of a century, TCES (The Complete Education Solution) Social Enterprise group has pursued a singular social mission: to create wide-scale social impact through pioneering inclusion practices. Since our inception in 1999, we have educated and supported thousands of exceptional neurodiverse children and young people with SEND, many of whom had been excluded from mainstream education on average three times before joining TCES or experienced multiple mismanaged moves. Throughout this time, TCES has never permanently excluded a single pupil. Each year, between 90% and 100% of our graduates’ progress into Education, Employment, or Training (Non-NEETs). This commitment embodies the TCES Way: “We never give up, we never exclude.”
Celebrating 25 Years of Transformative Impact
In 2019, as part of our 20th-anniversary celebrations, an independent research project was conducted by Goldsmiths University of London. Dame Esther Rantzen, Founder of Childline and Patron of TCES, praised our work, stating: “Reading this Independent research report conducted by Goldsmiths I have been particularly impressed by the excellent outcomes TCES have achieved, through their policy of ‘never giving up’ on their young people, no matter how challenging. Their achievements are conclusive evidence that TCES’ approach works and works well, and I believe that its policy of never permanently excluding, along with other interventions, could and should be used as a template for the educational sector as a whole.”
Goldsmiths University of London Key Findings on TCES Inclusion:
We Never Give Up: Over 20 years, more than 3,000 pupils have been supported with zero permanent exclusions. Five years on this has risen to supporting over 3,500 and 25 years of zero exclusions.
Authentic Therapeutic Education: A person-centred curriculum that identifies each pupil’s unique gifts and promotes individualised learning.
Inclusive Learning Environment: SEMH and ASC pupils are taught together in an inclusive setting that values genuine pupil, parent, and staff voice and participation.
Life Without Labels: Positive labelling only—our pupils are talented young leaders.
Transforming Lives: TCES is highly effective at transforming pupils’ lives educationally, emotionally, and socially, with 90% of graduates in employment, education, or training three years after leaving.
Consistent High Quality: In the past 15 years, TCES schools have achieved 'Good' or 'Outstanding' ratings in 100% of their ten Ofsted inspections, with 40% rated 'Outstanding'.
The most recent Ofsted inspection (February 2025) recognised TCES North West London School as Outstanding in all areas. Inspectors noted: “The school’s expectations for pupils’ social, personal, and academic achievements are sky-high. In catering for pupils’ needs, the school lives up to its motto of, 'we never give up, we never exclude”.
This achievement reflects our relentless pursuit of inclusion and the creation of truly supportive learning environments.
Reach out: Inclusion@tces.org.uk