Using your Inclusive Mainstream Fund with Trellis

DfE guidance asks schools to use it to embed evidence-informed approaches that meet the predictable needs in their cohort.

Key dates and requirements

• Funding was paid to eligible schools in June and July 2026
• Schools must spend their allocation on activity in line with the DfE's 7 principles of inclusion 
• Every eligible school must publish an inclusion strategy by 31 December 2026, setting out how it identifies and meets predictable needs, including detail of the activity it has invested in 

How Trellis supports the aims of the IMF:

1. Evidence the impact of your inclusion strategy

As a condition of the IMF, every school must publish an inclusion strategy, and DfE guidance asks schools to monitor whether their approaches are making a difference for pupils with additional needs. Trellis helps you build that picture as part of your everyday meetings.

A living record of SEND support. From agreed adjustments and interventions to progress and next steps, Trellis builds an ongoing record of what's being done for each child and how it's working. Everyone involved gets a clearer, shared picture over time. This makes it easier to review what's working and adapt support, so provision stays joined-up and focused on the child.

Consistent plans and minutes. Every meeting produces clear minutes and action plans in the same format, so your records are complete and comparable, whoever ran the meeting.

2. Strong partnerships with families and wider services

One of the DfE's seven principles of inclusion is strong partnerships with families and wider services. Trellis makes those partnerships easier to build and maintain. 

Everyone can focus on the child. With Trellis taking notes, staff and parents can give the conversation their full attention.

Everyone leaves with the same understanding. A clear, usable record of what's been agreed keeps school, family and services joined-up on next steps.

Easy to save and share. Documents can be shared with parents and stored centrally, so colleagues and external services who need them can see them.

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What SEND professionals are saying

"The most valuable thing is how easily Trellis keeps everyone aligned. I share minutes and action plans with parents and also save them centrally, so colleagues, especially our pastoral team, can see them. Recording agreed reasonable adjustments this way removes confusion, and parents are completely clear on what's been agreed.

Before Trellis, I rarely took detailed minutes. With four annual reviews a week and three or four other parent meetings, there simply wasn't time. It's been invaluable, especially for our SEN support cohort. Parents now feel they have a concrete plan and real accountability. With the new reforms, I think this will only become more important."

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Get Trellis in your school this term - book a demo and find out about our fully funded pilots starting next month.

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