Thought Leadership: Nic Ponsford

Dropping the Curb: Paving the Way for Inclusive Education

Nic Ponsford Co-Head of Education at Microlink and founder of the Global Equality Collective. Why don’t you try out the accessibility features built into the Microlink website: if you are browsing using Edge, simply right-click and choose “Read aloud”

Dropping the Curb: Paving the Way for Inclusive Education

Imagine walking into a classroom where you feel invisible—your needs ignored, and the support you require just out of reach. You’re given a book, just like everyone else, but you can’t read it. Not because you lack the ability, but because your teacher doesn’t know how to help you access the text. They only know that everyone gets a book, and that’s equality.

But your teacher isn’t trained to recognise your unique learning needs. The words on the page are a blur, the colours are wrong, the font is difficult to read. They read too quickly for you to follow. The text doesn’t make sense. You’re labelled as ‘behind’, ‘weak’, or ‘not trying’. You stop trying.

Or perhaps you can read much faster than this. The words are too simple, too easy. It’s boring. You don’t see the point in reading this. You ask for something more challenging, but you’re told to be quiet. No one notices that you’ve stopped reading. You stop trying.

Meanwhile, the assistive technology that could make all the difference sits unused, tucked away on a laptop in the corner, waiting to unlock your potential. This is the gap between equality and equity.

For too many students, this is the harsh reality—especially for the growing number of neurodivergent students and those with unmet needs across the UK. As of January 2024, approximately 1.7 million pupils in England—18.4% of all pupils—have identified Special Educational Needs (SEN), with 1.14 million receiving SEN support and 0.4 million having Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plans (Department for Education, 2024). These statistics reveal a critical, growing need for schools to move beyond outdated systems, systems that were never designed to support this level of diversity.

A Personal Perspective on Invisibility

As someone who grew up as an unidentified Free School Meals (FSM) and Pupil Premium (PP) student in the 1980s, I understand how societal and educational systems can unintentionally keep children from achieving their potential. The shame and stigma associated with being labelled as ‘disadvantaged’ can still be felt today, preventing students from receiving the support they need. As a SEND parent, I’ve also seen the impact of exclusion—when the system fails to see the whole child, it fails the child altogether. But I have also seen the difference when potential is unlocked—when a book can be read, when a student can be heard. When education bends towards the child, not away from them.

This experience shaped my educational journey and fuels my commitment to transforming how we view disadvantages in schools. I know the weight of feeling ‘less than’—not because of ability, but due to systems that were not designed to see or support students like me.

Rethinking Disability and Disadvantage

Historically, education systems have labelled students as ‘disadvantaged,’ focusing on what they lack rather than what they need. This deficit language frames students through a lens of limitation, inadvertently lowering expectations. It also creates dangerous stereotypes, influencing how needs are identified. For example, more boys are diagnosed with autism at an earlier age than girls, partly due to gender biases in understanding neurodiversity.

This outdated deficit-based thinking has created barriers that prevent meaningful engagement and growth. However, we now have the potential to flip that narrative. We can no longer afford to see students solely through a singular lens (or data bucket), such as neurodivergent or other special educational needs. By adopting a more holistic, nuanced view of each student, we can better understand their unique needs, strengths, and challenges.

This perspective aligns with the Social Model of Disability, which posits that disability is not an inherent trait but rather a result of barriers in the environment. In other words, one is disabled by society. In our schools, these barriers often stem from rigid and ableist teaching practices, lack of support, and inaccessible curricula. Instead of focusing on perceived deficits, we must shift to a framework that emphasises needs and potential.

Universal Design for Learning: A Key to Neuroinclusion

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides a roadmap for addressing these needs. UDL promotes flexibility in the classroom by offering multiple means of ownership, representation, and expression, allowing all students to access and participate in learning. Whether through assistive technology, modified teaching methods, or alternative assessment strategies, UDL ensures that every student, including those with disabilities or neurodivergence, has equal opportunities to succeed. For instance, in my English lessons, assistive technology (AT) like speech-to-text software, screen readers, or audiobooks leveled the playing field in the classroom for students with dyslexia, ADHD, or visual impairments—but also those students without a diagnosis. These

incredible learning tools do not just accommodate learning differences—they enable a more equitable learning experience, promoting engagement, independence, and academic success for all.

As I have seen in more recent times, through my work with Microlink—first as Project Lead for the DfE’s Assistive Technology Pilot and Programme (2021-23) and now as Co-Head of Education—these approaches provide students with the opportunity to thrive where traditional methods have failed them. In the 1,000+ schools that we have upskilled in AT, students who struggled in mainstream education find their voice and achieve greater success with the right tools.

Belonging: The Bridge Between Outcomes and Equity

Let’s be clear. Belonging is not just a ‘soft’ concept; it is foundational to educational success. When students feel like they belong—when they are seen, heard, and valued—they are more likely to connect with education. This connection leads to better attendance, socialisation, and academic achievement.

Belonging fosters a sense of safety and confidence, which is crucial for all learners, particularly those who have historically been marginalised, such as SEND students. It is not a ‘nice to have’; it is essential for creating environments where students want to come to school.

This concept is central to my doctoral thesis, where I explore how the intersectionality of students’ identities influences their sense of inclusion. The findings from the GEC Platform’s research provide further insight into this issue. To date, I have surveyed 12,000 students, collecting intersectional data focused on belonging. For instance, 33% of SEND learners strongly disagree that their teachers listen to their perspectives, compared to just 8.7% of non-SEND students. Additionally, 34% of SEND students report that their needs are not adequately supported in classrooms. These findings highlight the crucial need to not only see students but to actively listen to and engage with them in meaningful ways.

The Concept of ‘Dropping the Curb’

In urban design, ‘dropping the curb’ involves lowering the pavement to provide access for wheelchair users, ultimately benefiting everyone—delivery workers, the elderly, and even mothers with twin buggies (like I was) or children with scooters. In education, this metaphor translates into designing classrooms that inherently accommodate multiple and complex learning needs without requiring separate interventions. By focusing on cognitive diversity or ‘neurodiversity’, we can support a full range of students, ensuring that the learning environment is inclusive for all, regardless of their individual needs.

This approach is rooted in the Social Model of Disability, which asserts that barriers in the environment —not individual impairments— create disability. By removing these barriers, and creating opportunities instead, we can create equitable learning experiences. This philosophy

challenges the traditional ‘one-size-fits-all’ model, urging educators to design classrooms, connections, and curricula that are accessible by default, benefiting all students. When we create playgrounds and classrooms that are neuroinclusive, we create opportunities for all students to thrive, to help them learn and communicate in the ways that work for them. It’s not just about having some accommodations available—it’s about ensuring that every child, every student we serve, regardless of their context, can fully participate in and benefit from their educational experience.

The Path Forward: Bridging Gaps with Intentional Inclusion

As a former school leader and now a coach, I’ve seen firsthand how schools can bridge the gaps for the disadvantages of their students. The path forward requires a paradigm shift—from reactive interventions to intentional inclusion. We need to design education systems that anticipate and meet diverse needs by default. This is the essence of ‘dropping the curb’ in education: making learning accessible to all from the outset, not as an afterthought. By adopting this mindset, we can create equitable classrooms where all students can thrive.

Intentional inclusion isn’t just about meeting the needs of a few; it’s about designing education that works for everyone. When we drop the curb, we open the door to equitable education. It’s time to move from good intentions to intentional actions.

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Sources:

• Department for Education. (2024). Special Educational Needs in England.
• National Association for Special Educational Needs (nasen). (2024). SEN Data January 2024.
• Ponsford, N. (2025). Kaleidoscopic Data: Rethinking Inclusion Through a New Social Capital Lens. Focus on EDI © – Issue 1, London: Institute for Educational & Social Equity.
• Microlink PC. (2023). Assistive Technology Test and Learn Programme Impact Report.
• Microlink PC. (2023). Be ThAT Teacher Programme Overview.
• Ambitious about Autism. (2023). The Gender Gap in Autism.