Inclusive education

Helping education leaders shape the systems they work in

In partnership with Acumen Academy and the Centre for Social Justice, WFET brought together senior leaders from education charities to strengthen their collective capacity to influence change, building the skills, relationships and confidence needed to shape the systems they work in.

Stories. Policy. Systems. Bringing education leaders together to explore how change can be influenced.

Influence in Action was a three-part online leadership series for 20 founders, CEOs and senior leaders from organisations supporting children and young people. The series created space for leaders to step back from the day-to-day, reflect and learn alongside their peers.

The programme moved deliberately from stories to policy to systems. Participants explored how public narrative can connect purpose and mobilise others, how to navigate pathways into policy and decision-making and how systems thinking and adaptive leadership can help when challenges are complex.

Practical frameworks were combined with reflection and peer discussion, allowing leaders to consider the challenges facing their organisations from a different perspective and learn from others working across education and the wider charity sector.

Participants described gaining greater clarity about how to separate the technical and adaptive parts of a challenge, frame a clearer and more succinct ask and approach difficult decisions without losing sight of their organisation’s values.

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Explore our approach or meet the team behind our work.

Our Approach Our People

From consultation to co-creation: lessons from responding to the Schools White Paper

A proposal raised during a wider conversation about young people’s wellbeing developed into a cross-sector response to the Schools White Paper and proposed SEND reforms. WFET brought organisations together to turn their different perspectives and practical experience into shared recommendations for a more inclusive education system.

Supporting young people’s social, emotional and mental health, together

In February 2026, WFET brought together 50 leaders from education, health, youth work and policy to explore how the system can better support young people's wellbeing. The conversation sparked an ongoing cross-sector collaboration which prepared a collective response to the Education White Paper.

Building stronger connections between families and the organisations that support them

WFET convened a cross-sector group to explore how education, health and community organisations can better support families facing complex challenges. Fourteen organisations are now meeting regularly, building an action-learning space where stronger family engagement is becoming the foundation for more inclusive education.