Supporting SEND learners to access opportunity, work experience and meaningful transitions
28 May 2026
Schools are being asked to deliver more ambitious outcomes for all learners, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Expectations around inclusion, preparation for adulthood and access to work experience continue to increase, while the complexity of need across both SEND and mainstream settings grows. In response, we are launching a new Vocational Profile: a learner‑led, strengths‑based tool designed to support schools to prepare SEND learners for work experience, transitions and future pathways. This resource is intended to help schools turn national and local ambition into every day, inclusive practice, particularly in the lead‑up to employer engagement and at key transition points.
Why a vocational profile and why now?
The education landscape is changing. Schools are responding to the ambition for 50 hours of work experience for all learners, increasing numbers of SEND learners educated in mainstream provision, and stronger expectations around preparation for adulthood and employment. At the same time, evidence and feedback from schools show that SEND learners are still less likely to access meaningful, well‑prepared work experience. Where preparation is limited, placements can undermine confidence and reinforce inequity rather than open up opportunity. The Vocational Profile has been developed to address this gap by supporting thoughtful, learner‑centred preparation before employer engagement takes place.
The Vocational Profile is a learner‑led document that brings together a young person’s strengths, interests and aspirations, alongside their communication preferences, support needs and the factors that help them feel confident and ready to thrive. It is not an assessment or a one‑off task. Instead, it is a conversation‑building tool that supports shared understanding between learners, families, educators and (where appropriate) employers. The profile is designed to be completed over time, revisited at transition points, and used to inform practical planning for work experience and next steps.
The profile has been intentionally designed to support both SEND settings and inclusive mainstream practice. As more SEND learners are educated in mainstream schools, educators need tools that are accessible, adaptable and realistic within existing workload pressures. For that reason, the Vocational Profile is flexible and low‑burden for staff, meaningful for learners and families, and practical for informing decisions around work experience, transitions and future pathways. It can be used by Careers Leaders, SENDCOs, pastoral teams and teaching staff, supporting greater consistency across teams and phases.
High‑quality work experience relies on good preparation. The Vocational Profile supports schools to prepare learners in ways that are proportionate, respectful and effective by helping staff understand how a learner communicates, what environments support them best, and what helps them feel calm and confident in unfamiliar settings. When used carefully and with learner consent, the profile can also support clearer conversations with employers, enabling reasonable adjustments and supportive induction approaches to be planned in advance. This leads to placements that are more purposeful, inclusive and likely to succeed for everyone involved.
Transitions can be a point of vulnerability for SEND learners, particularly where information is fragmented or planning is rushed. The Vocational Profile is designed to travel with the learner, supporting continuity and shared understanding across key stages, settings and post‑16 or post‑18 pathways. By grounding transition planning in what is meaningful to each learner, the profile supports more ambitious, personalised and realistic pathways, strengthening preparation for adult life, participation and employment.
The Vocational Profile supports the operationalisation of the Schools White Paper: Every Child Achieving and Thriving by offering a concrete, evidence‑informed tool that schools can use now. It aligns closely with the White Paper’s emphasis on genuine inclusion, richer and more ambitious preparation for life beyond school, strengthened engagement with families, and improved preparation for adulthood. While it is not a standalone solution to wider systemic pressures, it provides a practical way to make day‑to‑day practice more consistent, inclusive and learner‑centred as national reforms continue to develop.
Within London, the Vocational Profile complements wider priorities around inclusive access to skills, employment and opportunity for young people. By supporting earlier and more thoughtful preparation for work experience and transitions, it helps reduce the risk of SEND learners being excluded from meaningful opportunities to participate and progress. The profile aligns with the delivery work of schools, careers hubs and partners across London, supporting inclusive, high‑quality careers education that prepares all young people for the future.
We recognise that many schools already use vocational profiling or similar approaches, and that there is strong practice across the system. This Vocational Profile is not intended to replace effective existing practice. Instead, it is offered as support for schools that are developing, refreshing or strengthening their approach in response to a changing policy and practice landscape. It provides an inclusion‑first framework that schools can adapt to their own context, supporting consistency without prescription.
Ultimately, this work is about access to opportunity. When SEND learners are prepared, listened to and supported to articulate who they are and what helps them thrive, work experience and transitions become opportunities for growth rather than risk framed. The Vocational Profile is a practical contribution to that aim, supporting schools to take a thoughtful, learner‑centred approach to preparation for work, life and the future.
Resources
We've put together a set of resources for you to download. Click the links below to access each file.
Vocational Profile - Understanding strengths for learning and work
Educator's Support Guide - Supporting learners to complete their vocational profiles