This week on the podcast, I had the absolute privilege of speaking with Dr. Shelley Moore — educator, researcher, consultant, inclusion specialist, and all-round force of nature in the world of SEND. I knew the conversation would be good… but I wasn’t prepared for just how eye-opening it would be.
If you’ve ever felt frustrated, helpless, or downright confused by the way SEND provision works here in the UK, let me reassure you: you are not imagining it — and things can be done differently. Because in Canada, as Shelley explained, they’re not just tweaking the system or adding SEND as an afterthought…
They’ve brought inclusion into the heart of mainstream education, and the results are transformative.
“Inclusion isn’t a place. It’s a practice.”
One of the first things Shelley said stopped me in my tracks. In the UK, we often talk about inclusion as though it’s a room — a unit, a base, a separate space where children with additional needs are “included” by being placed somewhere else.
But Shelley’s framework flips that completely.
Inclusion is how we teach, not where we put people.
It’s not about fitting children into a system; it’s about designing a system flexible enough for everyone. Canadian educators aren’t perfect — no country is — but they’ve embedded a mindset that sees diversity as a strength, not a problem to be managed.
A System That Actually Welcomes Difference
In Canada, mainstream classrooms are built on a principle Shelley calls “teaching to the edges.” Instead of designing for the mythical “average” learner and bolting on support afterwards, teachers plan with the extremes in mind from the very start.
When the edges are included, everyone benefits.
As Shelley explained, inclusive practice isn’t just for pupils with SEND — it improves outcomes for:
- multilingual learners
- students with social, emotional, or behavioural needs
- gifted pupils
- students experiencing trauma
- and yes, the so-called “typical” learner too
The UK loves a good label.
Canada loves a good strategy.
And honestly? It shows.
What the UK Can Learn (And Why We Should)
The thing that hit me hardest in our conversation was this:
Inclusion is not a luxury. It’s not optional.
It’s the foundation of great teaching.
Shelley talked passionately about how Canadian teachers are supported, trained and trusted to adapt, differentiate and design learning that works for the actual humans in front of them.
In the UK, we’ve become masters of paperwork.
Canada has become masters of practice.
Imagine what our classrooms could look like if:
- every teacher received proper training in inclusive design
- SEND wasn’t a bolt-on but part of initial teacher education
- support wasn’t rationed or gatekept
- curriculum and assessment were flexible enough to meet diverse needs
- teachers were trusted to innovate rather than tick boxes
It’s not impossible. It’s happening somewhere else already.
And hearing Shelley describe it so clearly made me feel two things at once:
deeply inspired… and very aware of how far we still have to go.
A Personal Shift in Perspective
As a teacher, as a leader, and as a parent of a child with autism, this conversation genuinely changed the way I think about inclusion.
I’ve spent years hearing the phrase “mainstream isn’t the right place.”
But Shelley showed me that mainstream can be the right place — if mainstream changes.
And that’s the heart of her message:
The system must adapt to the child, not the other way around.
That’s inclusion.
That’s dignity.
That’s good teaching.
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Why This Conversation Matters
If you work in education, care for a young person with SEND, or simply want to understand how schools should work, please listen to the full episode. Shelley’s insight isn’t just practical — it’s hopeful. And hope is something we all need right now.
You can listen to the episode and join the conversation at:
👉 www.detentiondiaries.com
And while you’re there:
- read the blog
- join the community
- subscribe to the newsletter
- and share your own experiences of inclusion — the good, the bad, and the “Why is this form 14 pages long?”
We’re building this movement together.
Final Thought
Dr. Shelley Moore reminded me that inclusion isn’t a destination.
It’s a habit. A belief. A choice we make every day in our classrooms, our schools, and our policies.
Canada is proving it’s possible.
Now it’s our turn.
Join the Conversation
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👉 Join the community at: www.detentiondiaries.com
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Let’s rethink education — together.
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