Three-tiered or parallel? Contrasting approaches to inclusive education in Greece and Finland

MATTHEW TRAGHEIM, LECTURER IN PRIMARY EDUCATION, OPEN UNIVERSITY, UK Inclusive education has been the leading educational principle in the Western world since the ratification of the Salamanca Statement in 1994 (UNESCO). Although Schuelka (2018) and, more recently, the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF, 2024) have sought to influence the depth, design and delivery of inclusive education policy in the UK, a clear definition remains rather nebulous. This reflection will focus on two recently published articles that explore the contrasting approaches to inclusive SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) education between two European countries. By identifying what defines best practice, we can consider how to meet the right of all pupils to receive an education according to their needs, within mainstream education settings and in the community with their peers (Kauffman and Hornby, 2020). This is especially pertinent considering the imminent conclusion of the diversity and i