The interconnected nature of all social categorisations – when considering the needs of all learners (Nadan and Korbin, 2018).

According to the OECD, ‘the extent and degree of intersectionality of different forms of diversity with SEN [special educational needs] are not only restricted to binary interrelations; rather, various forms can coexist and interact’ (Brussino, 2020, p. 20).

These forms of diversity can include, for example: ‘gender, remoteness, wealth, disability, ethnicity, language, migration, displacement, incarceration, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion and other beliefs and attitudes’ (UNESCO, 2020a, p. 4) or ‘national minorities and Indigenous peoples, and giftedness’ (Brussino, 2020, p. 63).

Learners vulnerable to exclusion encompasses all learners whose educational experience is ‘impacted upon by a number of pressures, forces, levers, discriminations and disadvantages’ (European Agency, 2021b, p. 6). These learners may or may not fall into categories of special needs and a special type of provision may or may not be available to support them (European Agency, 2022c, p. 34).