Initial thoughts on DfE's policy paper: Every child achieving and thriving

The Department for Education’s white paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, sets out wide-ranging reforms to mainstream inclusion, SEND provision and system accountability. Alongside it sits the consultation document, SEND Reform: Putting Children and Young People First.

Below is a structured summary of the themes, key proposals and implementation steps.

Themes and key takeaways from the DfE's White Paper

• Local mainstream education for the majority – investment in schools to make them more inclusive, better teacher training and quicker access to health professionals. This is to be backed by an Inclusive Mainstream Fund of £1.6 billion over 3 years.

• Teacher training - over £200 million over 3 years for SEND continuing professional development programme.

• Expanding multi-agency support in mainstream, a new £1.8 billion Experts at Hand service of SLTs, EPs etc to focus on early support and to work alongside special schools, alternative provision and mainstream settings.

• Statutory duty on all placements to record and monitor SEN and provision in an Individual Support Plan (ISP).

• Focus on early years. Establish Best Start Family Hubs.

• All schools to be part of school trusts in local communities, to be established by LAs or area partnerships. Inspection of trusts.

• 6,500 more expert teachers in secondary schools, special schools and FE colleges.

• EHCPs for children with most complex needs, underpinned by Specialist Provision Packages that sets out the kind of support children and young people will receive – this will be nationally defined and evidence-based support with the aim of consistency and avoidance of postcode lottery.

• Increase school attendance – establish minimum expectations for home/school partnerships with tools for parents to support learning at home and an improved complaints process. Equipping schools to improve behaviour and utilising new attendance and behaviour hubs to share best practice. Establishing Families First Partnerships and mental health support teams across all schools and colleges to support attendance.

• Implementation: preparing for SEND reforms from 2026-2027 and full implementation from 2028-2029.

SEND Reform: Putting Children and Young People First

DfE consultation alongside the white paper.
Consultation closes on 18 May 2026.

The consultation document provides greater operational detail and is framed around reform principles, a tiered model of support, and defined steps towards implementation.

Key reform principles

Five reform principles:

• Early support.
• Local provision.
• Fair – every setting should be resourced to meet common and predictable needs.
• Effective – evidence-based support.
• Shared – collaboration with health, care, education, Best Start Family Hubs, voluntary sector etc.

Three layers of support

• Targeted – from setting in an Individual Support Plan (ISP).
• Targeted Plus – from setting with input from educational and health professionals/Experts at Hand. May include access to a ‘Support Base’.
• Specialist – EHCP for those with complex needs if they require provision set out in one of the new nationally defined Specialist Provision Packages. Can be delivered in mainstream, special settings, or a ‘Specialist Base’. The Specialist Provision Packages will be developed and reviewed by an independent expert panel and this will guide provision and eligibility. EHCPs will continue to set out statutory entitlement to support with Individual Support Plans describing day-to-day provision. Education, Health and Social Care will work together to establish a fast-track route for children under 5 years identified as having complex needs.

Steps to implementation

• £15 million invested by 2028 to build evidence base for and to provide a digital library of identification tools and provision covering all layers of support – National Inclusion Standards.

• An independent expert panel will be appointed to oversee the development of the National Inclusion Standards and development of the Specialist Provision Packages. Strong focus on evidence-based approach.

• SEND Code of Practice will be updated. The current 4 broad areas of need will be refreshed.

• Teacher training on SEND – over £200 million over 3 years.

• All schools to create digital Individual Support Plans (ISPs)– to be reviewed at least annually. The use and quality of ISPs will be assessed through Ofsted inspections.

• £1.8 billion over the next 3 years for Experts at Hand.

• £40 million over 3 years to grow the EP and SLT workforce.

• Alternative Provision – to reform their role, particularly where needs present as disruptive or unsafe behaviour.

• £1.6 billion over 3 years for a new Inclusive Mainstream Fund for schools to proactively deliver early support. Schools will have to publish an Inclusion Strategy stating how resources are used to benefit children with SEND. This will be subject to oversight and challenge.

Those with current EHCPs

“From now until new legislation begins, the current SEND system – including all existing duties, rights and funding routes – will remain in place, and we will ensure these duties continue to be met. Once legislation is introduced, more children will get the help they need directly from support available in their school or setting, including through Experts at Hand, without requiring an EHCP. Any child who already has an EHCP (or has been assessed as needing one) at the point legislation commences will keep their plan and its provision until they finish their current phase of education or choose to move to the new system. Children with an EHCP in the early years will retain it until they complete the primary phase, when it will be reviewed.”

After legislation takes effect, those with EHCPs will have an assessment as they approach the end of each phase of education. The LA will decide if a Specialist Provision Package is needed i.e. continuation of the EHCP, or whether it is moved to an Individual Support Plan (ISP) in a mainstream setting.

The first cohort to move to the system will be those at secondary and post-16 transition in 2029-2030. Those moving over to ISPs will keep their EHCP to the end of the academic year. “…no child will move from a special school or college unless they choose to do so.”

Specialist settings will deliver education for those with complex needs, provide outreach, short-term placements and joint professional development.

The intention of the present government is to change the law on independent special schools to ensure high quality placements and that LAs pay a reasonable price – i.e. a move to capping fees.

Increasing school places

• Additional funding to make mainstream schools more inclusive e.g. extra space, support bases, ramps, increasing capacity.
• Additional funding to create/increase new specialist places including inclusion bases. Over time it is expected that all secondary schools will have an inclusion base, with an equivalent number in primary schools.
• Ofsted will be grading inclusion.

Expected timeline

Implementation will be in three overlapping phases but note that these may be subject to change depending on the passage of legislation though parliament and ongoing feedback from the sector and ongoing consultations.

• Phase 1 - 2025-26 to 2026-27: DfE to publish new guidance. Schools to start aligning with best practice.
• Phase 2 - 2026-27 to 2027-28:  Support available for schools to align with new SEND reforms.
• Phase 3 - 2028-29 onwards:  Full reform implementation

Final thoughts on 'Every child achieving and thriving'

Lots of questions remain and there will be more to follow over the coming days. Despite the additional initial funding, there is no doubt that schools will be expected to do more. Will they cope? Will ISPs have statute enforceability? Will they create more conflict with schools? A cap on independent school fees? Currently, practitioners will know that independent schools are only named in EHCPs where there is no alternative placement that can meet needs. Can provision be secured beyond the carefully defined and standardised Special Provision Packages? No mention of EOTAS – Education Other Than At School?

There will be more to follow but remember that nothing changes today.

Specialist legal advice on EHCPs and SEND provisions

If you would like guidance or support, you can contact our special educational needs experts via senexpertsolicitors@boyesturner.com for tailored advice and assistance.