What is expected of schools in the new SEND reform

The newly announced Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) reform is already making waves through the education sector. The announced changes highlight the need for better, more streamlined support throughout mainstream schools.

While the changes presented are set to be implemented over the course of the next few years, the DfE has announced that schools must publish an inclusion strategy statement by 31 December 2026. This article will cover what you need to know about the new expected baseline for schools in England, and how your school can prepare for the changes.

What is the SEND reform looking to resolve?

A key change to the existing policy highlighted by these documents is the shift in treatment of SEND provision as a parallel system to mainstream education, instead looking to embed inclusion within all school settings.

This change aims to tackle several growing concerns with the current SEND process, hoping to simplify the current stressful and length procedure that parents and pupils need to endure in order to get support. The new simplified plan should help to make the process less adversarial and rebuild trust between parents and schools.

Additionally, while the government has currently committed 4 billion pounds to make mainstream schools more inclusive, the long-term changes aim to reduce cost for schools and local authorities.

A universal SEND offer

The new SEND reform document introduced the concept of a “Universal Offer” with an aim to establish a new consistent baseline of inclusion in mainstream schools. This was done in response to the current “postcode lottery” which leads pupils to receive a different level of support depending on what area they live in.

Some requirements of the universal offer include providing high-quality adaptive teaching in all schools, “ordinarily available” provision and staff training, aimed at meeting most children’s needs without needing an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

The baseline will set a new national standard for SEND education, setting clear expectations for what mainstream schools must deliver. These expectations will be supported by mandatory requirements such as ensuring all staff is trained on SEND and inclusion and implementing an Inclusion Strategy. While not confirmed as of yet, these requirements are likely to be part of future Ofsted inspections.

How schools can prepare for the SEND reform

The new SEND reform is layered and complex, but one thing is clear: the aim is to provide children and young people with accessible specialist support as early as possible. As more gets revealed and the plans are set in motion, schools should be prepared to enhance their current SEND provision, starting with recruiting more SEND qualified support staff.

Inspire ATA can help schools to source and hire the ideal candidate for them through our bespoke staffing solutions for schools. Through our unique recruitment model, we will recruit and employ an apprentice on behalf of your school for the duration of their apprenticeship, reducing the admin pressure on your organisation. Once the apprentice completes their programme your school can choose to keep them on full time with no finder fees to Inspire ATA, making this an efficient and risk-free way to recruit new staff.

Inspire ATA has a bespoke SEND Level 3 Teaching Assistant programme, aimed at enhancing the SEND skills available in schools. Recruiting new SEND dedicated support staff now will help your school be ready for the new academic year, aligning yourself to the upcoming SEND requirements and help you in building your school’s inclusion strategy.

To learn more about how Inspire ATA can help your school prepare for the upcoming SEND reform, book a discovery call with a member of the Inspire ATA team.