Understanding the Government White Paper Education Reforms 2026 – Policies, Proposals and What to Expect

What Is the Government White Paper Education Reforms Package in 2026, and Why Is It Happening Now?

A white paper sets out the government’s long-term policy direction before legislation is introduced. In this case, the government white paper education plan outlines sweeping reforms to SEND provision, school inclusion, disadvantaged funding and performance measures.

The driving force behind these reforms is mounting pressure on the existing SEND system.

Over the past decade:

• The number of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) has nearly doubled.
• Local authority SEND budgets have come under intense strain.
• Parents have reported delays, disputes, and lengthy tribunal processes.
• Schools have struggled with inconsistent access to specialist expertise.

One parent described the current system as “an uphill struggle”- a phrase that captures the frustration many families feel when seeking timely support.

The government argues that without structural reform, demand will continue rising faster than available funding, creating a system that is financially and operationally unsustainable.

The new proposals aim to move from reactive, paperwork-heavy processes to earlier intervention and mainstream inclusion.

What Are the Headline SEND Reforms in the Government White Paper Education Plan?

At the heart of the government’s white paper on education reforms is a decisive shift towards inclusive mainstream education. The ambition is clear: support children earlier, reduce adversarial processes, and ensure help is available locally.

Key structural changes include:

• A new layered system of SEND support.
• Legal Individual Support Plans (ISPs) for every child with SEND.
• EHCPs will be reserved for the most complex needs by 2035.
• £4 billion investment in mainstream inclusion over three years.
• New national inclusion standards and annual school inclusion strategies.
• Expanded access to specialists through an “Experts at Hand” model.

The Education Secretary described the moment as a “once-in-a-generation chance for change”, arguing that support should be routine and accessible, rather than dependent on parents fighting for it.

How Will the New “Layered” SEND Support System Work Day to Day?

One of the most significant features of the government white paper education reforms is the introduction of a tiered, or “layered”, system of SEND support.

What Is the Universal Offer?

The universal offer sets a new baseline expectation for all mainstream schools. Under this model, most children’s needs should be met through high-quality, inclusive teaching without requiring additional statutory plans.

This includes:

• Inclusive leadership and governance.
• Evidence-based classroom strategies.
• Early identification of needs.
• Strong partnership with families and local services.

Every teacher will be trained to support children with SEND, supported by a national training offer backed by significant funding.

What Are the Three Layers of Support?

Beyond the universal offer, three flexible layers will operate:

1. Targeted Support: For common needs needing more than standard classroom help, such as small group work, literacy programmes or curriculum pre-teaching.
2. Targeted Plus Support: Gives access to specialists like speech therapists or educational psychologists through services such as “Experts at Hand,” including short-term placements or inclusion-based services.
3. Specialist Support: For the most complex needs, with multi-agency support packages. Pupils at this level are most likely to qualify for EHCPs under the new system.

The intention is flexibility. A child may move between layers as their needs change, without having to restart lengthy statutory processes.

What Are Individual Support Plans (ISPs), and How Will They Affect You?

Under the government white paper on education reforms, every child identified with SEND will have a legal right to an Individual Support Plan (ISP).

Unlike EHCPs, ISPs will be created and managed by schools or colleges in consultation with parents. They will:

• Outline the child’s needs.
• Specify day-to-day support.
• Set measurable outcomes.
• Be reviewed regularly.
• Be available in digital format.

If your child does not meet the threshold for an EHCP in the future, their ISP will become the primary mechanism for accountability and support.

You should expect to be consulted during its creation and review. ISPs are intended to be practical and responsive, not bureaucratic documents filed away.

What Is Changing with EHCPs Under the Government White Paper Education Reforms?

Under the government white paper education reforms, one of the most significant and debated changes concerns the future role and eligibility criteria of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in England’s SEND system.

EHCPs Reserved for the Most Complex Cases by 2035

The most controversial element of the reforms is the long-term shift in EHCP eligibility. By 2035, EHCPs will be reserved for children with the most complex needs.

Currently, EHCP numbers have risen sharply. The government fears this trajectory is unsustainable.

From 2029:

• EHCPs will be reviewed at transition points.
• Younger children may be reassessed before moving to secondary school.
• Those whose needs can be met in mainstream settings may transition to an ISP.

Transitional Arrangements

Children currently in Year 3 or above are expected to retain their EHCP until at least age 16. Younger pupils may face reassessment at key transition stages.

The government expects EHCP numbers to continue rising for the next three years before stabilising and gradually returning to current levels by 2035.

For many parents, uncertainty remains around definitions. As one parent asked:

“When they say complex needs – what do they mean by complex needs?”

That clarity will likely emerge through consultation and legislation.

What New Funding and Services Are Being Introduced?

The financial commitments within the government’s white paper education plan are substantial. Below is a summary of key allocations:

Investment Area	Funding Amount	Purpose
Mainstream inclusion (overall package)	£4 billion (3 years)	Improve SEND support in mainstream schools
Inclusive Mainstream Fund	£1.6 billion (3 years)	Early intervention and small group support
“Experts at Hand” service	£1.8 billion (3 years)	Specialist professionals accessible locally
Teacher SEND training	£200 million	National SEND training requirement
Local authority transformation	£200 million	Reform implementation and service continuity
New SEND places	£3.7 billion capital	Create 60,000 additional specialist places

In addition, there will be:

• £200 million investment in Best Start Family Hubs with SEND outreach.
• Increased high-needs funding through 2028–29.
• A shift towards rebalancing high-needs funding into core school budgets.

The Treasury has indicated that departmental budgets will increase to accommodate the reforms, though questions remain about long-term sufficiency.

What Will “Experts at Hand” and Inclusion Bases Mean in Practice?

The “Experts at Hand” service aims to embed specialist knowledge within local communities. Councils, working with health bodies, will commission professionals who can be accessed on demand.

For an average secondary school, this could equate to over 160 days of specialist time per year.

Inclusion bases, funded through capital investment, will provide dedicated spaces for:

• Short-term assessment.
• Structured reintegration.
• Specialist-led interventions.

The ambition is that fewer children will need to travel long distances to specialist settings. As one local authority representative noted in a discussion around transport costs:

“If we can reduce that expenditure on transport, we can spend it on education instead.”

How Will Schools Be Required to Change Under the Government White Paper Education Plan?

The reforms introduce new statutory expectations for schools, placing inclusion at the centre of leadership, curriculum design, and accountability.

Rather than treating SEND as a specialist add-on, the government white paper education plan expects inclusion to be embedded across teaching practice, governance, and school improvement planning.

Annual Inclusion Strategy

Schools must produce an annual inclusion strategy replacing SEND information reports. This will detail:

• How funding is used.
• Staff training approaches.
• Evidence-based interventions.
• Engagement with parents and local services.

Ofsted will assess how effectively inclusion is embedded in daily practice, not just documented in policy. Inspectors are expected to evaluate leadership commitment, staff capability, and measurable impact on pupil progress.

National Inclusion Standards

New standards will define what universal, targeted, targeted plus, and specialist provision should look like. An expert panel will oversee their development, supported by research investment.

Updated SEND Code of Practice

The statutory code will be refreshed to strengthen accountability and reflect modern understandings of need, including:

• Executive function.
• Speech and language development.
• Social and emotional needs.
• Mental health support.

The updated code is expected to clarify responsibilities for schools, councils, and health partners, ensuring expectations are transparent and enforceable.

How Will Complaints and Tribunals Change?

The government intends to reduce adversarial disputes and lengthy legal processes, which many families currently find stressful and exhausting.

To achieve this, reforms include:

• Strengthening mediation processes to resolve disagreements earlier.
• Introducing digital complaints handling systems to improve transparency and efficiency.
• Improving independent scrutiny of complaint data to identify patterns and systemic weaknesses.

Tribunals will remain available as a last resort. Parents will still retain the right to appeal decisions about specialist provision thresholds or assessment refusals.

However, the aspiration is that disagreements are resolved earlier, more collaboratively and with clearer communication between families and local authorities.

How Does the Government White Paper Education Plan Address Disadvantage?

Beyond SEND, the government white paper education reforms aim to halve the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers.

Currently:

Measure	Disadvantaged Pupils	Non-Disadvantaged Pupils
GCSE grade 4+ in English & Maths	44%	70%

Proposals include:

• Reforming disadvantaged funding criteria.
• Moving beyond free school meal eligibility alone.
• Potentially shifting funding away from current pupil premium mechanisms.
• Place-based initiatives such as Mission North East and Mission Coastal.
• New attendance targets to recover 20 million lost school days annually.

The intention is to target funding more precisely based on family income and regional need. However, debate continues over whether the overall funding pot will increase or simply be redistributed, with concerns about creating “winners and losers” if total investment does not rise.

What Is the Timeline for Implementation?

The reforms are phased over nearly a decade to allow consultation, legislative change and local adaptation.

Year	Expected Milestone
2026	Consultation and initial implementation begin
2028	Government assumes more SEND funding responsibility
2029	EHCP reassessments at transition points start
2035	EHCPs reserved for most complex needs

Legislation underpinning key elements will be introduced at the earliest opportunity. Schools and local authorities will likely experience staged rollouts, guidance updates and pilot programmes before full national implementation.

What Does This Mean for You as a Parent, Teacher or Governor?

The reforms aim to make inclusion systemic rather than exceptional, meaning everyone in the school community has a role to play.

If you are a parent, you should:

• Engage actively in ISP consultations and review discussions.
• Track support and progress at regular meetings.
• Understand transition review timelines from 2029 onwards.

If you are a teacher or school leader, you should:

• Prepare for mandatory SEND training requirements.
• Develop and review a robust inclusion strategy annually.
• Strengthen partnerships with local specialists and services.

If you are a governor, you should:

• Scrutinise inclusion spending and funding allocation.
• Monitor Ofsted readiness and compliance with new standards.
• Review data on outcomes for disadvantaged and SEND pupils to ensure accountability.

These changes reinforce the expectation that inclusion is a shared responsibility across leadership, staff and governance.

What Should You Do Now to Prepare?

Preparation will depend on your role, but practical steps include:

• Ask your school how it plans to implement ISPs.
• Reviewing your local authority’s SEND transformation timeline.
• Monitoring consultation updates.
• Keeping clear documentation of support plans and outcomes.

Above all, stay informed. The government white paper on education reforms represents a long-term shift. While some changes will feel immediate, others will unfold gradually through legislation, guidance, and local implementation.

Conclusion

The 2026 government education white paper reforms aim to deliver earlier support, stronger inclusion, and fewer disputes. They introduce major structural changes affecting EHCP eligibility, funding, and school accountability.

Their success will depend on effective local delivery, consistent funding, and clear guidance on rights and thresholds.

For families, the reforms bring hope of faster, more routine support. Schools gain new responsibilities alongside opportunities to improve outcomes.

Overall, the plans signal a long-term shift in how England supports vulnerable learners. If implemented well, they could create a more accessible and inclusive education system for every child.

FAQs About Government White Paper Education

Will children without an EHCP still receive legal protection for their support needs?

Yes, under the reforms, every child identified with SEND will have a legal right to an Individual Support Plan (ISP) outlining their provision and outcomes.

Could mainstream schools refuse to admit more pupils with additional needs?

Schools will be expected to strengthen inclusive practice, and new national standards aim to ensure mainstream settings are better equipped to meet a wider range of needs.

How might the reforms affect post-16 students with SEND?

Young people up to age 25 should continue receiving reviewed support through ISPs or EHCPs, with clearer transition planning between education stages.

Will specialist schools still exist under the new system?

Yes, specialist settings will remain for pupils with the most complex needs, while also providing outreach and short-term placements to mainstream schools.

Are parents still able to challenge decisions about support levels?

Parents will retain the right to mediation and tribunal appeals if they disagree with local authority decisions about assessments or specialist provision.

How will teachers be prepared for expanded inclusion responsibilities?

The reforms include mandatory SEND training and funded professional development to ensure all teachers can confidently support diverse learning needs.

Could these reforms reduce regional inequalities in SEND provision?

The introduction of national inclusion standards and pooled expertise aims to reduce postcode variation and create more consistent support nationwide.

{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “FAQPage”,
“mainEntity”: [
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Will children without an EHCP still receive legal protection for their support needs?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Yes, under the reforms, every child identified with SEND will have a legal right to an Individual Support Plan (ISP) outlining their provision and outcomes.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Could mainstream schools refuse to admit more pupils with additional needs?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Schools will be expected to strengthen inclusive practice, and new national standards aim to ensure mainstream settings are better equipped to meet a wider range of needs.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “How might the reforms affect post-16 students with SEND?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Young people up to age 25 should continue receiving reviewed support through ISPs or EHCPs, with clearer transition planning between education stages.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Will specialist schools still exist under the new system?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Yes, specialist settings will remain for pupils with the most complex needs, while also providing outreach and short-term placements to mainstream schools.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Are parents still able to challenge decisions about support levels?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Parents will retain the right to mediation and tribunal appeals if they disagree with local authority decisions about assessments or specialist provision.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “How will teachers be prepared for expanded inclusion responsibilities?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The reforms include mandatory SEND training and funded professional development to ensure all teachers can confidently support diverse learning needs.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Could these reforms reduce regional inequalities in SEND provision?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The introduction of national inclusion standards and pooled expertise aims to reduce postcode variation and create more consistent support nationwide.”
}
}
]
}

{
“@context”: “http://schema.org/”,
“@type”: “BlogPosting”,
“mainEntityOfPage”: {
“@type”: “WebPage”,
“@id”: “https://www.prestonblog.co.uk/government-white-paper-education/”
},
“author”: {
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “Justin”
},
“publisher”: {
“@type”: “Organization”,
“name”: “Preston Blog”,
“logo”: {
“@type”: “ImageObject”,
“url”: “https://www.prestonblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Preston-Blog-Logo.png”
}
},
“headline”: “Understanding the Government White Paper Education Reforms 2026”,
“image”: “https://www.prestonblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Understanding-the-Government-White-Paper-Education-Reforms-2026.webp”,
“datePublished”: “2026-02-24”,
“dateModified”: “2026-02-24”
}