Mar
Advice For Schools
‘Every child achieving and thriving’ What Does the New White Paper Mean for Schools?
Education Adviser, Claire Steele, explains what the Government’s new Every child achieving and thriving document means for schools…
On 23rd February 2026 the government published Every child achieving and thriving, a long-awaited document that sets out a ten-year vision for improving outcomes for all children, especially those with special educational needs and disabilities.
You can access the report for yourself here: Every child achieving and thriving – GOV.UK. The publication arrived alongside a national consultation that will run until 18 May 2026.
Like many other SEND professionals my day was spent reading the paper, composing my own thoughts on it and then exploring the wide range of responses shared across the sector.
Reactions have varied significantly, from optimism and approval, through to caution and concern. As the consultation process progresses, the final shape of the reforms may shift, but one message is clear.
Schools will need to strengthen their knowledge and practice across all areas of SEND to create genuinely inclusive environments for children with diverse needs.
This is where we, at Services For Education, can help.
The main messages of the White Paper
The proposed system is built on five core principles: offering early support, enabling children to learn close to home, ensuring fairness, promoting effective evidence-based practice and strengthening shared responsibility between education, health, care and families.
A number of significant reforms are proposed, including:
- National Inclusion Standards: New statutory requirements for what every school must provide as a “baseline” for pupils with additional needs.
- £4 billion investment including £1.6 billion direct funding for schools to provide small-group interventions and an ‘Experts at Hand’ Service’ with £1.8 billion made available to schools to increase access to specialist outreach, education psychologists and speech and language therapists.
- 6,500 additional teachers to enhance support for children.
- Ambitions to halve the disadvantage gap and ensuring children leave secondary school with an average grade of 5 or higher across their GCSEs.
- 75% of five-year-olds reaching a good level of development by 2028.
- A move for all schools to join trusts with a focus on accountability for pupil outcomes at trust level.
- Increasing attendance to over 94% by 2028/9.
- A clear four-layer system of support from Universal through to Specialist, with digitised Individual Support Plans for every child with identified SEND needs.
- Every Secondary school to have a dedicated SEND ‘resource base’ and the same number of places available in Primary schools.
- Changes to EHCPs (after September 2030) to ensure these are for the pupils who require more complex support, as part of a ‘Specialist Provision Package.’
- A national Enrichment Entitlement – designed to increase participation in sports, arts and clubs by less affluent students.
- Curriculum Reform toward a curriculum that builds “curiosity, resilience and enterprise.”
The government has also introduced a “triple lock” to ensure that no child currently receiving effective support loses it, so that those with special school places in September 2029 can remain for as long as they choose and that no child will be moved from a special school unless they want to be.
There is a focus throughout the document on collaboration of multi-agencies to make sure effective support is in place, emphasising joined up approaches to support all young people to reach their potential.
What does this mean for schools?
For schools this marks a period of preparation. These reforms will take time and won’t be fully in place until 2030.
Between now and then, provision will be made for more SEND places, the National SEND training programme for staff will be rolled out, Best Start Family Hubs will be expanded nationally, and new Specialist Provision Packages will be published.
Transition to revised EHCPs will also begin. The White Paper signals raised ambition on the part of the government, with aspirations such as putting inclusion back into the heart of mainstream education, halving the disadvantage gap, widening the breadth of the curriculum and raising GCSE achievements.
It has given the strategic direction that our government wants to take education in over the next decade but ensuring that these ambitions are achievable and sustainable in day-to-day practice will be key for leaders, teachers and support staff.
For those of us in school, we should use this time to review our existing SEND provision – what skills do different members of staff hold? Where are our strengths and weaknesses in meeting our SEND pupils’ needs? Perhaps do an audit of current interventions and their effectiveness, or of staff understanding around SEND needs.
With this in place, we will be best prepared to meet and accommodate the changes that are coming to SEND provision with confidence.
How Services For Education can support you
Whilst many in the sector responded immediately to this White Paper, we at Services For Education have taken the longer view.
In addition to our pre-existing SEND Consultancy, we had already begun to develop a wider SEND offer, which will be launched fully in September 2026.
Our SEND offer will include:
- Downloadable resources to support SENCOs with the everyday demands of their role.
- Training for all staff, delivered through webinars or bespoke packages, to ensure teams understand different types of SEND and know how to create inclusive classrooms.
- Regular blogs and updates on key developments as the reforms progress.
All brought to you grounded in the experience, professionalism and clarity that you expect from our team of Advisers at Services For Education and developed to be in line with the outcomes of these changes to SEND practice.
Looking ahead…
We encourage you to keep an eye on our website as we approach the launch of our expanded SEND support offer in September 2026. If you need support in the meantime, you can contact us at hello@servicesforeducation.co.uk and we will be glad to help.
It is an exciting, although at times unsettling, moment for SEND. Whatever comes next, Services For Education will be here with you.
If you found this blog useful, you may also be interested in reading the following blogs:
Dec
SEND Consultancy for Mainstream Schools
Our experienced Education Advisers offer tailored support to create inclusive and effective classrooms. With first-hand teaching experience, and knowing the growing demands on teachers, we guide schools in making practical adjustments that meet diverse learner needs – ensuring a welcoming, productive environment for all.
Our sessions can:
- Be tailored to your specific context and priorities
- Address individual challenges encountered in your classrooms or give general best practice advice for an inclusive classroom
- Support the SENCO team, or particular staff working with pupils with high levels of need
- Give practical strategies that can be applied in the classroom to help pupils with SEND to access classroom life more fully
- Support staff to develop their expertise in distinguishing between necessary adaptations to support children living with a variety additional needs (such as neurodivergence, trauma or mental health issues) and children who struggle to make positive behaviour choices
About the Author
Claire Steele - Adviser, Services For Education
With over 20 years of experience in primary education, Claire Steele is a respected and committed school leader who has worked across a diverse range of schools and multi-academy trusts. Her previous roles include Assistant Principal, Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), and Senior Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead. She has also worked extensively with partners to support the delivery of a wide range of National Professional Qualifications (NPQs).
Claire is deeply passionate about creating safe, inclusive, and nurturing school environments, where the wellbeing of pupils is at the heart of practice. She brings her extensive knowledge, dedication, and enthusiasm to Services For Education, supporting schools in embedding effective and compassionate safeguarding practices at every level.
Working as part of our team of advisers, Claire delivers high-quality, comprehensive safeguarding training and conducts thorough safeguarding audits in schools. She also champions SEND and equality, ensuring these values are central to all aspects of her work.
