Summary
England plans to change its system for supporting children with special educational needs. The new plan will limit education, health, and care plans (EHCPs) to the most complex needs by 2035 and introduce individual support plans for others. The government aims to make mainstream schools more inclusive with these changes.
Key Facts
- The changes to the special educational needs system will be effective from 2035 in England.
- Pupils with existing EHCPs will retain them until at least 2029, when they will be reassessed at key educational stages.
- A new document called an individual support plan (ISP) will be created for each child, outlining their needs and support.
- The government is planning to spend £4 billion over three years to support changes in mainstream schools.
- Only children with the most complex needs will qualify for EHCPs under the new system.
- The current gap between government funding and actual SEND spending could reach £6 billion by 2028-2029.
- Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson says the changes will make schools more inclusive.
- The National Education Union warns that the funding provided is inadequate for new expectations on schools.
