Expert comment: Reforms to SEND and EHCP

Dr Anna Cook, a Developmental Psychologist at the University of Surrey and a Surrey Future Fellow said: 

“The ambition to stabilise the SEND system and reduce the “postcode lottery” is welcome. The commitment to equipping mainstream schools to be more inclusive, through improved training, digital plans, and quicker access to health professionals, reflects an important shift towards earlier and more consistent support. In principle, moving away from an overstretched, crisis-driven model towards more targeted and embedded provision could be positive.

“However, whether this reform strengthens or weakens support will depend entirely on implementation. Inclusive outcomes depend on school conditions: predictable environments, trusted relationships, embedded expertise, and access to specialist infrastructure.

“Concerns do exist about the proposals to reassess EHCPs at transition points. Educational transitions (primary–secondary, secondary–post-16) are already high-risk periods for distress and disengagement. They are precisely the points at which predictability, continuity of support, and legal clarity matter most. Removing or destabilising statutory support at these junctures’ risks increasing rather than reducing pressure on families and schools. Evidence suggests that transitions require strengthening and tailoring, not administrative uncertainty.

“Many aspects of the reforms are welcome, but if they focus primarily on gatekeeping EHCPs without strengthening everyday school conditions, there is a real risk of deepening strain on staff and increasing inequity for certain pupils.”