SEND Reforms: 7 Big Questions for Trust Leaders to Consider

by Natalie Packer, Forum Strategy Associate

The government’s proposed SEND reforms outlined in Putting Children and Young People First, represent one of the most significant shifts in the education landscape in decades. For multi-academy trusts, the SEND reforms are not simply another policy change to implement. They represent a significant cultural shift in how inclusion is understood and led across the education system.

The message running throughout the White Paper is clear: inclusion is no longer a peripheral responsibility; it is central to whole school improvement. 

As trusts begin preparing for implementation, leaders face a series of strategic questions that could potentially shape the future identity of their organisations. Drawing on themes explored in the recent Forum Strategy SEND Reform webinar, here are seven big questions trust leaders should now be asking:

 

1. What do we really mean by inclusion?

The reforms place inclusion firmly at the heart of school improvement. The government describes a vision where “inclusion and high standards are two sides of the same coin” and where all children can “belong, achieve and thrive.”

For trusts, this raises an important consideration: is inclusion understood consistently across all our schools?

Inclusion can mean different things to different people. The reforms invite trusts to think more deeply about inclusion in terms of their culture, belonging and long-term outcomes.

“The government describes a vision where “inclusion and high standards are two sides of the same coin” and where all children can “belong, achieve and thrive.”

Leaders should consider: What does success actually look like for children and young people with SEND in our trust? Is it purely about attainment or is progress from starting points also valued? How is preparation for adulthood, independence and participation measured?  To what extent do our children and young people with SEND feel visible, valued and connected within their communities?

The strongest trusts are those that move beyond viewing SEND as a specialist function and instead embed inclusion as a golden thread across all areas of school improvement:  curriculum, leadership, pedagogy, behaviour and wellbeing.

 

2. Is our current resourcing and funding model sustainable?

The introduction of the Inclusive Mainstream Fund signals a clear policy direction: mainstream schools will be expected to meet a broader, and more complex, range of needs.

Although the additional funding is welcome, leaders know only too well that demand continues to rise faster than available resources. The reforms also signal a gradual move away from reliance on EHCP-driven systems towards strengthened universal and targeted provision which will require leaders to consider:

• How well embedded is our current universal offer?
• Are our current staffing structures sustainable?
• How equitable is SEND funding deployment across our schools?
• How do we ensure value for money while maintaining quality provision?

Some trusts may need to rethink how resources are distributed. Rather than each school attempting to build every type of expertise independently, trusts are likely to move towards more centralised models of specialist support, outreach and intervention.

 

3. How should the SENCO role evolve?

The government explicitly acknowledges the excessive administrative burden many SENCOs currently face and signals an intention for the role to become more strategic.

Trusts must ask whether current structures genuinely allow SENCOs to lead strategically. In many schools, SENCOs remain overwhelmed by paperwork and crisis management.

If SENCOs are to become strategic leaders of inclusion rather than operational administrators, trusts will need to invest heavily in leadership development. SENCOs may increasingly require expertise in change management, coaching and professional development, curriculum adaptation or workforce development.

“Trusts must ask whether current structures genuinely allow SENCOs to lead strategically. In many schools, SENCOs remain overwhelmed by paperwork and crisis management.”

4. What is our strategy for developing inclusion bases?

With an expectation that every secondary school will have an inclusion base, alongside equivalent local primary provision, trusts will need to make major strategic decisions around estates, staffing and delivery models for support or specialist bases.

However, trusts must guard against viewing inclusion bases simply as ‘additional rooms’ or ‘extended provision’. Their purpose matters enormously.

The White Paper describes inclusion bases as spaces that bridge the gap between mainstream and specialist provision. Done well, they can strengthen mainstream inclusion by providing short-term targeted support, enabling therapeutic intervention, supporting transitions and building staff expertise.

Done poorly, they risk becoming internal exclusion units or segregated spaces disconnected from mainstream learning. New or existing inclusion base provision will need to be an integral part of trust-wide quality assurance processes.

 

5. Should we establish ourselves as a SEND hub of excellence?

The reforms signal a major shift in system architecture. Trusts will no longer simply be stakeholders within local SEND systems but formal delivery partners in a place-based SEND system. The reforms strongly emphasise local system leadership. For some trusts, this creates an opportunity to position themselves as regional leaders of SEND practice.

Trusts with strong inclusive practice may choose to develop:

• Specialist outreach teams
• Trust-wide inclusion training hubs
• Delivery partnerships with local authorities and health services

Becoming a recognised SEND hub of excellence could strengthen recruitment, workforce development and system influence.

“The reforms signal a major shift in system architecture. Trusts will no longer simply be stakeholders within local SEND systems but formal delivery partners in a place-based SEND system.”

All schools will be expected to belong to a local SEND group. For larger trusts, there may be opportunities to operate as a local SEND group in their own right, or to align with evolving local systems by considering joint working with local authorities and integrated care boards. Developing consistent approaches will need to be considered where trusts span several local authority areas.

 

6. Are we investing enough in early intervention and proactive approaches?

Perhaps the most important strategic question of all is whether the system can genuinely shift from being reactive to proactive.

The reforms repeatedly emphasise early identification, strengthened universal provision and investment in inclusive mainstream practice. For trusts, this may mean rethinking where effort and funding are concentrated.

Historically, much SEND resource has been absorbed later in a child’s journey when needs have already escalated. The reforms provide opportunities for earlier investment in provision such as speech and language, adaptive teaching, social and emotional development or workforce training in the early years.

The most sustainable long-term SEND strategies will ultimately be those that reduce the need for higher-cost intervention later.

 

7. How robust is our accountability framework?

Governance expectations within the reforms are significant. Trustees and governors will need to take strategic ownership of inclusion and hold leaders accountable for a broad range of outcomes.

Future accountability is likely to encompass:

• Attainment and progress
• Attendance, behaviour and exclusions
• Belonging and participation
• Staff expertise
• Parental confidence
• Destination outcomes

Leaders should consider how the full range of inclusion data is monitored and how variation in practice across schools is identified and addressed.

“Perhaps the most important strategic question of all is whether the system can genuinely shift from being reactive to proactive.” 

The shift towards ‘pure accountability’ where trusts are collectively responsible to one another means leaders will be expected to contribute to local SEND plans and sufficiency and demonstrate how their inclusion model supports area-wide outcomes.

 

Next steps: Developing our inclusion strategy

Developing a clear inclusion strategy is likely to be a priority for many leaders over the next few years, ensuring alignment with both their trust and the government’s inclusive vision.

At Forum Strategy, we can support trust leaders to develop their inclusion strategy – for the whole trust or in supporting individual settings, through our MAT SEND Reviews or strategic support.

For trust leaders, the challenge right now is not only about preparing operationally, but thinking strategically and asking:

What is our strategy to ensure children and young people with SEND genuinely belong, achieve and thrive?

Following the outcomes of the SEND consultation, the government will publish more definitive plans outlining next steps and timescales. Those trusts that start grappling with these questions now will be far better placed to lead confidently through the next phase of reform.

 

Take a look at Natalie’s recent SEND reform seminar: strategic implications of the white paper, for Forum Strategy members, here: