SEND
AT THEIR LEVEL Framlingham College Prep School says it takes pride in having a flexible approach and putting the child’s needs first
S END (special educational needs and disabilities) has been much in the news in recent months, after the government announced major reforms to the way support is structured in schools earlier this year. The proposed reforms stem from concern over what most acknowledge to be a system designed with the best of intentions that is now overwhelmed by the number of children, and their often desperate families, in search of support for learning and behavioural challenges. The figures are staggering. According to government data, the number of pupils
assessments and specialist lawyers, cope with delays and sometimes end up taking their case to a SEN tribunal when a decision about support or place at a particular school goes against them. The new SEND proposals won’t do away with EHCPs altogether. However, children with SEND who attend mainstream schools will increasingly be issued with new individual support plans (ISPs), while EHCPs will be reserved for children with more complex needs who may need a specialist educational setting. You can’t fault the aim of making access to support easier and far less
in England with special educational needs is nearing two million, and half a million children now have education, health and care plans (EHCPs), up by more than 10% in just a year. Issued by local authorities, EHCPs set out the support that a child must legally receive, including input from specialists such as occupational and speech and language therapists. They also name the school the child will attend, with parental preference a big part of the process. But navigating the system to get to that point is exhausting. Parents may have to collect evidence, pay for specialist
CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK OCTOBER 2026 89
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