Special needs support eligibility to be reviewed at secondary school in England

Children with a legal right to special needs support will face a review when they move to secondary school under planned SEND reforms, and new-style EHCPs are to be introduced from 2030 reserving EHCPs for the most severe and complex needs.

Children with a legal entitlement to special educational support will be reassessed when they transfer to secondary school under a planned overhaul of the SEND system. The changes, set out in a schools white paper, would raise the threshold for who qualifies for an education, health and care plan (EHCP) and reserve EHCPs for the most severe and complex needs. New-style EHCPs are scheduled to be introduced from 2030 while children with lower-tier needs would receive individual school-based support under a national framework. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has led cross-party lobbying on the plans, which officials say are intended to address rising costs and long waits for EHCPs. Key points: - Children currently in year 2 (key stage 1) are understood to be the first cohort who would face review when they move to secondary school. - EHCPs would be reserved for the most severe and complex needs; other pupils, including some with autism spectrum or ADHD diagnoses, would receive individual support plans decided and provided by schools. - New-style EHCPs are planned from 2030, and officials say pupils will not be moved off existing EHCPs until the new legal framework is in place. - Schools would get commissioning budgets to fund special needs provision and the NHS would have a larger role in partnering with schools on support needs. - Spending on high-needs provision has risen to more than £11bn a year, councils last year spent over £2bn on transport to special schools, and local authorities are reported to be carrying significant debt linked to SEND costs. - The Department for Education says it has invested in specialist SEND units and teacher training and will publish full plans in the white paper. Summary: The planned reforms aim to change who is eligible for EHCPs and to move some support into school-led plans and budgets, with the government framing this as a response to rising costs and long waits under the current system. The white paper will be published and the proposals may face parliamentary debate and scrutiny in the coming months; further legislative and implementation steps are anticipated but are undetermined at this time.