On February 22, 2026, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stood before the nation with what she called a "golden opportunity to cut the link between background and success." Her words, delivered just ahead of the long-anticipated Schools White Paper, signaled a bold new chapter for England’s education system—one promising to halve the disadvantage gap between poorer pupils and their more affluent peers by the time today’s youngest students finish secondary school. But as the details came into focus, so too did concerns from parents, campaigners, and experts about what the sweeping reforms might mean in practice, especially for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
According to BBC, Phillipson appeared on the program Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg the morning before the White Paper’s official unveiling, underscoring the government’s commitment to tackling educational inequality head-on. The White Paper, set for publication on February 23, 2026, outlines a host of new measures. Chief among them: a shift in how schools receive targeted disadvantage funding. Instead of relying solely on free school meal eligibility, the government now proposes to factor in household income levels, the duration of disadvantage, and geographic location. This, ministers argue, will ensure that support reaches those who need it most, even if their families don’t formally claim free school meals. The goal is to reduce administrative burdens for schools while making the system more equitable.
But it’s the planned overhaul of the SEND system that’s sparked the most debate. Leaked details earlier in the week revealed that, starting in 2029, Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)—the legally binding documents specifying the support required for children with additional needs—will be reassessed at the end of primary school. In their place, a new, legally recognized framework known as Individual Support Plans (ISPs) will be introduced for all children with SEND. While the government insists this will streamline support and ensure continuity, many families are worried.
“EHCPs will be removed for my child when he will need it for his secondary school,” said Tiya Currie, a mother from north London whose son Arun has delayed language disorder (DLD), a lifelong disability that affects his ability to speak and understand language. Speaking to Sky News, she confessed, “Just what I was fearing. In that time there is no way they will have mainstreams skilled up to a level to accommodate severe language disorders like DLD. And without EHCP, his access to speech and language therapy will be removed.” Currie described herself as “extremely scared” for her son’s future—a sentiment echoed by other parents and campaigners who warn that moving away from EHCPs risks reducing access to vital therapies such as speech and language and occupational therapy, often specified within those legally binding plans.
Disability charity Sense also voiced concern, arguing that requiring reassessments at such a critical transition point could increase instability for children and young people. They point out that the current system, while far from perfect, at least guarantees certain rights and services. The fear is that the new ISPs, though legally recognized, may lack the same enforceability or practical support, especially during the turbulent years between primary and secondary school.
Phillipson, for her part, has tried to reassure families. “Our schools have made great strides in recent decades,” she said, as quoted by The Independent. “Yet for too long, many children in our country have been let down by a one-size-fits-all system, denied opportunity because they’re poor or because they have additional needs. Our Schools White Paper presents the blueprint for opportunity for the next generation, with an education system that truly serves every child, whatever their needs and wherever in the country they grow up.”
Beyond SEND, the reforms are ambitious in scope. The government will set a new target to recover 20 million lost school days per year by 2028/29 compared with 2023/24 levels, a response to post-pandemic attendance challenges. There’s also a plan to offer incentives of up to £15,000 to encourage new headteachers to work in areas facing recruitment difficulties—a move aimed at shoring up leadership in schools that need it most.
The Schools White Paper also introduces two regionally targeted programs: Mission North East and Mission Coastal. Modeled after the successful London Challenge initiative from 2003, these programs will focus on tackling underperformance among disadvantaged pupils in the North East and coastal areas, including white working-class students. The idea is to replicate London’s remarkable turnaround in school achievement, which many attribute to targeted investment and support.
According to Department for Education figures cited by The Independent, the disadvantage gap index for year 11s stood at 3.92 in the latest GCSE results. This gap had narrowed from 4.07 in 2011 to a low of 3.66 in 2019/20, but widened again after the pandemic, hitting a decade-high of 3.94 in 2022/23. The government’s target is to bring this figure down by half within the next two decades—a challenging but, in their view, achievable goal.
Other notable reforms include a commitment to develop minimum expectations for schools around how they communicate with parents and manage pupils’ transitions from primary to secondary school. This is especially pertinent given the concerns about SEND support continuity during these transitions. The White Paper’s publication was delayed from autumn 2025 to allow further testing of the proposed SEND reforms, reflecting the complexity and sensitivity of these changes.
For schools, the shift away from free school meal eligibility as the main determinant for disadvantage funding could be a game-changer. No longer will families have to opt in to receive extra support for their children; instead, the system will proactively identify and assist those in need, based on a broader set of criteria. Ministers argue this will help catch families who fall through the cracks—those who, for various reasons, don’t claim free school meals but still face significant hardship.
Yet, as the debate unfolds, it’s clear that trust will be crucial. Parents like Tiya Currie are not alone in fearing that the new system, while well-intentioned, could inadvertently leave vulnerable children behind if not implemented carefully. Campaigners insist that any move away from EHCPs must be accompanied by guarantees that therapies and specialist support will remain accessible and enforceable. They warn that simply changing the structure of support plans won’t address long-standing shortages in specialist provision, which have plagued the system for years.
As the Schools White Paper finally lands, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The government is betting that its blueprint will deliver a more equitable, effective, and responsive education system for all children. But for families navigating the complexities of SEND, and for communities long underserved by the status quo, the coming months will be a test of whether these promises can be translated into real-world progress—or if, as some fear, vulnerable pupils risk being left further behind.
With sweeping reforms now on the table, the spotlight is firmly on how England’s education system will rise to the challenge of delivering opportunity for every child, regardless of background or ability.