(England) 'We’ve never spent as much money on special needs as we’re spending today'
- 22 hours ago
- 2 min read
Feb 19, 2026, Birmingham Mail: Special needs SEND rules to change for secondary schools in England
Eligibility is set to be reviewed at the start of secondary school in England.
Special needs SEND support eligibility is set to change in England. Eligibility is set to be reviewed at the start of secondary school in England.
The first cohort to be impacted by change are currently in key stage 1, according to reports. It means kids who receive special needs support will then face a fresh review when they move to secondary school.
The rule change from the Labour Party government will be announced on Monday. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has said children with Send would “always have a legal right to support”, which Labour would “not just protect but improve that support”.
“One of the problems with EHCPs is that they can take a long time to secure, there are lots of people waiting for them and a lot of the support is stuff a school could already do and should be already doing,” said one source to the Guardian.
“If schools have the right resources, those needs can be met sooner.”
A source went on to the newspaper and said: “We’ve never spent as much money on special needs as we’re spending today, and yet outcomes are worse than they were in 2014 for that group of children.”
A spokesperson for the Department for Education said in a statement: “It’s about creating a better system for all families, where support is needs-led, embedded in every community and wrapped around children at the earliest stage so they can thrive at a school closer to home.
“We’ll set out our full plans shortly – building on the work already underway to secure a truly inclusive system, including investing billions in tens of thousands of new places that meet the needs of children with Send and training up every teacher and teaching assistant in line with the best practice across the country.”
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