The government has unveiled sweeping reforms to England’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, introducing new terminology and reshaping how support is delivered. Alongside existing Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), families will soon encounter Individual Support Plans (ISPs), as well as three tiers of provision and forthcoming national inclusion standards. Ministers say the aim is to make help more consistent and easier to access.

One of the most significant proposals is that, by 2035, EHCPs will be reserved for pupils with the most complex needs. These legally binding documents outline a child’s requirements and the support local authorities must provide. Children who already have an EHCP will keep it until they complete their current phase of education, after which reassessments will begin from September 2029. Parents will still be able to request assessments and appeal decisions.

All pupils with SEND will instead receive an ISP, a new plan setting out day-to-day support and intended outcomes. Schools and colleges will draft these in consultation with families and review them annually. Concerns about ISPs must first go through school complaints procedures.

Support will be organised into “targeted”, “targeted plus” and “specialist” levels, depending on need. Only those receiving specialist provision packages are expected to qualify for EHCPs in future, with national inclusion standards due by 2028.