SEND Reforms in Buckinghamshire
The Government has changed how SEND support works across England. These proposed changes are set out in the Schools White Paper. The SEND Reform consultation will be introduced gradually over the next few years.
The aim is to make sure that:
- children get the right help earlier,
- more support is available in mainstream schools,
- and families don’t have to struggle to find basic support.
- Support will be offered earlier, without needing a diagnosis.
- More help will be available in settings through better training and specialist advice.
- Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) will remain for children with the most complex needs.
- A new Individual Support Plan (ISP) will explain day‑to‑day support for many children.
- Settings will get access to specialist professionals through a new “Experts at Hand” service.
- You and your child should not need to wait for an EHCP to get support.
- Support should be clearer, written down, and reviewed regularly.
- Settings will have more advice and specialist input.
Following the November 2025 Ofsted inspection findings of the Buckinghamshire Local Area Partnership, Buckinghamshire Council must follow an Inspection and Improvement Plan. This sets out:
- what must improve
- who is responsible
- how progress is checked
The plan is not optional and is:
- monitored externally by the Department for Education and Ofsted.
- time‑limited. It is reported to the SEND Partnership Board bi-monthly.
- reviewed against clear evidence (Yearly Written Statement of Action to Ofsted).
The Improvement Plan focuses on:
- faster decision-making
- consistent support across schools
- better communication with families
- stronger leadership and oversight
- Progress is reviewed regularly.
- Services must show real change. Not just paperwork.
- Parent Carer Forums are involved in monitoring and challenging.
- Now: Improvements to current SEND services and access to support.
- From September 2026: National SEND training for school and early years staff.
- Over the next few years: A gradual introduction of new support systems.
- EHCP changes: No immediate changes to existing plans.
You will be informed of any changes that could affect your child before they are made.
The Local SEND reforms plan
Every child and young person deserves the opportunity to thrive, feel included and reach their full potential.
Our SEND Reform Plan sets out how we will improve support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across Buckinghamshire over the next 3 years.
The plan has been shaped through ongoing engagement with children and young people, parent carers, schools, health partners and wider services. This ensures that lived experience sits at the centre of our approach.
Together, we explored what matters most to families and what support they need. We looked at how to create lasting improvements for children and young people.
We asked ourselves:
- What will work best for children, young people and families in Buckinghamshire?
- How can we make those changes happen?
- What difference will those changes make to people's lives?
The Government asked all councils in England to develop a SEND Reform Plan. Our plan reflects both that national ambition and the priorities of Buckinghamshire families.
We know that inclusive schools, early support and strong partnerships can prevent needs from escalating and help more children and young people succeed in their local communities.
Families have told us they want a SEND system that is easier to navigate, more responsive to individual needs, and gives them confidence that their child will get the help they need. Our SEND Reform Plan sets out how we will work towards that vision.
We want children and young people to be supported in their local communities wherever possible, while ensuring they can access specialist support when they need it. We also need a system that can respond to growing demand and continue to meet the needs of future generations.
Our plan has three goals:
- Better outcomes for children and young people
- Greater confidence for families
- A sustainable SEND system for the future
At its heart, this plan is about creating a more inclusive, responsive and person-centred system that works better for children, young people and their families.
Our SEND Reform Plan sets out how we will strengthen support over the next 3 years. We want to ensure children and young people get the right support, in the right place, at the right time.
Key priorities include:
- Improving earlier access to support through initiatives such as Experts at Hand, helping schools and settings access specialist advice and meet needs at the earliest opportunity.
- Building a stronger culture of inclusion so that more children and young people can thrive in their local schools, settings and communities.
- Strengthening partnership working across education, health and care services to provide a more joined-up experience for families.
- Developing flexible local provision that can respond to changing needs and increasing demand.
- Improving outcomes, experiences and long-term opportunities for children and young people with SEND.
- Ensuring families feel informed, listened to and confident in the support available.
By working together, we aim to ensure support is available at the earliest opportunity and delivered in a way that recognises individual strengths and needs, so that more children and young people can achieve their potential.
We are already making improvements, and we will introduce further changes over the next three years.
We will regularly review our progress and continue working with children, young people, families, and partners to ensure the reforms deliver meaningful, lasting improvements.
The full Local SEND Reform Plan is available to download as a PDF. We understand that PDF documents may not be accessible to everyone. If you need this information in an alternative format, please contact us.
The Local SEND recovery plan
As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, Buckinghamshire is currently delivering on a SEND Recovery Plan. This is specifically targeted at reducing the delays in EHC needs assessments and fixing problems right now. This follows feedback from families that have told us services haven’t been working as they should.
This includes improving:
- delays in assessments and reviews
- communication with children, young people and families
- access to support while waiting
- how well services work together
Some of the improvements already underway include:
- Stronger joint working between education, health, and care
- Clearer processes for schools to get advice and support
- Better tracking of delays so problems are spotted earlier
- Progress is monitored regularly.
- The council is required to show evidence of improvement, not just plans.
- Children, young people and parent feedback continues to shape what changes first.
If you are unsure how any of this affects your child, speak to your:
- child's nursery, childminder, or early years setting
- child’s school or SENCO
- young person’s college or education provider
- named education or SEND contact
If you wish to speak to someone, you can:
- Contact the Buckinghamshire SEND Service on 01296 382 135.
- Get independent support from SENDIAS.
- Contact FACT Bucks Parent Carer Forum about your views. Your feedback will play a key role in shaping our national response to the consultation.
Further information
We recognise that this is a lot of information. You are not expected to understand everything at once. Support is available to help you navigate the changes.
These reforms and plans do not take away:
- your/your child’s needs
- your voice
- your right to challenge when things aren’t working
The focus is on earlier help, better support, and stronger accountability. We will continue to share updates as changes happen.