SEND reform 2025-26: what it means for school resource planning

SEND reform in 2025-26 means schools should plan resources around inclusion, early support, evidence of need and long-term sustainability. For SBMs and SENCOs, the priority is not simply preparing for new policy language, but making sure budgets, classroom resources, interventions and staff support are aligned to a system moving towards earlier, more consistent SEND provision.

SEND reform is no longer a distant policy conversation.

It is already shaping how schools think about school budgets, provision, staffing, parental expectations and the resources pupils need to access learning.

For SENCOs, the pressure is familiar: more pupils presenting with complex needs, more demand for support, and a constant need to evidence what is being tried, reviewed and adapted.

For SBMs, the challenge is equally clear: SEND provision must be financially planned, not simply reacted to.

That is why the next phase of SEND reform matters so much for resource planning. It asks schools to think beyond individual purchases and towards a more strategic question:

Are we building provision that is inclusive, sustainable and ready for what comes next?

What is changing in SEND reform?

The government’s SEND and alternative provision reform programme has been shaped by long-standing concerns about inconsistency, rising demand, delayed support and financial pressure across the system.

The DfE’s SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan set out the ambition for earlier, clearer and more consistent support for children and young people with SEND.

For schools, the direction of travel is important.

The system is moving towards:

• Earlier identification of need
• More consistent support across settings
• Stronger mainstream inclusion
• Clearer expectations around provision
• More focus on local SEND systems
• Greater attention on financial sustainability

For SBMs and SENCOs, this means SEND resource planning can no longer sit separately from whole-school planning.

Resources, staffing, interventions and classroom adaptations all need to be considered together.

Why does SEND reform matter for school budgets?

SEND is now one of the biggest financial pressures facing schools and local authorities.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies has highlighted the scale of pressure on high-needs spending, with rising demand creating significant sustainability concerns across the system.

At the same time, national high needs funding for 2026-27 is substantial, with the DfE setting out total high needs funding of around £12.2 billion, including £12.0 billion allocated to local authorities.

For schools, this does not mean school budgets suddenly feel easier.

Many settings are still managing rising need, limited staffing capacity, increasing intervention demand and pressure on classroom support.

The practical implication is that SEND spend needs to become more planned, more evidenced and more closely connected to pupil outcomes.

This is where GLS education-first approach is relevant. Schools do not need more fragmented purchasing. They need clarity, confidence and support that helps them make decisions with impact.

What should SBMs and SENCOs review first?

The first step is not a shopping list.

It is a provision review.

Before allocating budget, schools should ask:

• Which pupil needs are increasing across the school?
• Which resources are being used regularly?
• Which interventions are showing impact?
• Which resources are underused?
• Where are staff relying on informal workarounds?
• Which pupils are waiting too long for support?
• Which needs are currently driving the most cost?
• Where could earlier support reduce later pressure?

This kind of review helps schools avoid reactive spending.

A SENCO may know that visual supports, sensory regulation resources or communication support aids are urgently needed. An SBM may know that school budgets are tight. A shared provision review allows both perspectives to meet in the same conversation.

That is where stronger resource planning begins.

How should schools plan resources around early support?

One of the clearest lessons from the current SEND system is that delayed support often becomes more expensive support.

Early classroom adjustments can reduce pressure later.

Examples include:

• Visual timetables
• Communication cards
• Sensory tools
• Fine motor support resources
• Reading and writing supports
• Maths manipulatives
• Emotional regulation resources
• Low-arousal classroom spaces
• Structured intervention materials

GLS is particularly relevant here because many schools are looking for practical sensory resources that can be used before needs escalate.

A wobble cushion, visual prompt or communication board will not replace specialist assessment or high-level support. But used well, early intervention resources can help pupils access learning sooner and give staff better evidence of what works.

For SENCOs, this supports the graduated approach.

For SBMs, it helps shift spend from crisis response to planned provision.

What does reform mean for mainstream inclusion?

A major theme across SEND reform is the need for more effective inclusion in inclusive classrooms.

That does not mean schools are expected to meet every need without specialist support. It does mean mainstream environments will continue to be asked to do more to identify needs early and put appropriate provision in place.

For schools, this makes classroom resources more important, not less.

Inclusive classrooms often rely on practical, everyday supports such as:

• Accessible writing tools
• Visual instructions
• Task boards
• Flexible seating
• Calm corners
• Sensory resources
• Communication support

GLS has a stronger role where SEND-specific provision is needed, particularly around sensory, communication and learning support resources.

The key is choosing inclusive resources according to need, not category.

How can schools avoid reactive SEND purchasing?

Reactive SEND purchasing is understandable.

A pupil needs support. A teacher needs something quickly. A parent meeting is approaching. An intervention has to start immediately.

But over time, reactive buying can create duplication, inconsistency and waste.

Common signs include:

• Multiple versions of similar resources
• SEND equipment stored but rarely used
• Resources bought for one pupil and then forgotten
• Staff unsure what is available
• Intervention materials not linked to outcomes
• Purchases made without review dates

A better approach is to create a SEND resource map.

This can show:

• What the school already has
• Which area of need each resource supports
• Who uses it
• Where it is stored
• Whether staff need training
• When impact will be reviewed
• What should be replaced, reused or retired

This is a practical place where SBMs and SENCOs can work closely together.

SEND resource planning is strongest when it combines educational judgement with budget discipline.

What should schools prioritise for 2025-26?

Every school context is different, but several planning priorities are likely to matter across primary and secondary settings.

Communication support

Many pupils struggle because classroom communication is not accessible enough.

Visual aids, symbol resources, now and next boards and communication cards can improve language development, understanding, and independence.

Sensory regulation

Sensory needs are increasingly visible across classrooms. Schools may require dedicated sensory rooms or targeted equipment.

Schools may need sensory tools like fidgets, weighted items, wobble cushions, ear defenders, and calm spaces.

Literacy and numeracy intervention

Targeted intervention resources remain essential for pupils who need structured support in reading, writing and maths.

SEMH and emotional regulation

Emotion cards, regulation scales, calm corner resources and restorative tools can help pupils understand feelings and return to learning.

Staff confidence

No resource works well if staff are unsure how to use it.

Training, guidance and simple resource systems are often as important as the items themselves.

How can schools make SEND budgets go further?

In the current financial climate, value matters, especially amidst broader funding pressures.

But value should not mean choosing the cheapest item in isolation.

For SEND, value means asking whether a resource:

• Meets an identified need
• Can be used repeatedly
• Supports more than one pupil
• Fits classroom routines
• Reduces staff workload
• Improves access to learning
• Can be reviewed for impact
• Is durable enough for school use

GLS supports schools by offering SEND and sensory resources designed for real education settings. That matters because school resources need to withstand repeated use, be practical for staff and suit a range of pupils.

A lower-cost item that breaks quickly or sits unused is not good value.

A well-chosen resource that supports multiple pupils over time usually is.

What role should evidence play in SEND resource planning?

SEND resource planning should be evidence-informed, but it does not need to become overcomplicated.

Schools can use simple evidence sources such as:

• SEN support plans
• Pupil progress reviews
• Behaviour logs
• Attendance patterns
• Staff feedback
• Pupil voice
• Parent feedback
• Intervention records
• Classroom observations

The goal is to understand whether resources are improving access, participation, regulation or progress.

For SENCOs, this supports assess, plan, do, review.

For SBMs, it helps justify spend and identify where further investment is needed.

Under SEND reform, schools are likely to face continued scrutiny around how provision is planned, delivered and reviewed. Clear resource evidence will help.

How can SBMs and SENCOs work together more effectively?

SEND planning works best when it is not split into “education decisions” and “finance decisions”.

SENCOs understand pupil needs.

SBMs understand budget, procurement and long-term affordability.

Both perspectives are essential for targeted school improvement.

A strong planning conversation might include:

• Current patterns of need
• Existing resource gaps
• Expected pupil transitions
• EHCP and SEN support trends
• Intervention staffing
• Training requirements
• Replacement cycles
• High-cost individual provision
• Opportunities to standardise resources

This is also where GLS can support schools as a wider education partner. The strongest resource decisions are not purely transactional. They are shaped by context, timing, role pressures and the outcomes schools are trying to achieve.

What should schools do now?

Schools do not need to wait for every final detail of reform before improving SEND resource planning.

Practical next steps include:

• Audit current SEND resources.
• Map resources against the four broad areas of need.
• Identify underused or duplicated items.
• Review which needs are increasing.
• Prioritise resources that support early intervention resources.
• Agree a shared SENCO and SBM planning cycle.
• Build staff guidance around key resources.
• Review impact termly.

This does not need to be complicated.

In many schools, the biggest improvement will come from making existing provision more visible, consistent and purposeful.

How does Findel support SEND resource planning?

SEND reform is a policy issue, a funding issue and a classroom issue.

Schools are being asked to respond to rising need while managing school budgets carefully and maintaining inclusive provision.

Findel’s role is to support schools with clarity, relevance and practical education expertise. Through GLS, schools can access SEND, Findel Everyday Sensory Activity Kit sensory, and intervention resources shaped around real classroom use. Through Hope Education, primary schools can find accessible teaching and learning resources that support inclusion in everyday practice.

But the broader point is not about individual brands.

It is about helping schools move from reactive buying to confident planning.

As SEND reform continues, the schools best placed to respond will be those that understand their needs, organise their provision, support their staff and invest in resources that make a measurable difference to pupils.

That is what effective SEND resource planning now requires.