Following the publication of the government schools white paper ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ in February 2026 which outlined major reforms to special educational needs and/or disabilities support in England, Southampton City Council submitted how it would implement these reforms in a Local SEND Reform Plan.

On Monday 5 October, the Department for Education (DfE) officially approved the Southampton Local SEND Reform plan stating that it ‘provided a sound foundation for delivery’. The DfE went on to ‘recognise the commitment shown to reform, the progress made in strengthening local leadership and relationships, and developing a shared plan.’

The approval makes Southampton City Council eligible for an indicative High Needs Stability Grant covering up to 90% of the High Needs Block deficit accrued up to the end of 2025–26. This means that children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities will benefit from improvements to the SEND system and enable the council to focus on inclusive provision and better outcomes for all.

The final grant allocation will be subject to an audited outturn and formal confirmation.

In its assessment, the DfE highlighted several strengths in Southampton’s approach. These included:

• A clear and ambitious vision for an inclusive, needs-led and sustainable SEND system for children and young people aged 0 to 25
• A strong commitment to early intervention and inclusion
• Plans to expand inclusive provision and maximise capacity in mainstream settings
• A clear understanding of existing strengths and the future development of an Experts at Hand model, co-designed with health partners
• An integrated reform programme with dedicated programme management, stronger data arrangements and joint accountability across education, health and care

Donna Tandy, Director of Education at Southampton City Council, said: “This approval is an important step forward and reflects the hard work of partners across education, health and care, as well as the contribution of children, young people and families. We have a clear ambition to provide earlier, more inclusive support and improve experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. We welcome the DfE’s recognition of the strengths in our plan and remain focused on turning those commitments into lasting change.”

Councillor Amanda Barnes-Andrews, Cabinet Member for Children and Learning said: “Our 10-year City Plan clearly set out our objective to create a more equal Southampton, so every child and young person growing up in the city should have every opportunity to thrive. The government’s approval recognises the progress made and gives us a firm foundation for the next phase of this work. We know there is more to do, and we will continue working with families and our partners to build a SEND system that is inclusive, responsive and sustainable.”

The council and its partners will now move from planning into delivery. Priorities include strengthening accountability and oversight, sharpening success measures, using data to drive improvement and developing sufficiency planning so that provision meets future demand.

Progress will be reviewed quarterly with government officials, regional health SEND leads and the area’s SEND and Financial Advisers, alongside quarterly data reporting.