Two thirds of school leaders don’t believe additional funding for SEND support will be enough

The Spring 2026 School Leaders Survey, carried out by law firm Browne Jacobson, found that nine in ten respondents believe the Government’s proposed special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms will add to their workload.

Some 76% of those who took part claimed that proposed changes will cause a significant increase, while 13% said there will be a slight increase.

SEND reforms – published as part the Department for Education’s Schools White Paper, Every child achieving and thriving – will largely shift responsibility over provision from local authorities to schools.

Meanhile only 4% of survey respondents said the Government’s intention for every school to be part of a trust is “highly achievable”, citing a loss of autonomy and identity, alongside financial barriers.

Other key findings included:

• Leaders are split on SEND reforms – 54% have some, or serious, concerns while 25% are supportive.
• There is an overwhelming agreement that being part of a trust would help schools offer better SEND provision, with 62% saying it would significantly or somewhat help, with only 10% not agreeing and the rest neutral.
• Although there is less confidence outside of academy leaders with only 25% of maintained participants agreeing that being part of a trust will help offer better SEND provision.

Philip Wood, Partner at Browne Jacobson specialising in supporting schools with SEND matters, said: “SEND is an area that has needed reform for some time with many reports showing the difficulties for all stakeholders in the system.

“There is real concern among school leaders over workload increases and the lack of sufficient funding to bring the reforms to reality, given schools will play a more prominent role. 

“A key aspect of the proposed reform is more pupils educated in mainstream schools and a more inclusive school system. This will require work that school leaders are prepared to do but they need the support from government – principally, sufficient funding – to achieve it.”

Lydia Michaelson-Yeates, Partner specialising in academy conversions, said: “School leaders identified significant barriers to conversion to academy status. Chief among these were concerns that joining a school trust could lead to an erosion of a school’s ethos, identity and cultural values. Alongside this, there was notable reluctance among maintained school governing bodies to relinquish autonomy.

“These concerns reflect a tension between the potential benefits of trust membership and a desire to preserve local accountability, institutional independence and a clearly defined sense of school identity.

“With the Government now sharing a clear direction of travel for all schools to be part of a school trust, there’s work for school trusts in overcoming these challenges if they want to grow their organisations.”

The full report can be read here.

Lottie Winson