Response to the Schools White Paper

The government has set out its plans to reform the schools system and is consulting on proposals to reform the special educational needs and disabilities system in England.

In response to the Schools White Paper known as ‘Every child achieving and thriving’, our Chief Executive Hilary Spencer said:

"Every child deserves to feel included and able to achieve their potential, and we know that teachers and leaders across the country want to feel confident and well-equipped to support all children.

We welcome the White Paper’s commitment to increase support for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, and to reform the system for special educational needs and disabilities. Both of these are key priorities for us at Ambition Institute.

We are pleased to see that the White Paper commits to:

• Strengthening workforce recruitment, retention and expertise, and supporting greater flexibility, diversity and inclusion.
• Developing new professional development for teachers and leaders, to help them support a wider range of pupils’ needs.
• Significant, long-term investment and support to drive change for the better in SEND and inclusion.

The full package of reforms is wide ranging, and it will take time for the sector to fully understand and work through what is being proposed. We look forward to working with partners over the coming months to share feedback on the proposed changes, and explore how they can be put in practice, so every child is fully supported to achieve their potential."