SEND and AP improvement plan: summary

Dig into the details of the SEND and alternative provision (AP) improvement plan. Understand how the government intends to reform the SEND and AP system, and get an idea of timelines.

Last reviewed on 7 March 2023
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 42217
Contents
  1. Implementation of reforms to be managed by a change programme
  2. New national standards for SEND and AP
  3. Local SEND and AP partnerships
  4. Reformed AP based on a 3-tier model and funding stability
  5. Digital EHC plans
  6. Upskilling the workforce
  7. Increased accountability
  8. Funding commitments to stabilise the system and increase capacity

The SEND and AP improvement plan sets out the government's plan to reform its approach to special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision (AP). The overarching aim is to pull the 2 systems together to create a sustainable, easy to navigate single system that meets the needs of all concerned.

On 2 March 2023, the government published its plan for improvement: The SEND and AP Improvement Plan - Right Support, Right Place, Right Time. We'll refer to it as ‘the plan’ throughout this article.

The rules haven’t changed yet

See a timeline of the proposed actions in this roadmap published by the Department for Education