SEND and inclusion news
The May edition of our SEND and Inclusion newsletter is now available. It includes:
- SEND Reform Plan news
- Educational Psychology Service (EPS) Learning Library
- Reaching Families - Neurodevelopmental (ND) Navigation Service
- NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) update
Update from Claire Hayes, Director of Education and Skills (23 February 2026)
White paper on education reform
Dear parent carers,
Today, the government has published its long-awaited white paper on education reform. We are still reviewing the full details, but we understand that families and professionals may feel uncertain about what these changes could mean in practice.
At West Sussex County Council, our commitment remains clear: we will always put children first, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential.
Our teams are now carefully examining the white paper to understand its implications for our services, schools and communities. We will respond in full to all interested parties once we have had time to fully digest the proposals and assess how they align with our local priorities and the needs of families in West Sussex.
In the meantime, we want to reassure families, carers, and education professionals that we will continue to apply a children first approach in the communication and application of any education reforms.
The SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy and Partnership Board meets monthly to monitor the delivery of the SEND Strategy and the SEND improvement plan. It includes members from:
- education settings
- NHS
- West Sussex Parent Carer Forum
- West Sussex County Council
Minutes from this meeting can be found on the Tools for schools website.
Find out more about the SEND strategy and the SEND improvement plan.