Schools White Paper & SEND Reform 

A dedicated space for School Business Professionals and School Leaders in special, hospital and AP settings. 

For special schools, hospital schools and alternative provision, these reforms are not abstract policy changes. They carry direct implications for funding, commissioning, accountability, workforce sustainability and operational leadership.


The National Network of Special Schools for School Business Professionals is applying a specialist lens to this reform.


This page is a central space for analysis, engagement and collective response.

Specialist schools operate at the intersection of education, health, commissioning and finance. Reform in SEND and wider school structures affects:


  • High needs funding and sustainability
  • EHCP processes and commissioning arrangements
  • Trust structures and local system design
  • Accountability frameworks
  • Workforce planning and operational resilience
  • Estates, infrastructure and digital systems

School Business Professionals and Leaders are central to whether reform works in practice. A policy that does not reflect operational reality risks destabilising specialist provision.


Join the network

We are taking immediate action to ensure specialist voices shape the consultation


We are:

  • Conducting rapid member intelligence gathering
  • Convening structured roundtables for specialist SBPs
  • Engaging directly with policy stakeholders
  • Collaborating with aligned SEND and specialist organisations
  • Developing an evidence-led NNoSS position statement
  • Preparing a formal consultation response informed by member insight

Join the network

NNoSS will coordinate a structured and collective response.  This will include:


Member Evidence Gathering.

Targeted surveys and intelligence collection focused on operational, financial and commissioning implications. 


Specialist Roundtables.  

Dedicated discussion spaces to identify risks, unintended consequences and practical solutions. 


Joint working with SEND Parners

Where appropriate, we will collaborate with aligned SEND and specialist networks to strengthen collective influence while ensuring the distinct voice of School Business Professionals remains clear. 


Publish Position Statement.

A transparent NNoSS reform position statement setting out key priorities, concerns and recommendations, 


Formal Consultation Submission. 

A response grounded in operational and strategic evidence from special schools, hospital schools and alternative provision across England. 

Join the network

Our Review Framework: The 5 Haldane Tests - The Specialist Lens

Applying the Haldane Tests ensure that reform is judged not only on ambition, but on deliverability for specialist settings. Children and young people with the most complex needs depend on sustainable, coherent and durable infrastructure.  Schools Business Professionals are central to that infrastructure.  NNoSS will ensure reform is tested accordingly.

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

JOIN THE NETWORK

By joining the National Network of Special Schools for School Business Professionals, you become part of a united community dedicated to championing the needs, expertise, and voice of special schools across the country. Through the network, you will gain access to tailored briefings, peer collaboration, and collective advocacy, ensuring your school is informed, supported, and represented as national SEND reforms take shape.


Together, we strengthen our influence, share solutions, and work to secure the best possible outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities across England.