The SEND White Paper is here, is your school ready?

The DfE’s Every Child Achieving and Thriving white paper (published 23 February 2026) sets out a £4 billion reform of SEND in England. Schools face new duties, from Individual Support Plans to building inclusive workforces. The Engage Teaching Assistant Programme (ETAP) is a practical, cost-effective way to meet them.

Published on 23 February 2026, Every Child Achieving and Thriving marks the biggest shift in SEND policy in a generation. The message to school leaders is clear: mainstream schools are expected to do more, and do it well. With over one million children having additional needs but no enforceable rights, and EHCP demand more than doubling since 2014, the system is under real strain.

This post breaks down the key reforms and shows how ETAP helps schools meet the new workforce demands.

What are the key SEND reforms?

• Individual support plans (ISPs): Every child with identified SEND will have a legally required, school-drafted ISP. EHCPs are retained for the most complex cases, with reforms beginning from 2029. Children in Year 3 or above today will keep their existing EHCP until at least age 16, while children in Year 2 or below will be the first reassessed against the new thresholds when they move to secondary school.
• Inclusion bases and strategy: Mainstream schools must host Inclusion Bases and publish an Inclusion Strategy, with Ofsted inspecting how well they deliver inclusion.
• Inclusive mainstream fund: £1.6 billion paid directly to schools for early, targeted interventions.
• Experts at hand:
  • £1.8 billion to create local banks of SEND specialists, including psychologists, therapists, and more, available without an EHCP
• Workforce training: Over £200 million for SEND training for every mainstream teacher, beginning in 2026/27.

The reforms are built around three shifts: narrow to broad, sidelined to included, and withdrawn to engaging. Together, they make one thing clear: schools need more skilled, specialist support staff than ever.

How the Engage Teaching Assistant Programme (ETAP) tackles these priorities

ETAP is an 11-month, school-based programme for experienced Teaching Assistants. Participants work in school five days a week, are employed by Engage Education, and gain Level 3 and Level 4 (HLTA) qualifications with a SEND specialism. All training takes place outside school hours, so there’s no disruption to the classroom.

Here’s how it maps onto the white paper:

• Building an inclusive workforce: Teaching assistants complete a SEND-specific pathway, leaving schools with a trained, confident practitioner who knows their setting and pupils.
• Supporting ISP monitoring: Embedded full-time, ETAP TAs are well-placed to observe, document, and contribute to the day-to-day support planning ISPs depend on.
• Improving engagement: Their consistent presence and trusted relationships help re-engage the pupils who are hardest to reach.
• Meeting ‘experts at hand’ demand: An HLTA-qualified TA bridges specialist advice and consistent classroom practice.
• Professionalising support staff: Nationally recognised qualifications give formal recognition to the expertise candidates are already building.

Here’s what some of our schools had to say:

“The programme has helped us strengthen our SEND provision while also developing skilled, committed support staff who understand our setting and our pupils. It has been a cost-effective and impactful way to build capacity.”

“Through the ETAP programme, we have been able to secure enthusiastic staff, who are dedicated to learning and growing within their roles as a teaching assistant in our specialist setting.”

Why ETAP is cost-effective

Budget pressure isn’t going away. Compared to an agency TA at £145 per day, ETAP typically saves schools between £4,165 and £6,145 per placement over 11 months, and there are no transfer fees if the school offers a permanent contract. Because TAs are employed by Engage Education, schools benefit from a fully managed service, with onboarding, HR administration, payroll, and employment responsibilities handled. 

Schools that start building their SEND workforce now, before statutory duties fully land, will be far better placed to deliver.

Start building your SEND workforce now

The Every Child Achieving and Thriving white paper is a generational shift in what mainstream schools must deliver. ETAP gives schools a practical, proven route to building the workforce to meet it: cost-effective, SEND-trained, and ready from day one.

Ready to explore how ETAP could support your school’s SEND provision? Book a call with our team →