Significant reform is coming to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision in England—arguably the most consequential shift since the 2014 Children and Families Act. The 2026 white paper, SEND Reform: Putting Children and Young People First, sets out a fundamental redesign of how support will be delivered, with a clear direction toward more children with special needs being educated in mainstream schools, alongside greater responsibility placed on local authorities, trusts, and individual schools.
While implementation may be phased through to 2029, there is clear value in considering the implications now and taking early steps to prepare for a more inclusive model of provision.
From our perspective as architects with extensive experience designing inclusive mainstream and Additional Support Needs (ASN) schools in Scotland, the shift underway in England feels both familiar and, in our view, achievable with clear briefing and early design engagement. Scotland’s journey towards inclusive education provides a strong reference point, offering valuable lessons from over two decades of presumption for mainstream in education. Successful inclusive mainstream learning is not simply a policy change; it is a spatial, operational, and cultural transformation.
Understanding the Reform: From EHCPs to a Tiered Model
Since 2014, England’s SEND system has centred on Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), legally binding documents that guarantee multi-agency support and provide parents with rights to challenge provision. While robust in principle, the system has become increasingly strained. Demand has surged, with nearly 500,000 EHCPs now in place, alongside rising costs and administrative complexity.
The proposed reform introduces a tiered approach. Children with the most complex needs will retain EHCPs, while others will be supported through new Individual Support Plans (ISPs), developed and managed at school level. These plans are intended to streamline delivery, but they also shift accountability more directly onto schools.
At the same time, government policy is explicitly encouraging more pupils with less complex needs to attend mainstream settings, supported by investment in additional places. This shift towards an inclusive mainstream environment means our approach to both briefing and design needs to change. What does a mainstream environment look like? How does it perform? Most importantly, how does it adapt to support every pupil?
Translating Policy into Learning Environments
The implication is profound: mainstream schools will need to function differently.
Our wider experience has shown us that special needs provision has evolved beyond specialist schools alone. With the presumption for mainstream policy, every child is assumed to enter mainstream education unless a significant need is identified early. Increasingly, mainstream environments are expected to accommodate a wide spectrum of needs—sensory, cognitive, behavioural, and physical—within a unified setting. This requires more than incremental adjustments. It calls for environments designed around flexibility, dignity, and accessibility from the outset. England is now swiftly moving in this direction too.
West Calder High School, West Lothian, Scotland, UK
Key Lessons Learned: Inclusion Is a Design Principle, Not an Intervention
Through both our inclusive mainstream and ASN work, several consistent principles have emerged, lessons that are directly applicable to England’s current transition.
- Zoning for Calm and Stimulation
Inclusive schools must offer a range of environments, from low-stimulation quiet rooms, sensory spaces to active, collaborative spaces. This allows students to regulate sensory input throughout the day. - Integrated Support, Not Isolated Provision
Therapy, intervention, and specialist support should be embedded within the school layout, not relegated to separate areas. Visibility and accessibility reduce stigma and improve outcomes. - Clear Wayfinding and Predictability
Simple, legible layouts reduce anxiety for neurodiverse pupils. Consistent spatial cues (light, colour, material) support independence. - Flexible Learning Spaces
Classrooms should adapt easily for different group sizes, teaching styles, and support needs. Fixed, one-size-fits-all environments quickly become barriers. - Staff Support Spaces
As responsibility shifts toward schools, staff need appropriate environments for collaboration, planning, and respite. Inclusion is as much about supporting educators as it is about supporting students. - Understanding Stakeholders
Lived experiences should never be underestimated; they provide key insights into a community, its priorities, needs, and challenges. We must recognise the uniqueness of each project location and its corresponding design drivers to enable more responsive briefing and design. By taking the time to meaningfully understand a school, its management arrangements, and the wider environment, we can adopt positive design features that better integrate schools as true community assets.
Supporting More Inclusive School Environments
While national policy continues to evolve, there are practical steps that can—and should—be actioned:
- Audit Existing Estates
Identify where current schools fall short in supporting a wider SEND population. Focus on acoustics, circulation, breakout provision, wayfinding, therapy support, and accessibility. - Pilot Inclusive Zones
Rather than waiting for full-scale capital programmes, introduce targeted interventions—sensory rooms, small group spaces, or reconfigured classrooms—to test new models. - Plan for Capacity, Not Just Compliance
The projected increase in mainstream SEND placements requires forward planning. Consider how existing sites can expand or adapt without compromising quality. - Engage Early for Best Design Outcomes
Inclusive environments are complex. Early collaboration between educators, therapists, and designers ensures that interventions are strategic rather than reactive. - Develop a System-Wide Vision
SEND reform is not a school-by-school challenge. Councils and trusts should think in terms of networks—how different schools can collectively support a diverse student population.
Monifieth Learning Campus, Angus, Scotland, UK
A Strategic Opportunity
SEND reform is often framed as a challenge—driven by funding pressures, rising demand, and system complexity. But it also represents a rare opportunity to rethink how school design functions.
Early, targeted action can make this transition more manageable and effective. By exploring pilot projects, such as adapting a small number of classrooms, introducing dedicated breakout spaces, or trialing integrated support areas, councils and trusts can begin to understand what works within their existing estates and build confidence ahead of wider implementation.
From our experience, a phased, evidence-led approach enables schools to evolve in ways that are both practical and impactful, while supporting longer-term planning. By building on what works and learning along the way, we can help create environments that better support inclusion, creating spaces that function well spatially and operationally, and most importantly, for every learner.
We welcome the opportunity to continue the conversation, sharing insights, exploring ideas, and working together to support inclusive, future-ready school environments. Get in touch with our Education team to share ideas and explore inclusive education strategies and solutions.
Previous Idea