Schools White Paper Hub

Schools North East held a roundtable with leaders from special schools and alternative provision (AP) across the region following the publication of the Government’s Schools White Paper ‘Every child achieving and thriving’ and accompanying proposals for reform of the SEND system. The discussion brought together practitioners working at the frontline of SEND provision to examine how the reforms may affect pupils with additional needs, the schools that support them, and the wider education system.
Read the full Stakeholder Briefing

Schools North East held its Spring Term Advisory Board meeting on 5 March 2026, bringing together Head Teachers and trust leaders from across every North East local authority and from all stages and types of school. The meeting included a roundtable discussion with Susan Acland-Hood, the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Education, providing an opportunity for school leaders to share frontline perspectives on the Government’s Schools White Paper and the wider pressures facing the education system.
Read the full Stakeholder Briefing

The recent publication of the government’s Schools White Paper, alongside the consultation on SEND reform, marks a significant moment for the education sector. As ever, the challenge for our school and trust leaders is not simply understanding what’s been announced, but interpreting what it truly means in practice, particularly within the distinct context of the North East.

We brought together leaders from across the region for a focused and timely briefing designed to do exactly that. More than a policy update, the session centred on cutting through complexity and translating national reform into meaningful insight, creating space for the sector to reflect, question, and respond collectively. Read the full story here.

Schools North East welcomes the publication of the Government’s Schools White Paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, and in particular its recognition that geography shapes educational outcomes. 

This is a moment where national policy explicitly acknowledges what schools in the North East have consistently argued: disadvantage is structural, not accidental. 

It is also encouraging that the white paper recognises the persistent attainment gap affecting white working-class pupils, and the need for sustained structural intervention. Schools across the region have been highlighting this challenge for years and it is right that it is now targeted and this needs to be done through sustained regional investment, not short-term initiatives.

Read the full article >

What we expect to see:

• SEND overhaul: A focus on earlier identification, mainstream inclusion, and a more sustainable funding model for EHCPs
• Place-based policy: New measures to address regional inequalities in attainment and attendance
• The future of trusts: Further clarity on the academy landscape and the role of Multi-Academy Trusts through a more defined “strong trust” definition underpinned by trust inspection – as included in the recent amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
• Technology and AI: new safety frameworks, teacher training, and digital infrastructure spending
• Preparing for reform: How Schools North East will judge the upcoming schools white paper

  Rather than simply reacting to the document when it lands, Schools North East is taking a proactive stance. We believe this reform must be more than a collection of headlines; it must be a coherent plan capable of producing durable, effective change for our schools and communities.