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The publication of the white paper signals the latest attempt by the Department for Education (DfE) to respond to mounting pressures in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system. Proposals include national inclusion standards, earlier identification, new ‘layers of support’ and a stronger expectation that mainstream schools meet a wider range of needs.

The direction of travel is clear: more children with SEND should be educated in mainstream settings. The rationale is well established. Where inclusion is effective, pupils are more likely to experience improved attainment, independence and long-term employment outcomes. The question is not whether inclusion is desirable, but whether the system has the capacity to deliver it.

‘The question is not whether inclusion is desirable, but whether the system has the capacity to deliver it.’

Demand continues to rise. The latest show that over 1.7 million pupils in England (around 17 per cent) are identified as having SEND, with numbers increasing year on year. This reflects improved awareness and diagnosis, particularly of neurodevelopmental conditions, alongside growing concerns about children’s social, emotional and mental health.

Early identification sits at the heart of this trend and is rightly emphasised in policy. Its importance is twofold. First, identifying needs early enables timely, targeted support before difficulties compound. There is strong that early intervention can mitigate longer-term attainment gaps, reduce exclusion risk and improve life chances. Second, early identification supports more efficient system planning: when needs are recognised early, provision can (hopefully) be better matched, avoiding escalation to more intensive and costly interventions later.

However, early identification also increases immediate demand on schools and services. More pupils are recognised as requiring support, often with increasingly complex profiles. Without corresponding investment in workforce capacity and specialist provision, early identification risks surfacing need faster than the system can respond to it. This tension is already visible. The has described the SEND system as under severe strain, citing rising costs, inconsistent provision and widening high-needs deficits.

The government’s proposed reforms seek to address this by strengthening mainstream inclusion. Yet structural shifts alone will not resolve underlying pressures. that planned special school expansions have been paused have heightened concern across the sector, particularly given existing capacity challenges. Redistributing responsibility to mainstream schools does not, in itself, create the conditions for success.

This points to the central issue: workforce capability. While policy debates often focus on systems, funding and structures, the experience of pupils with SEND is shaped most directly by classroom practice. The is clear that high-quality teaching is the most powerful lever for improving outcomes for pupils with SEND. Adaptive teaching, effective scaffolding and responsive feedback are critical in enabling pupils to access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

Yet this requires expertise. Supporting increasingly diverse and complex needs demands more than goodwill. Teachers need deep pedagogical knowledge, understanding of specific needs and the confidence to adapt teaching in real time. But as , current training pathways do not consistently equip teachers for this. Variability across initial teacher education (ITE) and professional development frameworks means too many teachers enter the profession underprepared for the realities of inclusive classrooms. In practice, schools are often left to bridge this gap.

From my own work in schools, this is evident. Leaders and teachers are working with commitment and ingenuity to make inclusion work, often within tight resource constraints. However, their capacity is stretched. Special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs) are expected to lead strategy, support staff, coordinate provision and liaise with multiple agencies, often alongside teaching or senior leadership roles. Access to specialist services such as educational psychology remains uneven, with long waiting times common.

These pressures underline a critical point: inclusive practice depends on infrastructure. It requires not only skilled teachers but also time, training and access to specialist support. Without these, expectations placed on mainstream schools risk becoming unrealistic.

Policy reform often privileges structural solutions: new standards, frameworks and pathways. These matter, but they are insufficient. Inclusion is enacted through professional practice. Its success depends on whether teachers feel equipped, supported and confident to meet diverse needs.

‘Without a parallel focus on capacity, there is a risk that well-intentioned reform will add pressure to a system already operating close to its limits.’

If SEND reform is to succeed, workforce development must be foregrounded. This means strengthening ITE, aligning professional development with the realities of inclusive practice and ensuring schools have access to sustained, high-quality support. It also requires investment in specialist services and recognition of the pivotal role of SENCOs.

Inclusion is not achieved through policy alone. It is realised in classrooms, through the daily interactions between teachers and pupils. Without a parallel focus on capacity, there is a risk that well-intentioned reform will add pressure to a system already operating close to its limits.