Coventry SEND plan targets faster help in schools: what residents need to know

More than 4,000 children and young people in Coventry are currently supported through Education, Health and Care Plans, after the number more than doubled over the past decade. That rise sits behind a proposed Local SEND improvement plan that could reshape how families, schools and health partners access support, alongside wider attention on Coventry care services, over the next three years.

Coventry City Council’s Cabinet is due to consider the plan on 9 June 2026. If approved, it will set out how the city’s Local Area Partnership intends to deliver national SEND reforms locally, with a stronger focus on earlier help in mainstream schools.

The plan has been developed with the NHS, schools, the Parent Carer Forum and other partners. It must be submitted to the Department for Education by 19 June 2026.

Faster specialist support before formal assessments

The most visible change for parents and schools is the proposed “Experts at Hand” offer. Under that model, mainstream schools would receive additional resources and quicker access to specialist expertise to help children with special educational needs and disabilities.

The aim is to reduce reliance on lengthy statutory assessments before practical support begins. That does not remove the role of formal Education, Health and Care Plans for children who need them, but it could change the point at which schools can draw in expert advice.

For families, the key test will be whether earlier support is clear, consistent and easy to access. Parents often experience SEND systems through waiting times, repeated assessments and uncertainty about who is responsible for each part of a child’s support. The council says the new model is intended to put help closer to the classroom.

Councillor Abdul Salam Khan, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Equalities, said every child in Coventry should have the chance to achieve and thrive, with the right support “in the right place, at the right time”.

Funding rises from £3 million to £5.9 million

The city is expected to receive around £3 million in government grant funding in 2026 to 2027 to begin delivering the reforms. That figure is expected to rise to about £5.9 million by 2028 to 2029.

Schools will also receive direct national funding through the Inclusive Mainstream Fund. The average allocation is expected to be £19,000 per primary school and £39,000 per secondary school.

The figures show the scale of the starting package, but they do not by themselves prove how much support each child will receive. The effect will depend on how funding is distributed, how quickly expertise reaches schools and whether services can meet rising demand.

Coventry starts without a High Needs Block deficit

Coventry is in a stronger financial position than many local authorities because it is among a minority of councils nationally without a High Needs Block deficit. The High Needs Block is the ring-fenced funding used to support pupils with complex needs.

That matters because councils across the country are under pressure from rising SEND demand and increasing costs. A deficit-free position gives Coventry more room to implement reforms without immediately starting from a shortfall, although the plan still acknowledges national financial pressure.

The city’s position should not be read as proof that families are already receiving all the support they need. The council’s own plan says improvements are still required, and parent feedback has led to a stronger emphasis on co-production and children who are not attending school full time.

Parents pushed for stronger co-production

The plan has been co-produced with partners across Coventry, including families, schools and NHS partners. Feedback from parents and carers has resulted in more emphasis on involving families throughout the process, rather than treating consultation as a one-off stage.

That is likely to be closely watched by the Parent Carer Forum and families whose children need support across education, health and care. Co-production can make a difference when it changes decisions, communication and day-to-day practice, not only policy language.

The plan also places more focus on support for children who are not attending school full time. That group can include pupils with complex needs, anxiety, medical issues or placements that are not working. For those families, the practical question is whether schools and services can respond before absence becomes entrenched.

Cabinet decision comes before national deadline

Cabinet members will be asked to approve the Local SEND improvement plan on 9 June. If approved, the final version will go to the Department for Education by 19 June 2026.

The next stage will be implementation across the city’s Local Area Partnership over three years. That will involve the council, NHS partners, schools, families and children and young people themselves.

Khan said the “Experts at Hand” model is designed so schools can draw on specialist expertise more quickly, instead of families waiting for lengthy assessments before help begins.

Source: Coventry City Council