EHCP Tribunals: Why Schools’ Struggles Must Guide SEND Reform

Lambeth Council plans overhaul of SEND travel in bid to cut costs and boost independence

Lambeth Council is pressing ahead with plans to overhaul travel support for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), replacing some direct transport services with cash payments to families. The new policy – set to take effect in September 2025 – aims to promote greater independence among 16–19-year-olds by encouraging travel training and the use of public transport. But critics warn that the changes could shift logist…

EHCP tribunals: why schools’ struggles must guide SEND reform

The EHCP tribunal process is heaping pressure on to special schools by ordering them to take pupils beyond their capacity, leaders warn. And this situation needs to be addressed in the government's SEND reforms, they say