The 2026 Schools White Paper sets out the most significant direction for education policy in over a decade. With proposals focused on SEND reform, stronger collaboration between schools, and a greater role for trusts in leading improvement, sector leaders are preparing for a period of significant change.
At the same time, schools and trusts are navigating an increasingly challenging financial environment. The Department for Education’s Schools’ Costs Technical Note (2025-2029) shows that staff costs account for over 80% of school spending, with pay awards, National Living Wage increases, employer National Insurance contributions and pension costs continuing to drive cost pressures.
While funding is expected to increase to help offset some of these rises, many schools will still need to find ways to improve efficiency while maintaining educational standards.
Having heard Dr Tim Coulson (Director General, Department for Education) speak at our National Education Leaders Conference, hosted through our education leadership network nEdEx, and through conversations with education leaders across the sector, one thing is clear: the White Paper sets out an ambitious direction for the future of the school system.
For leaders already managing growing SEND demand, workforce pressures and increasing accountability, preparation for these reforms will require strong systems, effective workforce planning and clear leadership.
For more than 30 years, our team at EPM has supported over 2,500 schools and 200 trusts with integrated HR, Payroll & Pensions, DBS & Safer Recruitment, and strategic growth services designed specifically for education.
Key takeaways for school and trust leaders:
• SEND reform will increase expectations on mainstream schools to support more pupils with additional needs.
• Workforce planning will become even more important, with staff costs already accounting for over 80% of school spending.
• Trusts will play a larger role in system leadership, meaning strong governance and central services will be essential.
• Better workforce data and planning will help leaders manage cost pressures and organisational change.
So, what do the key priorities in the White Paper mean for schools and trusts in practice?
Let's take a look at the leading policies:
SEND reform and a more inclusive system
Strengthening behaviour, attendance and school culture
Strong trusts and a more coherent school system
Workforce sustainability and better use of data
What happens next?
Supporting collaboration through nEdEx
Your White Paper FAQs
How education leaders can prepare for policy priorities
SEND reform and a more inclusive system
SEND reform sits at the centre of the Government’s proposals. The Schools White Paper signals a move towards greater inclusion in mainstream schools, alongside stronger responsibilities for local authorities to ensure pupils can access specialist support when needed.
Under the proposals, Education Health Care Plans (EHCPs) would be reserved for children with the most complex needs. More pupils may instead be supported through earlier intervention and closer collaboration between schools and local services.
For schools, this is likely to mean supporting higher levels of need within mainstream classrooms. Workforce capacity will therefore be critical.
Research from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) highlights that ‘support staff now make up over half of the school workforce in England’, with teaching assistants playing a growing role in supporting SEND provision. However, recruitment remains challenging, and many support staff report feeling undervalued or lacking clear career progression.
As inclusion expectations grow, schools will need strong workforce structures, effective recruitment processes and clear support staff development pathways to maintain a stable and confident workforce.
EPM supports schools and trusts with the HR frameworks, recruitment processes (including DBS and safer recruitment compliance) and workforce development needed to build confident, inclusive staffing models.
Strengthening behaviour, attendance and school culture
The Government’s White Paper also places renewed emphasis on behaviour and attendance.
Clearer national expectations for pupil behaviour and stronger parental responsibility measures are expected to support more consistent school cultures.
However, behaviour and attendance outcomes are closely linked to workforce capacity and leadership confidence. Leaders need the skills and support to manage teams effectively, set clear expectations and respond consistently to challenges.
Professional development, therefore, remains an important part of preparing leaders and managers for the changes ahead.
Take a look at EPM’s CPD-accredited HR and people management training which helps leaders to develop the skills and confidence needed to manage teams effectively and support positive school cultures.
Strong trusts and a more coherent school system
The Government’s vision places ‘strong’ trusts at the centre of a more collaborative and coherent education system.
Trusts are expected to play an increasingly important role in improving educational outcomes, reducing regional variation and closing attainment gaps.
As trusts grow and take on greater system leadership responsibilities, robust governance, resilient central services and clear organisational structures will become increasingly important.
The DfE’s cost projections also highlight the importance of central planning. As workforce costs continue to rise, trusts will need to ensure their organisational structures and workforce strategies support both financial sustainability and improvement across their schools.
This means thinking carefully about how leadership capacity, central services and workforce structures are designed to support long-term growth.
EPM supports trusts through growth and organisational change, including workforce due diligence, TUPE transfers, consultation processes and leadership structure design.
Workforce sustainability and better use of data
Alongside policy reform, leaders continue to face workforce challenges, including recruitment pressures, retention concerns and increasing operational demands.
With staffing costs remaining the largest area of expenditure, reliable workforce data is becoming essential for effective planning. The DfE’s cost projections reinforce the need for trusts to understand workforce trends, identify risks and plan sustainable staffing models.
Access to clear workforce insights can help leaders understand patterns in absence, turnover and workforce capacity – supporting more informed decisions about workforce development and organisational resilience.
EPM Connect provides integrated workforce data and analytics that help leaders understand trends in absence, turnover, and staffing capacity, to support more informed workforce planning decisions.
What happens next?
Following the publication of the White Paper, the Government will move into a consultation phase, gathering feedback from education leaders and sector experts before finalising policy proposals.
Many of the reforms – particularly those relating to SEND and system structure – are expected to be introduced gradually over the coming years.
At the same time, leaders will need to balance reform ambitions with the financial realities facing the sector.
The White Paper sets out an ambitious vision for improving outcomes for every child. Delivering it will require sustained collaboration across the entire education system - from schools and trusts to policymakers and sector leaders.
Given the scale of the reforms and the length of the proposed implementation period, an important question naturally arises: how will momentum be maintained if there is a change of Government following the next general election in 2029?
Ensuring progress continues will depend on the sector’s ability to embed reforms in ways that transcend political cycles and maintain a shared commitment to improving life chances for all pupils.
Supporting collaboration through nEdEx
Our Network for Education Excellence (nEdEx) brings together leaders from maintained schools, academies and trusts to share insight and explore the practical implications of policy change.
Following the success of February’s National Education Leaders Conference, look out for insights from our nEdEx Advisory Board on the real, on-the-ground impact of the Schools White Paper across the education sector.
The next nEdEx conference will take place on 8 October 2026, continuing the conversation on how the sector can navigate the reforms ahead.
Your White Paper FAQs
Explore how the Schools White Paper may affect your School or Trust by becoming a nEdEx member - providing you with a space for leaders to share experiences, discuss emerging policy and collaborate on solutions for the challenges ahead. Be part of the follow-up conversation in October by booking your tickets to our nEdEx National Education Leaders Conference.
