East Sussex SEND Strategy
East Sussex SEND Strategy (2026-2030)
The East Sussex Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Strategy (2026-2030):
- is a document that identifies the high-level priorities. These priorities highlight what's needed to support Children and Young People with SEND, and their families. This will enable them to achieve the best possible outcomes in life.
- identifies the partners who are responsible for working together to deliver the priorities.
We have created short summaries of the SEND Strategy for families and educational settings.
- View the SEND Strategy Summary for Families PDF
- View the SEND Strategy Summary for Schools and Settings PDF
East Sussex Local SEND Reform Plan
In February 2026, the UK Government announced plans to reform the national SEND system. These changes aim to improve help and support for children and young people with SEND.
The Local SEND Reform Plan sets out how the local authority, and its partners will implement these reforms locally. It explains:
- what changes will be made
- who is responsible for delivering them
- how progress will be measured
- how education, health and care services will work together
The plan is the responsibility of the ‘local area partnership’. The partnership includes the local authority, the local NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB), schools, trusts, colleges, representatives from families and young people with SEND, and other services that support children and young people with SEND. The local authority leads this work and brings partners together around a shared vision and set of priorities.
Please note, the East Sussex Local SEND Reform Plan is subject to approval by the Department of Education (DfE).
ASEND Inspection and Improvement Plan
The East Sussex Area SEND inspection took place in November 2024:
In response to the inspection, the area partnership must:
- develop, and
- publish an improvement plan.
Our plan addresses the key areas for improvement identified through the inspection. It has been created collaboratively. It builds on previous work and aligns with Ofsted and CQC requirements.
Implementation of the plan is already underway. From September 2026 the actions in the plan have been incorporated into the new SEND Strategy and the Local SEND Reform Plan.
View the ASEND Inspection Improvement Plan (April 2025) PDF.
SEND Strategy Governance Board
The SEND Strategy and the Local SEND Reform Plan are overseen by a SEND Strategy Governance Board (SGB).
The Board has an independent chair. The Board meets to monitor how the identified priorities will be delivered in East Sussex. They also provide direction to working groups that are implementing the operational plans. This will help them to deliver change for the SEND community.
How to Get Involved
Visit this websites' page on how to ‘Have Your Say’. This page offers various ways in which you can share your views and contribute to various Education East Sussex services.
You can also visit the ‘You Said, We Did’ web page. This page outlines how feedback has already shaped various services.
Glossary of East Sussex SEND Terms
We explain some of the terms used on this website on our page, Glossary of East Sussex SEND Terms.