Right now, more than 1.7 million pupils in England are navigating the education system with SEND.
That is not just a headline figure; it is a clear signal that the traditional “one-size-fits-all” model is under sustained pressure.
The Schools White Paper recognises that change is needed. The real test will be whether reform increases flexibility or simply reinforces the idea that mainstream school must work for everyone.
What many hoped to see was a clearer shift away from the mainstream physical setting as the default for every child.
A genuinely modern system would adopt a broader definition of legitimate provision, recognising hybrid and online learning as proactive options, not simply emergency interventions when attendance has already broken down.
A challenging environment
For many children, mainstream absolutely does work. With the right support and leadership, it transforms lives. But for others, the challenge is not ability – it is the environment.
Busy classrooms, rigid timetables and sensory overload can make attendance unsustainable. These pupils are often capable learners, yet they struggle with the physical and structural demands of a traditional school day.
A reform that focuses only on helping the mainstream cope better may not address that fundamental mismatch.
Online education is still treated as temporary or exceptional, rather than a legitimate option
The government’s £1.6 billion push to strengthen mainstream capacity will help many schools.
However, without parallel recognition of flexible alternatives, there is a risk that some vulnerable pupils – including those experiencing severe anxiety, trauma or sensory overload – remain poorly served.
Improving attendance cannot rely solely on physical presence; it must ensure that provision is appropriate, lawful and sustainable for each child.
Complementary models
At Minerva Virtual Academy (MVA) around 20% of our 1,400+ students are referrals from local authorities and state schools. In many cases, leaders recognise that a different or complementary model is needed to re-engage a pupil.
We have positioned ourselves as a constructive partner to the state system, advocating for dual-enrolment partnerships that allow students to remain on mainstream rolls while accessing MVA’s specialist delivery.
When the setting fits the learner, outcomes improve. GCSE results match or exceed national averages, the typical SEND attainment gap narrows significantly, and attendance among dual-enrolled pupils averages 96.3%, including many who were previously persistently absent.
These are not short-term fixes; they demonstrate that alternative provision can be a stable, effective part of the system.
In addition, this model offers financial resilience. Online provision can reduce reliance on high-cost specialist placements and eliminate SEND transport expenditure, one of the fastest-growing pressures on local authority budgets.
Yet online education is still often treated as temporary or exceptional, rather than as a legitimate long-term option for some children.
Mainstream schools are being asked to meet increasingly diverse needs within structures that have not kept pace
The proposed changes to SEND support aim to intervene earlier and focus formal plans on pupils with the most complex needs.
The emphasis on Local Strategic SEND Partnerships and Alternative Provision reform creates a mandate for preventative, flexible support – precisely the type of provision that high-quality online schools already deliver.
However, this approach will only work if support at every level is properly implemented in practice.
Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) matter because they guarantee provision. If thresholds rise without reliable, flexible support earlier on, the system risks identifying needs without meeting them.
Reform must not become rationing. Raising the bar for formal plans without strengthening the layers beneath would narrow access rather than resolve pressure.
For online schools, this reform environment also raises expectations. Providers must demonstrate that they are accredited, accountable and trusted partners to local authorities.
As attendance pressures intensify, commissioners will look for solutions that stabilise pupils quickly and sustainably. Online provision must therefore evidence not only educational quality, but its capacity to deliver meaningful attendance recovery.
Children rarely fit neatly into categories. Some mask their difficulties. Some fluctuate. Many require flexibility before challenges escalate.
Systems that rely too heavily on formal thresholds can create delay, leaving schools to manage unmet needs and families struggling to secure appropriate support.
Attendance pressures, SEND demand and teacher workload are closely linked. Mainstream schools are being asked to meet increasingly diverse needs within structures that have not kept pace.
Proportionate, timely support
Recognising high-quality online and alternative provision as part of overall system capacity would not weaken mainstream inclusion; it would strengthen it by ensuring that support is proportionate, timely and sustainable.
Online schooling is already easing pressure in practice. It can stabilise pupils experiencing anxiety, provide continuity when attendance breaks down, and create pathways back to mainstream where appropriate.
At MVA, our growth reflects families and schools responding to a mainstream system that is often too rigid to adapt before children disengage.
Online education will only work at scale if local authorities and schools are able to commission trusted, accredited providers easily and confidently when the need arises.
Ultimately, reform will be judged not by how it is structured on paper, but by whether it delivers earlier help, genuine flexibility and consistent support in practice.
If handled well, these changes could help build a more adaptable education system – one that responds to children as individuals, rather than assuming that one setting works for everyone.
