Help shape SEND reform: BDA and ILT Education UK launch survey for SENCOs and SEND leaders
Thursday 5 November 2026
We’re asking SENCOs and SEND leaders across England to share what is working, what isn’t, and what the Government’s proposed reforms need to deliver for pupils with dyslexia.
The British Dyslexia Association (BDA), in partnership with ILT Education UK, has launched a new survey of SENCOs and SEND leaders in England. It looks at the experiences of pupils with dyslexia and at the Government’s proposed SEND reforms.
Why the views of SENCOs and SEND leaders matter now
SENCOs and SEND leaders see first-hand how identification, support and funding work for dyslexic pupils. Their experience is needed at a pivotal moment for the system.
The BDA estimates there are around three dyslexic pupils in every classroom. Yet the BDA’s report Lost in the system found that fewer than 2% of local authorities can say how many dyslexic children live in their area. Fewer than half employ specialist staff to assess and support pupils with dyslexia, and about a third provide no guidance on identifying or supporting dyslexia or wider literacy difficulties.
The gap shows in attainment. In 2025, only 21% of pupils with a Specific Learning Difficulty met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of Key Stage 2, compared with 74% of pupils with no recorded SEN. In 2023 - 2024, at GCSE level, about one in five pupils with a Specific Learning Difficulty achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, compared with over half of pupils with no recorded SEN.
Reform on the horizon
- In February 2026, the Government published its Schools White Paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, alongside a consultation on SEND reform. The proposals include:
- An entitlement to an Individual Support Plan for every child with SEND, backed by £4 billion of national investment.
- Over £200 million for SEND teacher training, and inclusion bases expected over time in all secondary schools.
Nothing has changed in law yet. Under the proposals, assessments for the new statutory plans would start in September 2029, with no changes to support before at least September 2030.
Whether the reforms work for dyslexic pupils will depend on schools, which will have to identify needs, write and review the plans, and deliver the support.
This survey will show what SENCOs and SEND leaders are experiencing now: what is working well, where the challenges lie, and what the reforms must deliver for pupils with dyslexia.
How to take part
If you are a SENCO or SEND leader in England, please complete the survey here:
We would also be grateful if you would share it with colleagues and networks
Quick, confidential and anonymous
The survey takes around 10 minutes. We know how stretched school leaders are, and we want participants to feel confident about how their answers are used:
We do not ask for your name or your setting’s name, and we ask that you do not name pupils, staff or your setting in your answers.
Responses will be seen only by the BDA and ILT staff working on the survey.
Findings will be published as aggregate data only, meaning statistics and broad summaries of themes. No comments will be attributed to individuals or settings, and we will not publish results for any group small enough to identify someone.
Leaving an email address at the end is optional. If you do, we remove it from your answers and store it separately before any analysis begins.