Explained: Call for ministers to settle debate over make-up of MATs
Call for ministers to settle debate over make-up of MATs is examined in this 2026 education briefing, which sets out the central development, the practical context for schools and the questions leaders may need to consider.
What happened?
Ministers are being urged to settle debate over their desired make-up of academy trusts after a huge MAT opted to give up two special schools it believes are better off in a SEND chain. Another trust said it would be “impossible” for it to take on some special schools, while another chief executive warned there wasn’t “external resource to meet the needs of those children” in his area.
Key details from the report
- Despite this, more trusts are opting not to specialise, amid an explosion in the number of children with special needs.
- No direction Jonathan Simons, director of education at the Public First think tank, believes this “reflects the conflicting currents and eddies in the system”, with leaders without “a single direction of travel”.
- Jonathan Simons “We simply don’t know enough to determine what the best structure is – but if the government wants more children educated in mainstream settings, then it will need to engage with these different currents and eddies.
- ” Lift Schools, the fifth-largest trust in the country, is set to hand over two special schools , both in Essex, which cater for children with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) and severe learning difficulties (SLD).
Why this matters for schools
The issue is relevant to school leaders because policy announcements, funding decisions and regulatory changes rarely operate in isolation. Their effects can reach staffing, budgets, curriculum planning, pupil support and communication with families. Leaders should distinguish confirmed requirements from proposals, check the implementation timetable and identify which decisions need action now.
For classroom and SEND teams, the practical question is how the development affects access, inclusion and day-to-day provision. Schools may wish to review existing plans, clarify responsibilities and make sure staff receive information in a form they can use. Where national details remain incomplete, recording assumptions and revisiting them as guidance changes can reduce avoidable confusion.
Questions for leaders and governing boards
- What has been formally confirmed, and what remains under consultation or development?
- Which pupils, staff or services are most likely to be affected?
- Are there financial, workforce, safeguarding or SEND implications that require early planning?
- What evidence or updated guidance should be monitored next?
- How will the school communicate any resulting change clearly to staff and families?
