Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “Reform of the SEND system is urgent and is not something that can be kicked down the road for much longer. We hope that this delay to the White Paper will enable the government to present plans that truly solve the critical issues being flagged by the profession and deliver for all pupils. That desperately needs to happen sooner rather than later. However getting decisions right is more important than meeting arbitrary deadlines.”