Special needs schools way over capacity in England

There were 8,000 more secondary school pupils in special schools in England than places available for them last year, according to Department for Education (Dfe) figures - a rise of 25% in 12 months.

About two-thirds of these schools were at or over capacity in 2023-2024, despite the number of special school places rising by 5,000.

On Thursday, the government said the £740m of funding investment it announced in December will create 10,000 new school places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) within mainstream schools.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said it will help plug "the significant gaps in provision".

An estimated 1.7 million school-aged children have special educational needs and disabilities in England.

Those with further needs can receive legal entitlement to more specific support, often in a specialist school, via an education, health and care plan (EHCP).

The number of pupils with an EHCP, who need a place in specialist provision, is forecast by local authorities to rise by 44,000 in the next three years - from 229,000 in 2024-25 to 273,000 in 2028-29.

This is the second year figures on special school capacity have been collected by the Dfe.

It says the reason for the gap in provision is because of the number of schools at or over capacity. However, the figures may not reflect the current pupils attending special schools because of the different and changing needs for which schools cater.

It found there were 92,000 secondary places across special state schools in England, but about 100,000 secondary pupils on the roll in May 2024.

In a highly critical report earlier this year, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) found a Send system "in disarray", "mired in red tape, lacking funding, and failing to produce value for money".

It warned 40% of councils would be "staring down bankruptcy" next year, when a scheme allowing local authorities to keep those deficits off their financial books expires.

The government is encouraging local authorities to help mainstream schools to set up more provision for children with Send within their own schools.

Fewer than one in 10 mainstream schools have SEN units or resourced provision which provide more intensive support for pupils, according to the Dfe.

It hopes to reform the system to be more inclusive so children's need can be identified and met at an earlier point in mainstream schools, and special schools can cater to those with the most complex needs.

Releasing more details on the plans, Phillipson said: "This investment is a big step towards delivering not only enough school places, but the right school places, supporting all children and particularly those with Send, and plugging the significant gaps in provision we inherited".

Elsewhere, the figures on school capacity show 16% of primary schools are over capacity, down 1% on last year, and 24% of secondary schools, up 1% on last year.

There has been an increase in 24,000 school places overall, but this is falling because of the reduction in pupil numbers since 2018-19.

It has been predicted the number of children in state nurseries and primary schools would fall by 4.5% over the next four years, but it varies across England.

Pupil numbers in London have been in decline for a number of years and are projected to fall further because of a drop in the birth rate.