Education Authority Update on SEN Pressures

While the needs of many children with SEN can be met through enhanced support in a mainstream setting, the requirements of children with more acute needs can only be met through either a placement in a Special School, or in Specialist Provision in a mainstream school (essentially a dedicated class with small numbers of children).

To address the pressures, and working collaboratively with a number of schools, EA has created over 5,000 additional places in recent years, including over 1,450 additional places for September 2024. In preparation for September 2025, EA has already created more than 150 additional classes, for approximately 1,350 pupils, across 123 schools.

However, demand still exceeds supply, with limited scope to create more places — partly because only 26% of mainstream schools currently offer Specialist Provision. This shortfall means that, in many cases, children with SEN are denied the opportunity to attend their local schools, with their friends and siblings, in the way that children without such additional needs can. This is not a sustainable position – and the EA ambition is to move to the position where all schools offer Specialist Provision. Importantly, such a position will also bring an end to the annual cycle of potential shortfalls in places - with all the uncertainty and distress they bring to children and parents.

Since September 2024, EA has engaged extensively with schools not yet offering Specialist Provision, including a focused round of meetings with school leaders in high-

pressure areas. While this has not yet led to the level of engagement we had hoped for, we remain committed to working in partnership with all schools to find sustainable solutions.

In early June the Minister wrote directly to 59 schools, encouraging them to engage with EA on this matter. EA followed this up throughout June, and recently wrote to a number of schools in particular areas of pressure, highlighting that the position was so challenging that consideration would have to have to be given to asking the Department of Education to begin a process to formally instruct schools to establish specialist provisions. Unfortunately, many of these schools have still not engaged with EA in the way that we would want.

Despite that, upon hearing of the difficulty of the position, a number of those schools that have previously worked with us to create Specialist Provision have, again, stepped forward to help. This is hugely encouraging and we are deeply grateful to those schools for clearly prioritising the needs of children over any logistical difficulties such a move presents for them.

The consequence of this is that, over the next few days, we believe the residual pressure for placements will be reduced to around 50 children, and we feel that with continued work over the summer, it may be possible to reduce this to zero by the start of the next school year. However, finding the final places will be particularly challenging, and consequently some parents may not receive notification of their child's school placement until late August. We recognise that this delay may lead to understandable concern. Furthermore, accommodating the remaining pupils could require some children to travel greater distances than would be the case if a local solution was available. EA remains committed to minimising these impacts wherever possible.

This solution is not without limitations and will require EA to provide significantly enhanced packages of support. However, it eliminates the need to request that the Department consider initiating a formal process for schools. Regrettably, it means that schools that have previously contributed will carry further responsibilities, while some other schools remain uninvolved in the solution.

We remain committed to working with the Department of Education to explore how we can move toward a more balanced and inclusive system where all schools offer specialist

provision, ensuring equity and inclusion for all. The profile of our children is changing and our schools must, with support and training, also change. The current approach is simply not sustainable.

Despite this reduction in the number of children remaining unplaced, we recognise that, for those children still without a place, it remains a frustrating and worrying time. For parents and carers with concerns, the SEN Central telephone line (028 9031 7777) is operational weekdays from 10am to 12noon to provide general placement assistance.

Families who are still without secured places have been assigned a dedicated Family Support Link Officer who will provide personalised support until a placement is confirmed.

EA wants to reassure families that ensuring every child has appropriate educational support remains its highest priority.