New analysis by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) has highlighted the uneven distribution of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across mainstream schools in England.
The NFER report, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, finds that more than half (56 per cent) of pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) are now educated in mainstream schools, up from 49 per cent in 2015/16, with the fastest growth in primary settings.
In 2024/25, primary schools in the highest quartile for pupils with EHCPs, had, on average, six times as many pupils with plans as those in the lowest quartile. A similar pattern is seen among secondary schools, where those with the highest rate of pupils with EHCPs had around five times as many as those with the fewest. Meanwhile primary and secondary schools with the highest rate of pupils with any form of SEND (including both pupils with EHCPs and those receiving SEN Support) have, on average, more than twice the proportion of pupils with SEND as those with the fewest.
The research team identified two groups of schools with higher proportions of pupils with SEND. The first group includes schools with above-average proportions of pupils with EHCPs compared with their local area and nationally, referred to as ‘high EHCP schools’. The second group includes schools with higher-than-expected proportions of pupils with EHCPs and/or SEN Support, referred to as ‘high-any-SEND schools’. Both groups are more likely to draw from more disadvantaged communities and have lower average test scores than other schools. This is particularly the case for ‘high-any-SEND schools’. Meanwhile, ‘high EHCP schools’ were found to be more likely to have a SEN unit or resourced provision, but even when pupils in those units were removed from the data, two-fifths of the primary schools and half of secondaries were still identified as ‘high-SEND’.
As part of the research, NFER also interviewed 10 senior officers at nine local authorities about inclusion – all interviewees had responsibility for SEND and most had the job title of ‘Director of SEND’ or similar. The officers felt that schools with resourced provision or SEN units may demonstrate stronger expertise and inclusive practice, but that these settings can also attract additional pupils with EHCPs, further increasing demand on resources. Interviewees felt that variations in school identification practices, parental choice and school ethos all contribute to the clustering of pupils with SEND in particular schools, with parental choice seen as particularly influential. They said some schools were now ‘at breaking point’ because of the uneven distribution of SEND pupils. In some local authorities, a handful of mainstream secondaries were described as ‘saturated with EHCPs’, while others had far fewer. One interviewee described a secondary with 130 pupils with an EHCP. Another said a specific school was ‘almost becoming a small special school… with a huge secondary school attached to it.’
The findings come ahead of the delayed schools white paper, now expected early next year, which is set to outline the government’s SEND reform ambitions.
Commenting on the research, Matt Walker, principal investigator and senior research manager at NFER, said: ‘Our latest findings show the uneven spread of pupils with SEND across mainstream schools risks creating significant pressures on those with the highest intakes of SEND students. These schools are often working tirelessly to provide inclusive education but may be facing growing financial and operational challenges. As the Government prepares its delayed schools white paper, these schools are likely to be most affected by any future reforms. The evidence underscores the need to take decisive action to create a fairer, more sustainable SEND system – one that supports inclusive schools rather than working against them – and ensures every child receives the right help in the right setting.’
Full report: https://tinyurl.com/3afut253