Department for Education (DfE) figures have revealed that the shortage of places in special schools for secondary pupils in England worsened by 25% in 2023/24.
The latest figures on school places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) show there are 8,000 more pupils than places and two-thirds of schools are at or over capacity.
In total, there were 92,000 secondary places at special state schools in England in May 2024, compared to around 100,000 pupils on the roll, according to the DfE.
In December the Government announced £740m would be allocated to fund 10,000 new places for pupils with SEND.
