Local authorities are warning of mounting pressures as new research reveals stark inequalities in the distribution of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across England’s mainstream schools.
The study from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), funded by the Nuffield Foundation, shows that over half (56%) of pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) are now educated in mainstream settings—up from 49% in 2015/16—with the sharpest growth in primary schools.
However, some schools are under far greater strain than others: those with the highest rates of pupils with EHCPs have up to six times as many as those with the lowest.
Researchers warn that uneven distribution can intensify pressures on staffing, resources, and access to specialist support as schools known for taking in pupils with EHCPs become in the words of one local authority interviewee ‘victims of their own success’.
As the Government prepares its delayed schools white paper, NFER is calling for reforms that promote a fairer and more sustainable SEND system.
Commenting on the research, Matt Walker, Principal Investigator and Senior Research Manager at NFER, said: ‘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.’
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