AQW 24834/22-27


Mrs Michelle Guy
Alliance Party
Lagan Valley


Tabled Date: 21/03/2025
Answered On Date: 26/03/2025
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail the number of children and young people with Severe Learning Difficulties in special schools in the last five years.


Answer:
School Census information below shows the number of pupils enrolled in special schools who were recorded as having Severe Learning Difficulties 2019/20 to 2024/25. This information relates to census day which is the Friday of the first full week in October.
Academic Year
No. of pupils
2019/20
3,137
2020/21
3,341
2021/22
3,605
2022/23
3,925
2023/24
No data available
2024/25
4,648
Source: Northern Ireland School Census
Notes
The 2023/24 School Census data collection was impacted by industrial action, due to Action Short of Strike.