AQO 1972/22-27

Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 01/05/2025
Answered On Date: 13/05/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education for an update on school placements for pupils with special educational needs for September 2025.

Answer:

The EA has advised that their early planning assumptions for September 2025 showed a need for approximately 1300 additional places, with similar increased geographical pressure areas as last year. Prior to Easter, Senior EA officials took forward an intensive round of engagements with those schools in areas with the greatest demand for capacity in September 2025.

The EA have worked hard to increase capacity across the school estate, and as of 01 May 2025, they advise that there is an assumed pressure of around 400 places remaining for September 2025: approximately 250 in Special Schools and 160 in Specialist Provisions. On 10 June last year, I reported that the number of places required for children in either a Special School or Specialist Provision was 470 for September 2024.

While the overall demand for placements has decreased, the pressure for all types of placements is increasing. This is as a direct result of the continued lack of available capacity in the system to place children.

In order to address these challenges, in April 2024, I announced the establishment of a SEN Capital Programme, which marked a significant step change in the approach to SEN capital investment and ensured that the system would be put on a stronger strategic footing across future years.

My recently published SEN Reform Agenda also contains a range of actions which aim to ensure appropriate forward planning for special education provision in line with projected need.