More than one in five pupils in England now have special educational needs, as the latest official figures show a sharp increase in the numbers of children receiving extra support in school.
The annual data from the Department for Education (DfE) confirms predictions of an increase in families seeking education, health and care plans (EHCPs) – the individual agreements detailing extra support – before the government’s efforts to overhaul funding and provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send).
