Special education needs and disabilities children with council-funded Education, health and care plans placed in state-sector special schools

Request

1. For each academic year from 2022/2023 to 2025/2026 inclusive, how many Special education needs and disabilities (SEND) children with council-funded Education, health and care plans (EHCPs) were placed in state-sector special schools?

 

2. For each academic year from 2022/2023 to 2025/2026 inclusive, what was the average cost to the council per child (i.e. unit cost] of funding a SEND child with a council-funded EHCP to go to a state-sector special school (please use a forecast/estimate for 2025/2026 if necessary)?

 

3. For each academic year from 2022/2023 to 2025/2026 inclusive, how many SEND children with council-funded EHCPs were placed in mainstream state schools?

 

4. For each academic year from 2022/2023 to 2025/2026 inclusive, what was the average cost to the council per child (i.e. unit cost] of funding a SEND child with a council-funded EHCP to go to a mainstream state school, factoring in both baseline funding and any top-ups (please use a forecast/estimate for 2025/2026 if necessary)?

Decision

1.

 

 

2022/2023

2023/2024

2024/2025

2025/2026

Local Authority (LA) maintained special schools

579

607

692

683

Special academies and free schools

1,557

1,606

1,652

1,723

Total

2,136

2,213

2,344

2,406

 

 

2.

 

YEAR

2022/2023

2023/2024

2024/2025

2025/2026

Cost per child

£17,041.92

£17,275.35

£17,582.95

£19,416.02

 

 

3.

 

 

2022/2023

2023/2024

2024/2025

2025/2026

LA maintained mainstream schools

904

968

1,031

1,108

Mainstream academies and free schools

2,153

2,473

2,811

3,062

Total

3,057

3,441

3,842

4,170

 

 

4.

 

YEAR

2022/2023

2023/2024

2024/2025

2025/2026

Cost per child

£12,607.79

£13,544.01

£11,349.10

£12,006.88

Reference number
14527093
Date request received
14 November 2025
Date of decision
11 December 2025