Latest SEN stats released by DfE

The Department for Education has released the data from the 2026 school census which show that the number of pupils identified with special educational needs (SEN) in England has increased. This reflects the continuing upward trend. There are now more than 1.8 million pupils receiving provision through SEN Support or an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan – an increase of 91,400 pupils (5.2%) compared with data released in 2025.

There are now 538,547 pupils with an EHC plan – this is up from 5.3% to 6.0%. There are 1.32 million pupils receiving provision at SEN Support. This is a 2.8% annual rise, bringing the percentage to 14.8% of all pupils.

Since 2016, the number of pupils with EHC plans have more than doubled, whilst those receiving provision at SEN Support have risen by 33%. The pupil population growth in the same period was 4.2%.

This means that pupils with EHC plans now make up 29% of all pupils with SEN, compared with 19.3% in 2016. Alongside this, the number of ‘SEN units’ and resourced provisions have increased. In January 2026, there were 514 schools in England with ‘SEN units’, an increase from 449 in the 2025 data release. There were 1,309 schools with a resourced provision, a slight increase from 1,217.

The increase is evident across all school phases:

• In nursery, 19.1% of children have an EHC plan or receive provision through SEN Support - an increase from 18.8% 
• In primary, 19.4% of pupils have an EHC plan or receive provision through SEN Support - an increase from 18.2%
• In secondary, 17.6% of pupils have an EHC plan or receive provision through SEN Support - an increase from 16.5%
• In state-funded Alternative Provision (AP), 84.9% of pupils have an EHC plan or receive provision through SEN Support - an increase from 83.4%
• In independent schools, including independent special schools, 26.3% of pupils have an EHC plan or receive provision through SEN Support - an increase from 24.1%.

In terms of need type, autism remains the most common primary need among pupils with an EHC plan (33.5%). Among those receiving provision through SEN Support, the most frequent category is speech, language and communication needs (25.7%), followed closely by social, emotional and mental health needs (24.8%).

The data also highlights clear demographic patterns. SEN remains more common among boys, who make up 70.7% of pupils with EHC plans and 60.4% of those receiving provision through SEN Support, though the proportion of girls is gradually increasing.

There is also a strong link with disadvantage: 45.3% of pupils with EHC plans and 39.8% receiving provision through SEN Support, are eligible for free school meals, compared with 22.7% of pupils without SEN.

Overall, the figures show a continuing rise in both the number and complexity of pupils’ needs. As we await the outcomes of the SEND reform consultation and resulting implementation, it will be interesting to see the impact this has on the numbers of children and young people identified as having a SEN as well as the support that is made for them.