• Between 2017-18 and 2023-24, the number of children with a statement increased by 51% (from 17,837 to 26,964).
  • At the same time, enrolments in special schools rose by 25% (5,735 total pupils, rising to 7,192).
  • However, it should be noted that this is actually a period of six years, not five.

In an Assembly debate about Special Educational Needs (SEN) that took place on 19 November, Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan said: 

“There has been a 50% rise in the number of children with a statement of SEN over the past five years and a 25% increase in the number of pupils in special schools.”

This is accurate, sort of.

Official data shows that, between 2017-18 and 2023-24, the number of children with a statement of Special Educational Needs rose from 17,837 to 26,964 (an increase of 51%).

In the same period, the number of children enrolled in special schools increased from 5,735 to 7,192 (an increase of 25%).

The issue is that this is a period of six years, not five.

However, notwithstanding that miscalculation, the claim is based on evidence. For more details, read on.

  • Statement

A statement of SEN is a legal document created by the Education Authority in Northern Ireland after formal assessment of a child or young person. It describes the child’s educational needs, the support they need and what educational setting they should attend. Statements are reviewed annually. More information about the process can be found in this fact check from March this year.

In 2023/24, 19% of the overall school population in Northern Ireland had some level of

Special Educational Need. Of these, 40% had a statement.

  • Source

FactCheckNI contacted Mr McGuigan’s office, which replied quickly to point us in the direction of evidence presented to the Committee for Education during a meeting on 10 April this year.

Janis Scallon, Director of Inclusion for the Department of Education, told the Committee that since 2017/18, the number of children with statements of SEN had risen by 51%, alongside an increase of 25% in children attending special schools.

Mr McGuigan’s office also highlighted a BBC NI report about this meeting, which stated that:

“She [Ms Scallon] said there had been a 50% rise in the number of children with a statement of SEN over the past five years and a 25% increase in pupils in special schools.”

  • Figures

According to official data published by the Department of Education (DE) and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA)  – the same data that was presented to the Education Committee by its Director of Inclusion – a total of 17,837 children had a statement of SEN in 2017-18. This had risen to 26,964 in 2023-24. 

This represents an increase of 51% over that period. The issue, however, is that this isn’t five years, it’s six.

The annual publications from DE/NISRA were published before the Education Committee meeting took place (albeit the most recent revision of the 2023-24 figures took place in June), so all this data was available at the time.

For completeness, in 2018-19 official figures stated that there were 18,425 children with a statement of SEN, meaning there was an increase of 46% in the five years to 2023/24.

However, while these represent an error within the finer details, the inaccuracy itself (mistaking six years for five, a miscalculation that initially appeared in the BBC report) isn’t a massive one. FactCheckNI is still prepared to give this part of the check a rating of Accurate with Consideration. Furthermore, 46% can at a stretch be rounded up to 50%.

What about the numbers of children in special schools?

  • Settings

DE’s 2017/18 statistical bulletin on school enrolment reports 5,735 children attended special schools. The 2023/24 bulletin reports 7,192 children attended special schools. This is a 25% increase – but, once more, this is actually a six-year period, not five.

By comparison, in 2018/19, 5,959 children attended special schools. This represents an increase of 21% in the five years to 2023/24.

Again, FactCheckNI has decided to give this a rating of Accurate with Consideration, notwithstanding the miscounting of the number of years involved.

  • Wider context

According to the Education Authority, the numbers explored in this fact check are part of a general upwards trend in the identification of needs among children and young people:

“Along with an increase in numbers, there has been a change in the complexity of need meaning that more children require specialist support often in a smaller class setting.”

In 2023/24, 89% of young people with SEN (all stages) were educated in a mainstream school, as were 74% of those with a statement.

Sometimes, a statement will recommend that young people attend Specialist Provision in Mainstream Schools (SPiMS). 5.6% of all young people with SEN were educated in SPiMS in 2023/24.

Where pupils cannot access education in mainstream schools or SPiMS, their statement may recommend they attend a special school.

Special schools in Northern Ireland cater for young people with particular types of needs. Some focus on autism, learning or physical disabilities, behaviour, hearing or speech. There are 39 special schools in Northern Ireland.In 2023/24, 26% of young people with a statement attended special schools. The vast majority of pupils at special schools in 2023/24 had a statement of SEN (97%).