Fewer pupils, greater needs. What does that mean for SEND in schools?
The UK’s birth rate is at a historic low. In 2023, England and Wales recorded the fewest births in over two decades. Fewer children are entering the school system, but that hasn’t led to less pressure on SEND in schools.
In fact, the challenge is changing.
While overall pupil numbers are declining, the number of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) is still rising. Nearly one in five pupils in England now has identified SEND. More than half a million children have an EHCP, and that number continues to grow each year (DofE, 2024).
Schools are seeing smaller cohorts, but far more complex needs. Diagnoses are becoming more common, and rightly so, thanks to earlier identification and stronger advocacy. But the systems around them haven’t fully caught up.
At Sense Education we work closely with schools who are adapting to this shift every day. They’re not just looking for staff. They’re looking for people who understand the importance of calm, consistent support. People who know that inclusion isn’t a trend; it’s a mindset.
Falling pupil numbers does not mean less work for SEND in schools. If anything, it brings the needs of individual children into even sharper focus.
The challenges may be changing, but the goal remains the same: to provide the right support, at the right time, for every child who needs it.
