Commenting on the Education Policy Institute (EPI) report ‘Access
to special schools in England’, Geoff Barton, General Secretary
of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:
“This is a timely report because it is estimated that the number
of pupils who need places in special schools will increase by
11,000 over the next five years, as part of a general rise in the
pupil population. It is clearly vital that particular thought is
given to how and where these places are provided to ensure that
the distance young people have to travel to school is kept to the
minimum possible. These young people are obviously among the most
vulnerable in our society and must be a priority in terms of
place planning. It is also important that any decisions over
local transport services take into account the needs of pupils
who travel to special schools.”
Note: The predicted number of children requiring special school
places over the next five years is based on National Pupil
Projections: July 2017. Table 1. The full-time equivalent
number of pupils in state-funded special schools in England in
2017 (aged up to and including 15) was 95,000 and the projection
for 2022 is 106,000. The figure in the EPI press release of
110,000 pupils currently in special schools includes 16-19 year
olds. For further information see Schools, Pupils and their
Characteristics: January 2017. Table 1a.
