Pupils with SEN support in England's schools
Across England's state schools, pupils with sen support averaged 14.5% in January 2025 (21,932 schools). Since 2016 it has risen by 2.6 points, which is good news. Official definition: sen support, january census.
The trend
Trend
Pupils with SEN support
2016 to 2025
All state schoolsPrimarySecondary
Since 2016: +2.6%
Year by year
| Year | All | Primary | Secondary | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | 14.5% | 15.2% | 14.1% | 21,932 |
| January 2024 | 14.0% | 14.4% | 13.5% | 21,155 |
| January 2023 | 13.4% | 13.8% | 12.9% | 20,559 |
| January 2022 | 12.9% | 13.2% | 12.5% | 20,051 |
| January 2021 | 12.6% | 12.8% | 12.1% | 19,588 |
| January 2019 | 12.6% | 12.8% | 11.3% | 18,288 |
| January 2017 | 11.2% | 12.2% | 11.0% | 15,562 |
| January 2016 | 11.8% | 12.1% | 11.2% | 15,185 |
By region
Latest year, best first. The tick is the England figure.
Every council
151 councils ranked, best first. Councils with very few schools swing more from year to year.
| # | Council | Pupils with SEN support | Schools | vs England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brighton and Hove | 19.0% | 63 | +4.5 pts |
| 2 | South Tyneside | 18.9% | 62 | +4.4 pts |
| 3 | Islington | 18.4% | 62 | +4.0 pts |
| 4 | Salford | 18.1% | 94 | +3.7 pts |
| 5 | Greenwich | 17.9% | 90 | +3.5 pts |
| 6 | Rotherham | 17.8% | 120 | +3.4 pts |
| 7 | Knowsley | 17.8% | 61 | +3.3 pts |
| 8 | Hartlepool | 17.8% | 39 | +3.3 pts |
| 9 | Wirral | 17.6% | 117 | +3.2 pts |
| 10 | Camden | 17.5% | 57 | +3.0 pts |
| 11 | County Durham | 17.3% | 256 | +2.9 pts |
| 12 | Halton | 17.1% | 68 | +2.6 pts |
| 13 | Leeds | 17.1% | 274 | +2.6 pts |
| 14 | Coventry | 17.0% | 117 | +2.5 pts |
| 15 | Bristol, City of | 16.9% | 153 | +2.4 pts |
| 16 | Liverpool | 16.7% | 168 | +2.3 pts |
| 17 | Derbyshire | 16.7% | 418 | +2.2 pts |
| 18 | Cornwall | 16.6% | 284 | +2.2 pts |
| 19 | Isle of Wight | 16.5% | 47 | +2.0 pts |
| 20 | St. Helens | 16.3% | 73 | +1.8 pts |
| 21 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 16.2% | 100 | +1.8 pts |
| 22 | Medway | 16.2% | 100 | +1.7 pts |
| 23 | Gloucestershire | 16.1% | 303 | +1.7 pts |
| 24 | Hackney | 16.1% | 75 | +1.6 pts |
| 25 | Southwark | 16.1% | 102 | +1.6 pts |
| 26 | Worcestershire | 15.9% | 249 | +1.5 pts |
| 27 | Dorset | 15.9% | 163 | +1.5 pts |
| 28 | Blackburn with Darwen | 15.9% | 78 | +1.5 pts |
| 29 | Wolverhampton | 15.8% | 108 | +1.4 pts |
| 30 | Herefordshire, County of | 15.8% | 101 | +1.3 pts |
| 31 | Sheffield | 15.8% | 165 | +1.3 pts |
| 32 | Sefton | 15.7% | 105 | +1.3 pts |
| 33 | Sunderland | 15.7% | 118 | +1.3 pts |
| 34 | Oxfordshire | 15.7% | 311 | +1.2 pts |
| 35 | Plymouth | 15.7% | 96 | +1.2 pts |
| 36 | Luton | 15.7% | 68 | +1.2 pts |
| 37 | Sandwell | 15.6% | 123 | +1.2 pts |
| 38 | Kingston upon Hull, City of | 15.6% | 96 | +1.2 pts |
| 39 | Gateshead | 15.6% | 84 | +1.1 pts |
| 40 | Northumberland | 15.5% | 160 | +1.1 pts |
| 41 | Lewisham | 15.5% | 88 | +1.1 pts |
| 42 | Birmingham | 15.5% | 433 | +1.0 pts |
| 43 | Redcar and Cleveland | 15.5% | 61 | +1.0 pts |
| 44 | Devon | 15.5% | 383 | +1.0 pts |
| 45 | Torbay | 15.5% | 44 | +1.0 pts |
| 46 | Tameside | 15.4% | 86 | +1.0 pts |
| 47 | Suffolk | 15.4% | 317 | +1.0 pts |
| 48 | Wigan | 15.4% | 131 | +0.9 pts |
| 49 | North Tyneside | 15.3% | 79 | +0.9 pts |
| 50 | Dudley | 15.3% | 105 | +0.9 pts |
| 51 | Solihull | 15.1% | 82 | +0.7 pts |
| 52 | Doncaster | 15.1% | 131 | +0.6 pts |
| 53 | Bath and North East Somerset | 15.1% | 78 | +0.6 pts |
| 54 | Nottingham | 15.1% | 104 | +0.6 pts |
| 55 | Wiltshire | 15.1% | 231 | +0.6 pts |
| 56 | Reading | 15.1% | 62 | +0.6 pts |
| 57 | Stoke-on-Trent | 15.1% | 100 | +0.6 pts |
| 58 | Lincolnshire | 15.0% | 363 | +0.5 pts |
| 59 | Tower Hamlets | 15.0% | 93 | +0.5 pts |
| 60 | Bury | 14.9% | 76 | +0.5 pts |
| 61 | Telford and Wrekin | 14.9% | 71 | +0.5 pts |
| 62 | Derby | 14.9% | 107 | +0.4 pts |
| 63 | Southampton | 14.9% | 78 | +0.4 pts |
| 64 | North East Lincolnshire | 14.9% | 65 | +0.4 pts |
| 65 | Hammersmith and Fulham | 14.8% | 60 | +0.4 pts |
| 66 | Lambeth | 14.8% | 92 | +0.4 pts |
| 67 | Cumberland | 14.8% | 172 | +0.3 pts |
| 68 | Hounslow | 14.8% | 77 | +0.3 pts |
| 69 | Norfolk | 14.8% | 430 | +0.3 pts |
| 70 | Darlington | 14.7% | 46 | +0.3 pts |
| 71 | Manchester | 14.7% | 179 | +0.2 pts |
| 72 | West Berkshire | 14.6% | 84 | +0.2 pts |
| 73 | Brent | 14.6% | 90 | +0.2 pts |
| 74 | North Yorkshire | 14.6% | 347 | +0.2 pts |
| 75 | Kirklees | 14.5% | 168 | +0.1 pts |
| 76 | West Sussex | 14.4% | 289 | -0.1 pts |
| 77 | Calderdale | 14.4% | 106 | -0.1 pts |
| 78 | Warwickshire | 14.4% | 248 | -0.1 pts |
| 79 | Rochdale | 14.4% | 82 | -0.1 pts |
| 80 | Kensington and Chelsea | 14.4% | 38 | -0.1 pts |
| 81 | Merton | 14.3% | 56 | -0.1 pts |
| 82 | East Sussex | 14.3% | 182 | -0.1 pts |
| 83 | Bradford | 14.3% | 210 | -0.1 pts |
| 84 | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 14.3% | 104 | -0.2 pts |
| 85 | Westmorland and Furness | 14.3% | 155 | -0.2 pts |
| 86 | Croydon | 14.2% | 131 | -0.2 pts |
| 87 | Westminster | 14.2% | 55 | -0.2 pts |
| 88 | Middlesbrough | 14.1% | 57 | -0.3 pts |
| 89 | Hertfordshire | 14.1% | 524 | -0.3 pts |
| 90 | Blackpool | 14.1% | 43 | -0.4 pts |
| 91 | Wakefield | 14.0% | 147 | -0.4 pts |
| 92 | Essex | 14.0% | 558 | -0.4 pts |
| 93 | Cambridgeshire | 13.9% | 282 | -0.5 pts |
| 94 | Staffordshire | 13.9% | 416 | -0.6 pts |
| 95 | Swindon | 13.8% | 87 | -0.6 pts |
| 96 | Newham | 13.8% | 102 | -0.6 pts |
| 97 | Sutton | 13.7% | 62 | -0.7 pts |
| 98 | North Lincolnshire | 13.7% | 84 | -0.7 pts |
| 99 | Milton Keynes | 13.6% | 111 | -0.8 pts |
| 100 | Walsall | 13.6% | 105 | -0.8 pts |
| 101 | Barnsley | 13.6% | 89 | -0.9 pts |
| 102 | Bolton | 13.5% | 126 | -0.9 pts |
| 103 | Buckinghamshire | 13.5% | 236 | -0.9 pts |
| 104 | Portsmouth | 13.5% | 61 | -1.0 pts |
| 105 | West Northamptonshire | 13.4% | 190 | -1.0 pts |
| 106 | Lancashire | 13.4% | 642 | -1.1 pts |
| 107 | Hampshire | 13.4% | 539 | -1.1 pts |
| 108 | Thurrock | 13.4% | 56 | -1.1 pts |
| 109 | Wandsworth | 13.3% | 83 | -1.1 pts |
| 110 | Waltham Forest | 13.3% | 77 | -1.1 pts |
| 111 | Barking and Dagenham | 13.3% | 63 | -1.2 pts |
| 112 | Cheshire West and Chester | 13.2% | 154 | -1.2 pts |
| 113 | South Gloucestershire | 13.2% | 111 | -1.2 pts |
| 114 | Bedford | 13.2% | 74 | -1.3 pts |
| 115 | Kingston upon Thames | 13.1% | 51 | -1.3 pts |
| 116 | Leicestershire | 13.1% | 306 | -1.4 pts |
| 117 | Bracknell Forest | 13.1% | 36 | -1.4 pts |
| 118 | Kent | 13.0% | 620 | -1.4 pts |
| 119 | Hillingdon | 13.0% | 95 | -1.4 pts |
| 120 | Southend-on-Sea | 13.0% | 52 | -1.4 pts |
| 121 | Oldham | 13.0% | 99 | -1.4 pts |
| 122 | Bromley | 13.0% | 105 | -1.5 pts |
| 123 | Stockport | 12.9% | 111 | -1.5 pts |
| 124 | Stockton-on-Tees | 12.9% | 76 | -1.5 pts |
| 125 | Warrington | 12.9% | 80 | -1.6 pts |
| 126 | Peterborough | 12.9% | 83 | -1.6 pts |
| 127 | Leicester | 12.8% | 112 | -1.6 pts |
| 128 | Somerset | 12.8% | 272 | -1.7 pts |
| 129 | Haringey | 12.7% | 79 | -1.7 pts |
| 130 | Bexley | 12.6% | 85 | -1.8 pts |
| 131 | East Riding of Yorkshire | 12.6% | 153 | -1.8 pts |
| 132 | Enfield | 12.5% | 96 | -2.0 pts |
| 133 | Windsor and Maidenhead | 12.4% | 70 | -2.0 pts |
| 134 | Shropshire | 12.4% | 148 | -2.0 pts |
| 135 | Surrey | 12.3% | 396 | -2.2 pts |
| 136 | Barnet | 12.2% | 132 | -2.3 pts |
| 137 | Central Bedfordshire | 12.1% | 128 | -2.4 pts |
| 138 | North Northamptonshire | 12.0% | 141 | -2.4 pts |
| 139 | Redbridge | 11.9% | 82 | -2.6 pts |
| 140 | Havering | 11.9% | 83 | -2.6 pts |
| 141 | Trafford | 11.8% | 88 | -2.6 pts |
| 142 | Nottinghamshire | 11.7% | 329 | -2.7 pts |
| 143 | Ealing | 11.7% | 91 | -2.7 pts |
| 144 | Cheshire East | 11.7% | 155 | -2.8 pts |
| 145 | Slough | 11.6% | 51 | -2.8 pts |
| 146 | York | 11.4% | 63 | -3.1 pts |
| 147 | Rutland | 11.3% | 24 | -3.1 pts |
| 148 | Richmond upon Thames | 11.0% | 60 | -3.5 pts |
| 149 | North Somerset | 10.4% | 79 | -4.0 pts |
| 150 | Harrow | 10.3% | 62 | -4.2 pts |
| 151 | Wokingham | 9.8% | 61 | -4.6 pts |
How to read this
Each figure is a simple average across open state schools that have the measure published. A school counts once whatever its size, so the figures can differ a little from the Department for Education's national figures, which count pupils. Special schools and alternative provision are left out of results measures. Independent schools are left out throughout. Sources and update calendar.