8 SEND and EHCP data insights schools need to know

What the latest DfE, EEF and Durham University data reveals about identification, EHC plans and the attainment gap

Recent DfE statistics, EEF guidance and new university research together paint a clearer picture of where SEND identification and EHC plan demand stand in England right now. None of these figures diagnose an individual child, but taken together they show schools and families where the pressure points are, and where the evidence says attention is best placed. Here are eight data insights worth knowing.

1. The scale of identified need is larger than many assume

About 1.7 million pupils in England (around 18.4% of pupils) were recorded as having special educational needs in 2024/25, according to the DfE's Special educational needs in England statistics. That is close to one in five pupils in an average classroom, which reframes SEND as a mainstream consideration rather than an exception.

2. Most identified pupils are on SEN support, not an EHC plan

Within that headline figure, 14.2% of pupils were on SEN support and 5.3% had an EHC plan in 2024/25, per the same DfE release. EHC plans remain the minority, higher-complexity tier. Readers wanting the distinction explained plainly can see our guide on SEN support without an EHCP.

3. Nearly four in ten children are flagged with SEND at some point

Annual census snapshots understate the full picture. The Education Policy Institute finds that almost four in ten children are recorded with SEND at some point between ages 5 and 16, based on longitudinal tracking rather than a single-year headcount. Needs and identification can shift across a school career, which is one reason ongoing observation matters more than a one-off label. Our piece on record numbers of UK children with special educational needs looks at this trend in more detail.

4. EHC plan numbers and requests are both climbing

The demand side of the system is under real pressure. There were 638,700 active EHC plans (638,745 in the underlying tables) as of the latest count, up 10.8% year on year, according to DfE's Education, health and care plans statistics. Feeding into that growth, there were 154,500 new EHC needs assessment requests in 2024 (154,489 in the tables), up 11.8% on the previous year.

5. Statutory timelines still apply, even under pressure

Despite rising volumes, the process retains fixed windows. A local authority must decide whether to assess within 6 weeks of a request, and the full process from request to final EHC plan must complete within 20 weeks, per IPSEA's guidance on the SEND Regulations 2014 and SEND Code of Practice 2015. Families and schools tracking a live request can use these figures as a practical benchmark. Our guide on how EHC plans are reserved for the most complex SEND cases covers what this tier is designed for.

6. Specific learning difficulties look substantially under-identified

New 2026 research analysing records of around 540,000 primary-age children in England, from Durham University, found that fewer than 2% of pupils are identified as having a specific learning difficulty, against international estimates that 5 to 10% are affected (see the Durham/The Conversation analysis). This is a screening signal about the system, not a diagnosis for any individual child, but it is a meaningful gap.

7. Identification depends on more than attainment

The same Durham University research found that whether a child is identified depends on school context, gender, family income and first language as well as attainment. This helps explain why two children with similar profiles might have very different experiences of being noticed and supported. Our guide on how schools identify learning difficulties and our piece on undiagnosed SEN students in UK schools both go further into this dynamic.

8. The attainment gap widens well before secondary school

By the end of primary school, the gap between pupils with identified SEND and their peers has, on average, been more than twice as wide as the disadvantage (FSM) gap, according to the EEF's SEND in Mainstream Schools guidance. This is a strong argument for early, evidence-based support rather than waiting for a formal diagnosis or plan.

What this means in practice

Two practical points sit underneath all eight insights. First, schools must not assume a diagnosis is required before identifying SEN or putting support in place, as set out in the SEND Code of Practice 2015. Second, identifying needs depends on teachers' observation and professional judgement working alongside data, not data alone, per the same EEF guidance cited above. Data can flag patterns worth a closer look; it does not replace the classroom relationship or professional judgement.

For families trying to make sense of shifting reports, homework struggles or communication from school, tools like Milo are designed to help parents notice patterns over time and have better-informed conversations with teachers and SENCos, alongside the school's own process, not instead of it. If a family wants a starting point for that conversation, our guide on how to advocate for school support is a useful next step. Every local authority also funds a free, independent SEND information, advice and support service (SENDIASS), which is worth knowing about regardless of where a family sits in the process.

None of these figures are a substitute for individual assessment. Used as curated evidence, though, they give schools and families a clearer, more current sense of where identification pressure and support gaps actually sit. See our SEND glossary for definitions of the terms used throughout this piece.

Sources and further reading

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