Special educational needs in England
Academic year 2022/23

Description

This document describes the data included in the ‘Special educational needs in England’ National Statistics release’s underlying data files. This data is released under the terms of the  Open Government License (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/) and is intended to meet at least 3 stars for  Open Data (https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/improving-the-transparency-and-accountability-of-government-and-its-services/supporting-pages/releasing-data-in-open-formats).

The publication methodology, available on the publication report, should be referenced alongside this data. It provides information on the data sources, their coverage and quality as well as explaining methodology used in producing the data.

Coverage

This release provides information on the number of schools and pupils in:

- state-funded primary schools
- state-funded secondary schools
- state-funded special schools
- non-maintained special schools
- state-funded alternative provision schools (includes pupil referral units, alternative provision academies and free schools)
- independent schools

It includes information on:

- pupil numbers, including, SEN provision, SEN type of need gender, ethnicity, language and free school meals eligibility
- school numbers, including resourced provision, SEN units and approved provisions (special schools only)

The information is based on data collected via the pupil level spring school census, school level annual school census, general hospital schools census and alternative provision census.

File formats and conventions

Rounding

This dataset has not had suppression applied.

Conventions

The following convention is used throughout the underlying data.

‘x’ Not applicable

‘z’ Not available

Data files

Pupils in all schools, by type of SEN provision - including independent schools and general hospital schools - 2016 to 2023

Filename: sen_phase_type_.csv
Geographic levels: Local authority; National; Regional
Time period: 2015/16 to 2022/23
Content summary: Number of pupils in state-funded nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, non-maintained special schools, AP schools and independent schools by SEN provision, type of need and school type

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name          |  Variable description
---------------------  |  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ehc_plan               |  EHC plans
ehc_plan_percent       |  EHC plans (percent)
hospital_school        |  Hospital school flag - Yes/No
phase_type_grouping    |  Phase type of school - Phase (primary, secondary, special, AP school, independent)
sen_support            |  SEN support/SEN without an EHC plan
sen_support_percent    |  SEN support/SEN without an EHC plan (percent)
total_pupils           |  Headcount
type_of_establishment  |  School type detail - For example - academy converter, community school, independent special

Footnotes:

1. Includes state-funded nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, non-maintained special schools, state-funded alternative provision schools and independent schools
2. Includes pupils with SEN support in state-funded schools and pupils with SEN without an EHC plan in Independent schools
3. EHC plans also includes statements of SEN. Statements were phased out from 2014 to 2018


Age and Gender, by type of SEN provision and type of need - 2016 to 2023

Filename: sen_age_gender_.csv
Geographic levels: Local authority; National; Regional
Time period: 2015/16 to 2022/23
Content summary: Number of pupils in state-funded nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, non-maintained special schools and AP schools by SEN provision, type of need, age and gender.

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name               |  Variable description
--------------------------  |  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
age_10                      |  Age 10
age_10_percent              |  Age 10 (%)
age_11                      |  Age 11
age_11_percent              |  Age 11 (%)
age_12                      |  Age 12
age_12_percent              |  Age 12 (%)
age_13                      |  Age 13
age_13_percent              |  Age 13 (%)
age_14                      |  Age 14
age_14_percent              |  Age 14 (%)
age_15                      |  Age 15
age_15_percent              |  Age 15 (%)
age_16                      |  Age 16
age_16_percent              |  Age 16 (%)
age_17                      |  Age 17
age_17_percent              |  Age 17 (%)
age_18                      |  Age 18
age_18_percent              |  Age 18 (%)
age_19_and_over             |  Age 19 and over
age_19_and_over_percent     |  Age 19 and over (%)
age_2_and_under             |  Age 2 and under
age_2_and_under_percent     |  Age 2 and under (%)
age_3                       |  Age 3
age_3_percent               |  Age 3 (%)
age_4                       |  Age 4
age_4_percent               |  Age 4 (%)
age_5                       |  Age 5
age_5_percent               |  Age 5 (%)
age_6                       |  Age 6
age_6_percent               |  Age 6 (%)
age_7                       |  Age 7
age_7_percent               |  Age 7 (%)
age_8                       |  Age 8
age_8_percent               |  Age 8 (%)
age_9                       |  Age 9
age_9_percent               |  Age 9 (%)
number_of_pupils            |  Headcount
phase_type_grouping         |  Phase type of school - Phase (primary, secondary, special, PRU, independent)
primary_need                |  Primary type of need - (ASD, HI, VI…)
pupil_gender_boys           |  Boys
pupil_gender_boys_percent   |  Boys (%)
pupil_gender_girls          |  Girls
pupil_gender_girls_percent  |  Girls (%)
pupil_sen_status            |  SEN provision - EHC plan/Statement of SEN or SEN support/School Action/School Action plus

Footnotes:

1. EHC plans also includes statements of SEN. Statements were phased out from 2014 to 2018
2. Includes state-funded nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, non-maintained special schools and state-funded alternative provision schools. Does not include independent schools.


Year group, by type of SEN provision and type of need - 2016 to 2023

Filename: sen_ncyear_.csv
Geographic levels: Local authority; National; Regional
Time period: 2015/16 to 2022/23
Content summary: Number of pupils in state-funded nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, non-maintained special schools and AP schools by SEN provision, type of need and national curriculum year.

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name            |  Variable description
-----------------------  |  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
nc_early_years           |  Early years
nc_early_years_percent   |  Early years (%)
nc_not_followed          |  National curriculum not followed
nc_not_followed_percent  |  National curriculum not followed (%)
nc_reception             |  Reception
nc_reception_percent     |  Reception (%)
nc_year_1                |  Year group  1
nc_year_1_percent        |  Year group  1 (%)
nc_year_10               |  Year group  10
nc_year_10_percent       |  Year group  10 (%)
nc_year_11               |  Year group  11
nc_year_11_percent       |  Year group  11 (%)
nc_year_12               |  Year group  12
nc_year_12_percent       |  Year group  12 (%)
nc_year_13               |  Year group  13
nc_year_13_percent       |  Year group  13 (%)
nc_year_14               |  Year group  14
nc_year_14_percent       |  Year group  14 (%)
nc_year_2                |  Year group  2
nc_year_2_percent        |  Year group  2 (%)
nc_year_3                |  Year group  3
nc_year_3_percent        |  Year group  3 (%)
nc_year_4                |  Year group  4
nc_year_4_percent        |  Year group  4 (%)
nc_year_5                |  Year group  5
nc_year_5_percent        |  Year group  5 (%)
nc_year_6                |  Year group  6
nc_year_6_percent        |  Year group  6 (%)
nc_year_7                |  Year group  7
nc_year_7_percent        |  Year group  7 (%)
nc_year_8                |  Year group  8
nc_year_8_percent        |  Year group  8 (%)
nc_year_9                |  Year group  9
nc_year_9_percent        |  Year group  9 (%)
number_of_pupils         |  Headcount
phase_type_grouping      |  Phase type of school - Phase (primary, secondary, special, AP schools, independent)
primary_need             |  Primary type of need - (ASD, HI, VI…)
pupil_sen_status         |  SEN provision - EHC plan/Statement of SEN or SEN support/School Action/School Action plus

Footnotes:

1. EHC plans also includes statements of SEN. Statements were phased out from 2014 to 2018
2. Includes state-funded nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, non-maintained special schools and state-funded alternative provision schools. Does not include independent schools.


FSM, Ethnicity and Language, by type of SEN provision and type of need - 2016 to 2023

Filename: sen_fsm_ethnicity_language_.csv
Geographic levels: Local authority; National; Regional
Time period: 2015/16 to 2022/23
Content summary: Number of pupils in state-funded nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, non-maintained special schools and AP schools by SEN provision, type of need, free school meal eligibility, language and ethnicity.

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name                                  |  Variable description
---------------------------------------------  |  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ethnicity_any_other_asian_background           |  Asian - any other Asian background
ethnicity_any_other_asian_background_percent   |  Asian - any other Asian background (%)
ethnicity_any_other_black_background           |  Black - Any other Black background
ethnicity_any_other_black_background_percent   |  Black - Any other Black background (%)
ethnicity_any_other_ethnic_group               |  Any other ethnic group
ethnicity_any_other_ethnic_group_percent       |  Any other ethnic group (%)
ethnicity_any_other_mixed_background           |  Mixed - Any other mixed background
ethnicity_any_other_mixed_background_percent   |  Mixed - Any other mixed background (%)
ethnicity_any_other_white_background           |  White - any other White background
ethnicity_any_other_white_background_percent   |  White - any other White background (%)
ethnicity_bangladeshi                          |  Asian - Bangladeshi
ethnicity_bangladeshi_percent                  |  Asian - Bangladeshi (%)
ethnicity_black_african                        |  Black - Black African
ethnicity_black_african_percent                |  Black - Black African (%)
ethnicity_black_caribbean                      |  Black - Black Caribbean
ethnicity_black_caribbean_percent              |  Black - Black Caribbean (%)
ethnicity_chinese                              |  Asian - Chinese
ethnicity_chinese_percent                      |  Asian - Chinese (%)
ethnicity_gypsy_roma                           |  White - Gypsy/Roma
ethnicity_gypsy_roma_percent                   |  White - Gypsy/Roma (%)
ethnicity_indian                               |  Asian - Indian
ethnicity_indian_percent                       |  Asian - Indian (%)
ethnicity_irish                                |  White - Irish
ethnicity_irish_percent                        |  White - Irish (%)
ethnicity_pakistani                            |  Asian - Pakistani
ethnicity_pakistani_percent                    |  Asian - Pakistani (%)
ethnicity_traveller_of_irish_heritage          |  White - Traveller of Irish heritage
ethnicity_traveller_of_irish_heritage_percent  |  White - Traveller of Irish heritage (%)
ethnicity_unclassified                         |  Unclassified
ethnicity_unclassified_percent                 |  Unclassified (%)
ethnicity_white_and_asian                      |  Mixed - White and Asian
ethnicity_white_and_asian_percent              |  Mixed - White and Asian (%)
ethnicity_white_and_black_african              |  Mixed - White and Black African
ethnicity_white_and_black_african_percent      |  Mixed - White and Black African (%)
ethnicity_white_and_black_caribbean            |  Mixed - White and Black Caribbean
ethnicity_white_and_black_caribbean_percent    |  Mixed - White and Black Caribbean (%)
ethnicity_white_british                        |  White - White British
ethnicity_white_british_percent                |  White - White British (%)
fsm_eligible                                   |  Eligible for free school meals
fsm_eligible_percent                           |  Eligible for free school meals (%)
fsm_not_eligible                               |  Not eligible for free school meals
fsm_not_eligible_percent                       |  Not eligible for free school meals (%)
language_english                               |  First language is known to be, or believed to be English
language_english_percent                       |  First language is known to be, or believed to be English (%)
language_other                                 |  First language is known to be, or believed to be, other than English
language_other_percent                         |  First language is known to be, or believed to be, other than English (%)
language_unclassified                          |  First language unclassified
language_unclassified_percent                  |  First language unclassified (%)
number_of_pupils                               |  Headcount
phase_type_grouping                            |  Phase type of school - Phase (primary, secondary, special, PRU (AP school), independent)
primary_need                                   |  Primary type of need - (ASD, HI, VI…)
pupil_sen_status                               |  SEN provision - EHC plan/Statement of SEN or SEN support/School Action/School Action plus

Footnotes:

1. EHC plans also includes statements of SEN. Statements were phased out from 2014 to 2018
2. Includes state-funded nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, non-maintained special schools and state-funded alternative provision schools. Does not include independent schools.


Secondary need, by type of SEN provision and type of need - 2016 to 2023

Filename: sen_secondary_need_.csv
Geographic levels: Local authority; National; Regional
Time period: 2015/16 to 2022/23
Content summary: Number of pupils in state-funded nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, non-maintained special schools and AP schools by SEN provision, primary type of need and secondary type of need

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name                |  Variable description
---------------------------  |  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
number_of_pupils             |  Headcount
phase_type_grouping          |  Phase type of school - Phase (primary, secondary, special, PRU, independent)
primary_need                 |  Primary type of need - (ASD, HI, VI…)
pupil_sen_status             |  SEN provision - EHC plan/Statement of SEN or SEN support/School Action/School Action plus
secondary_need_asd           |  Autistic Spectrum Disorder
secondary_need_asd_percent   |  Autistic Spectrum Disorder (%)
secondary_need_hi            |  Hearing impairment
secondary_need_hi_percent    |  Hearing impairment (%)
secondary_need_mld           |  Moderate Learning  Difficulty
secondary_need_mld_percent   |  Moderate Learning  Difficulty (%)
secondary_need_msi           |  Multi-sensory Impairment
secondary_need_msi_percent   |  Multi-sensory Impairment (%)
secondary_need_nsa           |  SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need
secondary_need_nsa_percent   |  SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (%)
secondary_need_oth           |  Other Difficulty or Disability
secondary_need_oth_percent   |  Other Difficulty or Disability (%)
secondary_need_pd            |  Physical Disability
secondary_need_pd_percent    |  Physical Disability (%)
secondary_need_pmld          |  Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
secondary_need_pmld_percent  |  Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty (%)
secondary_need_semh          |  Social, Emotional and Mental Health
secondary_need_semh_percent  |  Social, Emotional and Mental Health (%)
secondary_need_slcn          |  Speech, Language and Communications needs
secondary_need_slcn_percent  |  Speech, Language and Communications needs (%)
secondary_need_sld           |  Severe Learning Difficulty
secondary_need_sld_percent   |  Severe Learning Difficulty (%)
secondary_need_spld          |  Specific Learning Difficulty
secondary_need_spld_percent  |  Specific Learning Difficulty (%)
secondary_need_vi            |  Visual impairment
secondary_need_vi_percent    |  Visual impairment (%)

Footnotes:

1. EHC plans also includes statements of SEN. Statements were phased out from 2014 to 2018
2. Includes state-funded nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, non-maintained special schools and state-funded alternative provision schools. Does not include independent schools.
