Enabling students with special educational needs to receive an education that meets their needs is a priority for this Government. It is also a key priority for me, my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
The vast majority of students with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where students with more complex needs require additional supports, special class and special school places are provided. This is in keeping with policy on an inclusive education, which advocates that students will be supported to receive an education in the most inclusive setting possible.
The NCSE has verified that 7,860 children and young people notified to them by 1 October 2025 meet the requirements for a special class or special school place for the 2026/2027 school year. Further children have come forward after this date, and this will continue right up to September 2026.
Approximately 7,000 of the 7,860 children and young people have a diagnosis of autism. There are generally an adequate number of available places for children and young people with other diagnosis. The focus therefore continues to be on providing new places for children and young people with autism.
That data continues to be reviewed and analysed by the NCSE, who continue to engage with families. It is the experience of the NCSE that some families who contacted them may decide not to apply for a special education place. This may be where a place is not in a particular school of choice of where a student is already being supported appropriately in their existing school.
Data available to the NCSE shows that approximately 75% of the children and young people who came forward by the 1 October deadline are already enrolled in school. Nearly 1,400 are younger pre-school children.
As in previous years, the priority group for access to specialist placements for 2026/27 school year are for those without a school place namely:
• Younger children moving into primary school,
• children moving from primary to post primary school, and
• children without a school place such as those moving from one area to another or where a previous placement has broken down.
Budget 2026 initially provided for 3,000 new places. There are over 2,500 places also available through the normal annual movement of students from primary to post-primary and finishing school. The funding approved by Government last week will allow us to provide further new special class and special school places over and above the 3,000 new places already budgeted for.
This work continues and new special classes will continue to be confirmed over the coming weeks. Each of these new special classes will be allocated 1 teacher (1.5 teachers at post-primary) and 2 special needs assistants (SNA)s.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to achieve their full potential.
