By Robbie Meredith
BBC News NI education correspondent
There will be a “significant shortfall” in places for pupils in special schools when the new term starts in September.
A letter from the Education Authority (EA) was sent to school principals and governors.
Separately, an EA committee has been told there is a need for more than 850 additional places in special schools.
It asked heads of mainstream primaries if they can open specialist learning support units to admit pupils with severe learning difficulties (SLD).
But Dr Graham Gault of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said the request to schools was being made at “the last moment when the pertinent issues have been widely known for a long time”.
But that will cost more than £80m according to the EA and will not help ease the pressure on special school places in the short term.
More classrooms needed
In the 2022-23, there were almost 7,000 pupils in Northern Ireland’s 39 special schools and a further 3,200 were in specialist provision in mainstream schools.
Those are special classes or units which provide extra support to pupils with additional needs in primaries and post-primaries.
In their letter to heads and governors, the EA said there was a 15% rise in the number of children with a statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN) seeking a school place in 2023.
An EA committee meeting on 6 April was told that meant a need for 853 additional pupil places in special schools and 400 places in specialist classes in mainstream schools.
To cope with those numbers, special schools also need an additional 76 classrooms by September 2023.
But the committee heard that, at present, only 18 of those extra classrooms were confirmed for the start of the new school year.
An additional 49 classes will be needed in mainstream schools.
The EA’s letter to heads and governors said that mainstream primary schools were now being contacted to see if they could open specialist classes for SLD children for September.
It said the primaries would receive support and “staff resourcing” and would be linked to a “neighbouring special school.”
“The introduction of SLD provision in mainstream schools will help to ensure that best use is made of existing resources to provide educational placements for children with SEN across Northern Ireland,” the letter said.
‘Appalling’
The NAHT’s Dr Graham Gault said that the EA had been “put in an impossible situation by the decisions of the Permanent Secretary, the policies of austerity and the failure of the Stormont Executive”.
“It is, frankly, appalling that very significant and life-defining decisions for vulnerable children are being made on the criteria of cost rather than according to their need.”
The NAHT’s Dr Graham Gault said the rising demand has been predicted for some time
“It has been known for quite some time that there has been a projected increase in children with statements of special educational needs,” he added.
Mr Gault said the “system” had again failed to make timely and adequate arrangements to meet requirements.
In a statement to BBC News NI, the EA said that the growth in demand for places for pupils with SEN was most notable for Early Years and Primary 1 children.
“Capacity meetings between the EA and special schools are now complete for September 2023 intake and show there will be a significant shortfall in placements available in our special schools,” the EA said.
“The EA along with the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) and Education Support Bodies are therefore working intensively to ensure there is appropriate provision in place for September 2023.
“The EA is committed to meeting the needs of all children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities and to continued engagement with children, parents, schools and other stakeholders to ensure that children’s placements are high quality and appropriate to meet their assessed needs.”
