Special Educational Needs: support in England
An overview of the current system of support for children and young people with special educational needs, and pressure on the system. Updated with new 2024-25 SEND incidence and EHC plan data

Read the Government’s response and arguments about the teaching of Black history and the compulsory cultural diversity of the school curriculum ahead of the debate on e-petition 324092
Black history and cultural diversity of the curriculum (232 KB , PDF)
On 28 June 2021, there will be a Westminster Hall Debate on e-petition 324092, “Teach Britain’s colonial past as part of the UK’s compulsory curriculum”. The petition called for the Government to make education on topics such as Britain’s role in colonisation, or the transatlantic slave trade, compulsory, ultimately aiming for “a far more inclusive curriculum”. It continued:
Now, more than ever, we must turn to education and history to guide us. But vital information has been withheld from the people by institutions meant to educate them. By educating on the events of the past, we can forge a better future. Colonial powers must own up to their pasts by raising awareness of the forced labour of Black people, past and present mistreatment of BAME people, and most importantly, how this contributes to the unfair systems of power at the foundation of our modern society.
The petition attracted nearly 270,000 signatures; the Government provided an amended response in July 2020.
This debate pack provides background on what schools currently have to teach, on calls for change, and what the Government has said about these issues.
Black history and cultural diversity of the curriculum (232 KB , PDF)
An overview of the current system of support for children and young people with special educational needs, and pressure on the system. Updated with new 2024-25 SEND incidence and EHC plan data
A debate on the attainment and engagement of boys in education is scheduled to take place in the House of Commons Chamber on Thursday 10 July 2025. The subject for the debate was determined by the Backbench Business Committee, and the debate will be led by Sam Rushworth MP.
This paper provides statistics on household food insecurity, food bank usage and free school meals in the UK, and tracks the impact of rising living costs.