News · 12 June 2026

One in five pupils now need extra help: The school system's new pressure

Unsplash / Adam Winger

It's a huge rise in children needing extra support, showing big pressure on schools and local councils. The Department for Education's annual data shows the number of EHCPs, or individual support plans, rose 11.6% this year. This means 538,500 children now have an EHCP, and 21% of all pupils have some form of special needs.

By BriefTea Editorial · 12 June 2026 at 10:35

Reported by The Guardian · How we write briefs

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