(England) Half of suspended students have special needs

July 10, 2025, LDT: Children with SEN make up half of all school suspensions

https://www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/sen-children-make-up-half-all-school-suspensions/

New analysis from a coalition of charities reveals that half of all children suspended from school have special educational needs (SEN). The coalition is calling for additional funding for schools to help prevent these exclusions.

The Who is Losing Learning Coalition, formed of IPPR, The Difference, Impetus and Mission 44, analysed Department for Education data on suspensions and permanent exclusions in England and found that the rates of lost learning for children with autism have increased by 29% and by 20% for children with mental health needs.

It wants the government to address this growing issue in its upcoming Schools White Paper by ring-fencing funding for prevention, so that children can be supported before their needs spiral.

Addressing exclusions would save £1.9 billion [$2.6B]

The analysis shows £1.9 billion will be lost to the Exchequer for last year’s excluded cohort. When children are told to leave their school permanently, they go on to cost the state £170,000 [$230,000] over a lifetime in reduced earnings, welfare use, and criminal justice costs.

They say that a £850 million [$1.1b] investment would support half a million of the most at-risk children, and would save as much as it costs.

Avnee Morjaria, associate director at IPPR, said: “Thousands of children remain persistently absent, excluded, or drifting through the system unnoticed – and the numbers are rising. Those hardest hit are often the most disadvantaged: children from low-income families, those with special educational needs, and those from minority ethnic backgrounds.

“Schools are overstretched and under-supported, and without urgent action, we risk letting this crisis of lost learning become a lasting legacy. We need bold reform, investing in a system that is inclusive by design instead of support being locked behind legislative thresholds”

A record number of 34 million school days were lost due to suspensions and unauthorised absences in 2023/24, up from 32 million last year.

Lost learning and SEN

Children on free school meals are more than four times likely to be suspended from school, and almost half (45%) of all children suspended have special educational needs.

Local authorities (LAs) with the highest poverty levels are worst affected by lost learning – five of the hardest-hit areas have around two in five children in poverty.

Jason Arthur, CEO at Mission 44, was founded by Sir Lewis Hamilton, added: “These figures expose a system that is unable to support thousands of young people — especially those on the margins, who remain significantly more likely to be excluded from school.

“For too long, disadvantage and discrimination have created barriers to learning, denying opportunity and writing off potential. When children are sent home instead of being supported, it isn’t just a failure of the system – it’s a failure of justice.”