(UK) NI: 'There are quite complex children'; 'they definitely need a lot of resourcing to help them'

 June 26, 2025, BBC News: Boy without SEN school place 'lonely and in limbo' 

A young boy with special educational needs (SEN) has spoken of his sadness at being the only pupil in his class without a school place for next year.

Isobel Woodhead's grandson Ethan told BBC News NI: "I will be the only one who will be lonely."

He is among an estimated 164 pupils across Northern Ireland who do not have an confirmed offer for September 2025.

Ethan and his grandmother took part in a protest over the lack of provision for SEN children which was held outside the Education Authority (EA) building in Belfast. . . .

Ms Woodhead explained that Ethan has made "brilliant" progress in school over the last four years because he has had one-to-one support from his teacher.

"Before he couldn't write, read, and now he can but he needs that special attention", she said.

"He's left now with nothing and he feels himself that nobody wants him because he's stupid - and he's not a bit stupid." . . .

The EA has described the lack of available SEN places as a "crisis".

It recently wrote to principals informing them it was considering an unprecedented move to instruct some schools to admit SEN children.

But Northern Ireland's independent autism reviewer has said such a move would be "wholly unacceptable".

"I haven't seen any evidence that any school is saying: 'I don't want these children,'" Ms Cubitt told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.

"What we're hearing is: 'We're concerned that we won't be able to support these children,' and I think that's fair enough." . . .

Teaching unions have raised concerns that not all schools have the required training and facilities in place to cater for pupils with complex needs at short notice.

Ms Cubitt said highlighting those problems was "entirely reasonable", adding it was not reluctance but "because they care." . . .

She said special units within mainstream schools are "very good environments" for many SEN children, but not all pupils can be accommodated.

"They definitely need a lot of resourcing to help them. They need OT (occupational therapy) equipment, they need access to OTs (occupational therapists), to speech therapists.

"There are quite complex children who are now going into these unit environments."

School leaders 'angered' by delays

St Paul's Primary School in west Belfast currently offers specialist provision classes for 16 pupils.

Its principal, Sean McNamee, said the demand means the school could "easily" fill another class, but does not have the appropriate space.

In June 2024, Mr McNamee asked the EA for additional modular accommodation in order to increase its capacity, but was told it was not feasible at the time.

"In September 2024 they asked us if we were still interested, we said we were," he told BBC News NI.

"And only a week, a week and a half ago, we got an email through to say that they would happily take us up on that offer, but it would be December 2026 before the modular accommodation could be delivered."

Mr McNamee said that long-term solutions are needed, instead of last-minute panic at the end of term time. . . .

"The problem is the Education Authority are going from crisis to crisis to crisis, instead of fixing the problem." . . .

The EA recently identified 58 schools in locations facing pressure for schools spaces which it believed would be able to enrol SEN pupils.

However, it said only one of those schools responded with a confirmed offer.

In a statement on Thursday, the EA said it was a "critical priority" for all children to be placed in an appropriate school, and it was following up with schools to see if additional places could be created.

They added they know it is an anxious time for children and their families and those without a secured place at the end of June would be allocated a Family Support Link Officer until a place is found.