AQW 24834/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Education
To ask the Minister of Education to detail the number of children and young people with Severe Learning Difficulties in special schools in the last five years.
Asked by Michelle Guy MLA on 21 March 2025
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 21 March 2025
- Answer due by
- 7 April 2025
- Answered
- 26 March 20255 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Education
- Priority question
- No
Answer
School Census information below shows the number of pupils enrolled in special schools who were recorded as having Severe Learning Difficulties 2019/20 to 2024/25. This information relates to census day which is the Friday of the first full week in October.
| Academic Year | No. of pupils |
| 2019/20 | 3,137 |
| 2020/21 | 3,341 |
| 2021/22 | 3,605 |
| 2022/23 | 3,925 |
| 2023/24 | No data available |
| 2024/25 | 4,648 |
Source: Northern Ireland School Census
Notes
The 2023/24 School Census data collection was impacted by industrial action, due to Action Short of Strike.