AQW 26227/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Education
To ask the Minister of Education to detail (i) the number of school transport exceptional circumstances appeals that have been successful since the establishment of the appeals process; and (ii) the number of applications in respect of pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs that were successful.
Asked by Michelle Guy MLA on 28 April 2025
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 28 April 2025
- Answer due by
- 14 May 2025
- Answered
- 9 May 202511 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Education
- Priority question
- No
Answer
The EA has provided the information below in relation to the number of transport appeals received on the basis of exceptional circumstances and the number which were successful. Records are only available from 2017/18 when the EA transport service was regionalised.
| Academic Year | Appeals Received | Successful Appeals |
| 2017/18 | 185 | 34 |
| 2018/19 | 111 | 13 |
| 2019/20 | 196 | 29 |
| 2020/21 | 235 | 17 |
| 2021/22 | 324 | 26 |
| 2022/23 | 400 | 14 |
| 2023/24 | 391 | 16 |
| 2024/25 | 441 | 5 |
(ii) The EA has advised that it does not formally record whether or not a pupil has a statement of Special Educational Needs when an appeal is received.