Our 2025 key facts report covers the statistics on EHCP numbers and their distribution across age groups, placement patterns in FE settings, growth in specialist post-16 colleges, plan cessations and NEET learners, primary need profiles, DfE funding figures, residential and work-based learning placements, and the characteristics of learners with EHCPs.
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The latest data shows that the number of EHCPs has continued to rise, with a increase in the rate of post-16 EHCP growth. This growth will likely create a sustained period of pressure on FE settings. As larger cohorts move through the system, the demand for both mainstream and specialist places will intensify. The majority of learners in FE with EHCPs continue to be supported in mainstream settings, but specialist FE providers (referred to as ‘specialist post-16 institutions’ in data releases) continue to support large numbers of the FE cohort, currently totalling over 9,500 learners. The share of learners with an EHCP in specialist FE providers has remained consistent over the past decade, at 10% – far lower than the roughly 42% who are educated in specialist settings at the schools level. This stability suggests a persistent demand for specialist provision that is unlikely to be absorbed by mainstream settings, as SPIs are already serving a small portion of the overall number of learners.
Whilst specialist FE settings are serving a growing number of learners, they are doing so with a smaller amount of funding per place. Whilst the number of learners in specialist FE settings has grown from just over 3,000 to over 9,500 from 2017 to 2025, the average top-up funding per place in specialist FE settings has fallen from £50,000 to £36,000 in the same period. This widening mismatch between demand and funding will likely constrain capacity for providers.
Other patterns in the data point to further systemic pressures. A growing number of young people are leaving education before their legal entitlement ends, often recorded as “no longer wishing to engage in education.” This raises serious questions about whether these are voluntary exits or if they reflect underlying issues, such as funding pressures, limited progression options, or inadequate transition planning.
This data provides crucial context for the government’s upcoming reforms of the SEND and FE systems. The ambition to create a “more inclusive mainstream”, but this evidence highlights why a nuanced approach to reform is essential. The increasing pressure on the system is driven by a variety of factors including increasing complexity of need, demographic growth, and the after-effects of the pandemic. Understanding these drivers is essential for shaping future policy. Reform must also consider that the FE sector is already highly inclusive, and specialist provision within it is operating under significant financial pressure. Any generalized reforms targeting “expensive” specialist provision risk harming a sector that is essential for the most complex learners.