Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure estimates of demand for SEND support in each local authority area are accurate.

The school capacity survey (SCAP) collects data on the capacity of state-funded special schools and special educational needs (SEN) units and resourced provision in mainstream schools. The survey also collects local authority forecasts of the number of resident pupils with an education, health and care plan who require a specialist provision place. Data were first collected in 2023, and the latest data for 2023/24 is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-capacity/2023-24.

The department provides survey guidance to support local authority forecasting. Whatever forecasting method a local authority chooses, the process should be robust and analytically sound. The guidance is available at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-capacity-survey-guide-for-local-authorities.

The department recognises the challenges of forecasting demand for specialist provision and expects close collaboration between local authority capital, high needs revenue, and special educational needs and disabilities and alternative provision teams to ensure forecasts are realistic and reflect the local authority’s overarching strategy for delivery of SEN provision.

In the first two years of data collection, the department undertook data validation focused on ensuring completeness, and identifying and helping local authorities with the aim of improving understanding and quality of data. These validations will continue to be enhanced for future SCAP collections.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places sits with local authorities.