The Education Authority (EA) is embarking on stage two of its five-year operational plan, with the focus on addressing issues within the special education system.
The latest projections show that by 2032, an extra 1,648 special education places in schools will be required, raising the number to 3,584 in mainstream schools.
That rise is despite the projection that primary schools will need 14,158 fewer places in 10 years’ time.
It places additional pressure on the EA to find those places, though Education Minister Paul Givan has already started the process by urging primary schools to come forward to offer additional classroom space through SPIMS (specialist provision In mainstream schools). Special schools in Northern Ireland currently provide educational provision for 7,192 pupils
Assistant director of education for the EA, Seamus Bradley, said that “ultimately, every school in Northern Ireland needs to look at how to adjust” to the changing landscape.
Unlike two years ago, when the current three-phase, five-year operational plan was initially launched, the EA has not named schools which may come under threat of closure.
Instead, the EA said it will be looking at the overall picture area by area, assessing need and working with schools and communities to plot the best way forward in providing the best quality educational experience for every child.
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The emphasis, though, remains on providing a network of “viable and financially sustainable schools that are of the right type, the right size, located in the right place at the right time, with a focus on raising standards over the two years 2024-25”.
Initially, there will be a focus on the primary school network, with a priority “in respect to sustainability”.
Currently, rural primary schools with fewer than 105 pupils are considered unsustainable, with schools in towns and cities expected to have an enrolment of 140 pupils.
EA statistics show that 181 rural primary schools from a total of 432 are currently below the current sustainable number level. In urban areas, only 32 of 343 primary schools remain below the sustainable level.
Across Northern Ireland, that means some 213 of the total of 775 primary schools are below the required enrolment. Earlier this week, Mr Givan confirmed the closure of Lack PS in Fermanagh and Balnamore PS in Ballymoney on sustainability grounds.
Figures also show there is an almost even split between controlled (351) and Catholic maintained (349) primary schools here, and an almost even split of pupils numbers between the sectors – Catholic maintained having 76,484 pupils in attendance and controlled schools a total of 76,647.
The integrated sector (controlled and grant maintained) account for controlled integrated 49 schools, with a pupil count of 11,268.
“The plan responds to projected changes in Northern Ireland’s pupil population, which is projected to decrease overall in the next 10 years, while demand for SEN places is increasing,” said Mr Bradley.
“In line with the Minister of Education’s recent statement, Operational Plan 2 will develop a ‘SEN first’ approach to area planning.
“A critical focus of the plan is to engage with schools, parents and communities to discuss their future needs, and to ensure that children with special educational needs have access to an appropriate place at their nearest suitable school.
“Operational Plan 2 – 2024-26’ supports the Northern Ireland Draft Programme for Government 2024-2027, which outlines the need to plan for future special needs provision in a coherent and measured way.
“Given the changing pupil profile, all schools will continue to plan how they can best meet the needs of all children, particularly those with special educational needs. We need to ensure there are sufficient places in both special schools and specialist provision in mainstream schools to effectively meet the needs of local communities.
“I would ask that schools, families and communities join us on this journey and engage in this important work to achieve effective and sustainable solutions for future provision, which will deliver the best educational outcomes for all children and young people.”
The EA stressed there is now “a critical and imminent requirement for all schools to include pupils with identified additional needs in their provision. Partnership working with all stakeholders including Health and Social Care Trusts will be a priority throughout this operational Plan”.
Emphasising the need to prioritise special education places, Mr Givan said: “Children with special educational needs, their families and schools have, for too long, felt frustrated by a system that doesn’t fully meet their needs.
“Evidence from emerging practice both here and elsewhere points to the effectiveness of a more nuanced approach where schools have greater flexibility to deploy a range of professional support models in the classroom.
“Some of our schools are already seeing the benefits of these approaches to children and we must make these opportunities more widely available as we continue to be guided by best practice and evidence on what works.”