Schools and councils across England are expecting the proportion of children with special needs plans to double to one in 10, with families rushing to secure support before ministers bring in changes
Support they didn’t already have, so why do they think they need it now? Just because the option to have it is threatened of course.
Headteachers have reported an “unreal” surge in applications for education, health and care plans (EHCPs) mandating support for needs or disabilities such as speech and learning difficulties, autism or ADHD. In 2025, just one in 20 school-age children had EHCPs.
Are we breeding more defective kids, then? Shouldn’t someone be concerned?
No, because that’s not what’s happening at all.This is the effects of social contagion and the attempt to get ahead of the rest of the plebs!
The number of pupils with EHCPs has risen by more than 11% in each of the past two years, and projections by local authorities seen by the Guardian are anticipating similar double-digit annual increases over the next three years. Similar levels nationally would mean just under 10% of all school-age children with an EHCP in 2029.
Clearly an unsustainable rise.
Such a rapid increase would outstrip the government’s own forecasts and eat into funding for improving specialist support in mainstream schools, undermining its plans for immediate reform while straining school and council budgets.
Georgia Gould, the schools minister overseeing the changes, said the government was carefully considering the responses to its white paper, which aims to give children earlier diagnosis and intervention and moderate the need for EHCPs.
Diagnosis of what, though? Their parents desire to have a ‘special ‘ child for brownie points with the other mum’s and extra accommodation in exams for their spawn?
