One boy pupil in four has special needs

Almost one in four primary school boys have special educational needs (SEN), with many suffering from behavioural and emotional problems, according to new Government research.
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Oct 2010, 23:21 BST
Updated 19th Oct 2010, 23:21 BST

Boys of primary age are almost twice as likely to have such

difficulties than girls, the Department for Education study revealed yesterday.

More than a fifth – 21 per cent – of pupils, around 1.69 million in total, have been diagnosed as having SEN and some 220,890 have statements of SEN, which set out their needs following an assessment and what support is available.

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Across the country 489,250 primary age school boys, 23.4 per cent, have SEN without a statement, compared with 269,890 girls –13.5 per cent of the age group.

The figures are also similar in secondary schools, with 386,730 boys – 23.6 per cent – having SEN without a statement, compared with 252,470 girls – 5.7 per cent of the age group.

Boys with SEN statements were more than twice as likely to have behavioural, emotional and social difficulties or autism than girls. In total, 26,170 boys had such difficulties against 3,590 girls.

Children's Minister Sarah Teather said: "We must change the system so that having SENs or a disability does not predetermine a child's future."