How pupils with special educational needs are more likely to see their schools close

Data analysis reveals that schools in England with higher populations of students with special educational needs (SEN) are disproportionately affected by closures. Families report significant emotional and developmental distress when these specialized communities are dismantled.
Why it matters
The findings highlight a systemic inequality in how educational budget cuts and school closures impact the most vulnerable student populations.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Hayley Clarke , Education reporter and Harriet Agerholm , Senior data journalist BBC Nine-year-old Blake is trying to climb over the locked gates of his former primary school, St Dominic s in Hackney, when we meet him. It closed last year due to falling pupil numbers. The playground is overgrown, and the modular buildings stand quiet and empty.
The article focuses on the social impact and inequality of school closures, emphasizing the human cost for vulnerable groups.
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