Sinn Fein MLA Cathy Mason, a member of Stormont’s education committee, stated that schools in disadvantaged areas provide most placements for pupils with special educational needs (SEN). She said grammar schools and those in affluent areas offer almost no such provision.

Mason noted that over three-quarters of SEN expansion comes from 26% of schools. She said the system relies on repeated contributions from the same institutions.

Education Minister Paul Givan sent a letter to school principals last month. The letter directed schools to create specialist provision in mainstream schools (SPiMs) for SEN pupils.

The Education Authority stated that specialist provision must become standard in mainstream schools. It forecast a shortage of about 400 SEN places for the 2026/27 school year.

Mason said that in primary schools, just one of the 126 most affluent had a specialist class for one child. She noted schools with higher free school meal rates provide the bulk of specialist places.

No fully selective grammar school operates SPiM classes, according to Mason. She said full enrolment at grammar schools does not exempt them from SEN responsibilities.

Mason called for a plan to allocate SEN duties evenly across all schools, including grammar schools.