Revealed: The areas in England with the best access to SEND support

For families of children with special educational needs and disabilities, where they live can shape the support that’s available to them.

It can affect whether there’s a suitable SEN unit nearby, how much specialist provision exists within mainstream schools, and how many pupils are relying on each available place. In some parts of England, families have access to far more provision relative to local demand. In others, places appear to be under much greater pressure.

No single figure can capture what it’s like to navigate the SEND system, and more provision doesn’t automatically mean every child receives the right support. But looking at the availability of specialist places alongside the number of pupils who may need them can help show where access is stronger and where families could face a more stretched system.

To bring this together, outdoortoys has created a single score comparing local authorities across England. It looks at SEN units, resourced provision, special schools, and the number of pupils competing for specialist mainstream places, revealing the areas with the strongest relative access to SEND provision.

Key takeaways

• Middlesbrough ranks first overall, achieving a SEND support score of 8.70 out of 10.
  

• Middlesbrough provides 76.16 specialist mainstream places per 1,000 pupils with SEND, almost four times the study average of 20.06.
  

• Rutland ranks second and has England’s highest SEN unit capacity, at 35.25 places per 1,000 pupils with SEND.
  

• Sutton ranks third and is the highest-ranking London borough, offering 59.46 specialist mainstream places per 1,000 pupils with SEND.

• Oxfordshire ranks lowest overall, with a score of 1.62 out of 10 and one specialist mainstream place for every 145.03 pupils with SEND.
  

• Hammersmith and Fulham has the greatest pressure on specialist mainstream provision, with 489.36 pupils with SEND for every available place.

• Shropshire has the highest number of special schools relative to its SEND population, at 21.43 per 10,000 pupils with SEND.

Middlesbrough has England’s best access to specialist SEND provision

Across the highest-ranking areas, no single type of provision explains the full result.

Instead, these local authorities tend to combine stronger access to SEN units, resourced provision, or special schools with fewer pupils relying on each available specialist mainstream place.

That balance matters. An area may have a large number of facilities overall, but those places can still feel stretched if the local SEND pupil population is also high.

1. Middlesbrough has almost four times the average specialist mainstream capacity

Middlesbrough takes the top position, with an overall SEND support score of 8.70 out of 10.

The local authority has 76.2 specialist mainstream places per 1,000 pupils with SEND. These places sit within SEN units and resourced provision in mainstream schools.

That’s almost four times the study average of 20.1 places per 1,000 pupils.

Put another way, Middlesbrough has one specialist mainstream place for around every 13.1 pupils with SEND. Across the study as a whole, the average is one place for every 79.7 pupils.

Much of Middlesbrough’s result comes from its resourced provision. It has 66.8 resourced provision places per 1,000 pupils with SEND, the second-highest figure in England and only narrowly behind Barking and Dagenham.

The result may also reflect Middlesbrough’s efforts to expand local specialist provision. The council says this has reduced reliance on independent specialist schools, while further work has focused on increasing resourced provision and the range of needs it can support.

2. Rutland ranks second, driven by England’s highest SEN unit capacity

Rutland ranks second overall, with a SEND support score of 8.59 out of 10.

It has 35.3 SEN unit places per 1,000 pupils with SEND, the highest rate in England and almost six times the study average of 6.1.

That may reflect Rutland’s focus on developing specialist support within mainstream schools. The council identifies designated provision at Oakham CofE Primary School and Catmose College, alongside enhanced resourced provision at Uppingham Community College.

SEN units are specialist provisions based within mainstream schools. They allow pupils to access additional support while still being part of the wider school community.

When SEN units and resourced provision are combined, Rutland has 44.1 specialist mainstream places per 1,000 pupils with SEND. That’s one place for every 22.7 pupils.

Rutland also has 17.6 special schools per 10,000 pupils with SEND, the third-highest figure in England.

The local authority has a smaller SEND pupil population than many other areas, so changes in the number of schools or available places can have a greater effect on its population-adjusted figures.

3. Sutton is England’s highest-ranking London borough

Sutton ranks third overall and is the highest-ranking London borough, with a score of 8.49 out of 10.

The borough has 59.5 specialist mainstream places per 1,000 pupils with SEND, almost three times the study average of 20.1.

That works out at one specialist mainstream place for every 16.8 pupils with SEND.

Sutton also has 6.9 special schools per 10,000 pupils with SEND.

Its result shows a strong overall balance across the measures, helping it rank above every other London borough in the study.

The areas where specialist SEND places are under the greatest pressure

At the other end of the ranking, the gap between the number of pupils with SEND and the places available becomes much wider.

These areas tend to have fewer SEN units and resourced provision places relative to their SEND populations. That doesn’t show whether individual children are receiving suitable support, but it does give an indication of where local provision may be more stretched.

1. Oxfordshire has around one specialist mainstream place for every 145 pupils with SEND

Oxfordshire ranks lowest overall, with a SEND support score of 1.62 out of 10.

It has 6.9 specialist mainstream places per 1,000 pupils with SEND, around two-thirds below the study average of 20.1. That works out at one place for every 145 pupils.

The council has recognised the need to increase local capacity, with plans for new resource bases, expanded special schools and new specialist settings. It says demand, costs and the complexity of children’s needs are continuing to rise, suggesting provision has been working to catch up with growing pressure.

Oxfordshire doesn’t have the lowest specialist mainstream capacity in England. Its position at the bottom reflects how it performs across all five measures, including its 4.7 special schools per 10,000 pupils with SEND.

2. Peterborough’s specialist provision is struggling to keep pace with growing demand

Peterborough ranks second from the bottom overall, with a SEND support score of 1.70 out of 10.

The city has 7.0 specialist mainstream places per 1,000 pupils with SEND, well below the study average of 20.1.

That works out at one SEN unit or resourced provision place for every 142.3 pupils with SEND.

The pressure mirrors a shortage that the council has already recognised. Peterborough says it’s operating with fewer specialist school places than local demand requires, while some existing provision is oversubscribed year after year.

As one of England’s fastest-growing cities, demand for school places is continuing to rise. The council is now expanding special schools and developing new SEND units within mainstream schools, suggesting local provision is still working to catch up.

Peterborough also has 5.1 special schools per 10,000 pupils with SEND, compared with the study average of 7.6.

3. Southampton has one specialist mainstream place for every 392 pupils with SEND

Southampton ranks third from the bottom, with an overall score of 1.74 out of 10.

The city has 2.6 specialist mainstream places per 1,000 pupils with SEND, the third-lowest figure in England. That leaves one SEN unit or resourced provision place for every 392.0 pupils.

Southampton City Council has already acknowledged the shortage. It says the city lacks both special-school places and mainstream SEND provision, while rising EHC plan numbers and increasingly complex needs have added to demand. Expanding provision has also been made more difficult by limited physical space across existing sites.

The council is now working to create 278 additional special-school places and establish more resourced provision in mainstream schools.

Southampton performs more strongly for special schools, with 8.5 per 10,000 pupils with SEND, slightly above the study average of 7.6. However, its low specialist mainstream capacity places it near the bottom overall.

Rutland’s mainstream schools play a bigger role in specialist SEND support

Rutland has 35.3 SEN unit places per 1,000 pupils with SEND, the highest rate in England and almost six times the study average of 6.1.

Rather than relying on one type of specialist setting, the county has built additional support into several mainstream schools. This includes designated specialist provision at Oakham CofE Primary School and Catmose College, as well as enhanced-resourced provision at Uppingham Community College.

That gives some pupils access to a specialist base while allowing them to remain part of a wider mainstream school community.

Rutland’s size also matters. As its SEND pupil population is smaller than that of many other local authorities, each available place has a greater effect on the rate per 1,000 pupils.

When SEN units and resourced provision are combined, the county has 44.1 specialist mainstream places per 1,000 pupils with SEND. That works out at one place for every 22.7 pupils.

Barking and Dagenham has spent more than a decade building SEND expertise into mainstream schools

Barking and Dagenham has 67.0 resourced provision places per 1,000 pupils with SEND, the highest figure in England and almost five times the study average of 13.9.

Its result appears to reflect a long-term decision to build specialist support into local mainstream schools rather than treating it as separate from everyday education.

The borough says a project running since 2013/14 has increased the skills and capacity of mainstream schools, helping more children attend local settings alongside their peers. It has also invested more of its high-needs funding in growing capacity within the borough.

Its network of additional resources now covers a wide range of needs, including:

• Autism

• Complex learning needs

• Hearing impairment

• Speech, language, and communication needs

These provisions offer specialist staff and environments while pupils remain enrolled in mainstream schools.

Middlesbrough sits only just behind, with 66.8 places per 1,000 pupils with SEND, while Hartlepool has 62.6.

Shropshire’s specialist schools are spread across a large rural county

Shropshire has 21.4 special schools per 10,000 pupils with SEND, almost three times the study average of 7.6.

For a large rural county, where families may otherwise need to travel considerable distances, having a wider spread of specialist settings can be particularly important. Shropshire itself acknowledges the challenge of providing comprehensive SEND services across a large rural area.

Shropshire’s Local Offer lists specialist schools and resourced provision across towns including Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth, Whitchurch, Ellesmere and Oswestry.

The council is also expanding local capacity. In 2026, it announced £8.5 million for new and additional specialist provision, including more SEN units and resourced provision in mainstream schools.

North Lincolnshire ranks second with 19.6 special schools per 10,000 pupils with SEND, followed by Rutland with 17.6. This measure counts schools rather than places, so it indicates the spread of specialist settings rather than their overall capacity.

Hartlepool has the fewest EHC plan pupils competing for each specialist place

Hartlepool has 3.5 pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan for every specialist mainstream place, the lowest figure in England.

That suggests specialist mainstream provision is under less pressure in Hartlepool than elsewhere, with fewer pupils relying on each available place.

Middlesbrough follows with 3.9 pupils per place, while Barking and Dagenham has 4.2. All three sit well below the study average of 23.1.

At the other end, Northumberland has 157.2 pupils with EHC plans for every specialist mainstream place, followed by Hammersmith and Fulham with 150.6 and Southampton with 112.9.

An EHC plan is a legal document setting out a child or young person’s education, health and care needs, along with the support they should receive.

Not every pupil with an EHC plan needs a place in an SEN unit or resourced provision, so this isn’t a direct measure of whether children are receiving the right support. It does, however, show where specialist mainstream capacity appears less or more stretched relative to the number of pupils with statutory plans.

Hammersmith and Fulham has one specialist place for every 489 pupils with SEND

Hammersmith and Fulham has the greatest pressure on specialist mainstream places in England.

There’s one SEN unit or resourced provision place for every 489.4 pupils with SEND in the borough, more than six times the study average of one for every 79.7.

Northumberland follows with one place for every 478.0 pupils, while Southampton has one for every 392.0.

The contrast with the best-performing areas is significant. Middlesbrough has one specialist mainstream place for every 13.1 pupils with SEND, Barking and Dagenham has one for every 14.9, and Hartlepool has one for every 16.0.

Hammersmith and Fulham has already reviewed whether local SEND provision meets the needs of children and young people. Its 2023 SEND Sufficiency Review was designed to help ensure support is available at the right time and in the right place.

What do these figures mean for families?

For families, the real question is whether the right support is actually available for their child, in a place they can reasonably get to, without a long wait.

A local authority may appear well supplied overall, but that doesn’t mean every family has real choice. A place may not meet a child’s needs, may be too far away, or may come only after months of assessments, meetings and uncertainty.

Where provision is more stretched, those pressures can become even harder to manage. Families may face longer journeys, fewer suitable options and more time spent pushing for support that should feel straightforward to access.

The figures can’t capture every part of that experience. They don’t show the emotional strain of waiting, the disruption caused by an unsuitable placement, or what it means when a child can’t access the support they need.

What they do show is how uneven the starting point can be. In some areas, there are far more specialist places relative to the number of pupils with SEND. In others, families may be navigating a system where each available place is under much greater pressure.

How can parents find out what SEND support is available?

Methodology

outdoortoys is one of the UK’s leading online retailers of high-quality outdoor toys for children of all ages. From climbing frames and trampolines to sandpits and steel frame pools, our mission is to help families embrace the outdoors safely and confidently.

To understand where families have the strongest relative access to specialist SEND provision, we analysed every local authority in England using the following factors.

1. SEN unit places per 1,000 pupils with SEND

We took SEN unit capacity from the Department for Education’s specialist provision dataset.

We calculated the number of places per 1,000 pupils with SEND using the combined number of pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans from the Department for Education’s special educational needs dataset.

2. Resourced provision places per 1,000 pupils with SEND

We took resourced provision capacity from the same specialist provision dataset.

We then calculated the number of places per 1,000 pupils with SEND using the same pupil population figures.

3. Specialist mainstream places per 1,000 pupils with SEND

We combined SEN unit and resourced provision capacity to calculate the total number of specialist mainstream places per 1,000 pupils with SEND.

4. Special schools per 10,000 pupils with SEND

We took the number of special schools in each local authority from the establishment fields CSV available through the Department for Education’s Get Information about Schools downloads.

We then calculated the number of special schools per 10,000 pupils with SEND.

This measures the number of schools rather than the number of places available within them.

5. Pupils with EHC plans per specialist mainstream place

We divided the number of pupils with EHC plans in each local authority by its combined SEN unit and resourced provision capacity.

An education, health and care plan is a legal document setting out a child or young person’s education, health and care needs, as well as the support they should receive.

A lower figure ranked better for this factor.

6. Pupils with SEND per specialist mainstream place

Finally, we divided the combined number of pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans by the number of SEN unit and resourced provision places in each local authority.

A lower figure also ranked better for this factor.

7. Overall SEND support score

We normalised each factor and gave every local authority a score out of 10. These scores were then combined to create the overall SEND support ranking.

All figures have been displayed using the rounding shown in the data sheet.

Additional sources:

1. Middlesbrough ModernGov: Agenda item – Special Educational Needs and Disabilities: (SEND): https://moderngov.middlesbrough.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=5996 

2. Rutland County Council – Jargon buster for special educational needs and disabilities: https://www.rutland.gov.uk/jargon-buster-special-educational-needs-disabilities 

3. Oxfordshire County Council – Planning enough school places: https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/our-work-schools/planning-enough-school-places 

4. Peterborough City Council – New SEND unit to be created at school: https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/engagement-hub/new-send-unit-to-be-created-at-school 

5. Southampton City Council – Southampton Local Offer Annual Report: https://www.southampton.gov.uk/schools-learning/schools-learning-online-documents/southampton-local-offer-annual-report 

6. Barking & Dagenham Local Offer – Effective Practice Case Study on Developing Local Schools for Children in Barking and Dagenham: https://localoffer.lbbd.gov.uk/effective-practice-case-study-on-developing-local-schools-for-children-in-barking-and-dagenham/ 

7. Hammersmith & Fulham – Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) consultations: https://haveyoursay.lbhf.gov.uk/send-strategy-2023-2028-send-sufficiency-review-2023?