AQW 29370/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Education
To ask the Minister of Education to detail the number of children with a statement of Special Educational Needs that will be enrolling in Primary 7 at the start of the new academic year 2025-26, broken down by council area.
Asked by Kellie Armstrong MLA on 26 June 2025
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 26 June 2025
- Answer due by
- 11 July 2025
- Answered
- 30 June 20254 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Education
- Priority question
- No
Answer
The Department does not yet have access to information regarding the Special Education Needs of pupils who will be enrolling in Primary Year 7 in September 2025. This data will be collated as part of the 2025 school census data collection on 10 October 2025.
School Census information in the table below shows the number of pupils enrolled in Year 6 in primary schools as of census day 2024 broken down by Local Government District (school location). While pupils will continue to undergo the statementing process throughout the year, the available information may be used as an indicative estimate of the upcoming Year 7 cohort. This information relates to census day, 11 October 2024.
| Local Government District | Number of pupils in P6 with a statement of SEN (Census Day October 2024) |
| Antrim and Newtownabbey | 115 |
| Ards and North Down | 131 |
| Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | 153 |
| Belfast | 379 |
| Causeway Coast and Glens | 114 |
| Derry City and Strabane | 159 |
| Fermanagh and Omagh | 118 |
| Lisburn and Castlereagh | 123 |
| Mid and East Antrim | 92 |
| Mid Ulster | 148 |
| Newry, Mourne and Down | 204 |
| Total | 1,736 |
Source: NI school census
Notes:
1. Data is based on pupils enrolled on Census Day i.e. The Friday of the first full week in October (In 2024/25 this was the 11 October 2024)
2. Figures are based on school location (LGD 2014)
3. Figures include pupils enrolled in primary schools only.