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Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities are twice as likely as their peers to be persistently absent from school.

Persistent absence means that they miss up to 10% of school sessions (sessions are in the morning or afternoon at school). For those with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)—a legal document that lays out the support they are entitled to—the picture is . They are up to seven times more likely to be , meaning that they are missing more than half of school sessions. Absence is higher still for pupils in special schools compared with those in mainstream education.

Suspensions tell a similar story. Pupils with special educational needs are almost four times more likely to be suspended than those without.

Engagement among pupils with also drops sharply in secondary school. say they like being at school. And it's not just pupils who feel the system isn't working: three-quarters of teachers in a said schools are not inclusive enough for all pupils.

The current approach to inclusion often relies on case-by-case fixes, but this isn't sustainable. Since 2016, the number of EHCPs has , yet the systems for assessing and meeting children's needs have not kept pace. Many children's needs go unidentified or unmet, leaving families feeling unsupported and forced to fight for help in an under-resourced system.

Schools, too, say they struggle to access the external professionals needed for . In one survey, school staff ranked meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs as their second-biggest challenge, just after .

Lifelong effects

When needs go unmet, the consequences can be long-lasting. Persistent absence and suspension both increase the risk of young people and not going into work or training. These issues can spill into adulthood, with and a higher risk of involvement with the criminal justice system. Addressing special educational needs effectively isn't just about education—it's about improving life chances.

The solutions start with making mainstream education genuinely inclusive and properly funded. that promote belonging and partnership with families to rebuild trust and confidence. would help, as would more training for school staff and leaders, alongside better access to specialist support professionals.

We also need to rethink what counts as success in education. A broader mix of qualifications and career paths would help young people play to their strengths and prepare for the future. Schools can also boost engagement by giving pupils more say in decisions that affect them, offering greater choice in the curriculum, and ensuring access to —sport, arts, volunteering and social opportunities—which are proven to improve attendance and well-being.

For pupils with special educational needs, timely, targeted support can make all the difference. Skilled mentors, smaller classes, adapted timetables and can help pupils and academic progress. They can also help children manage their emotions and enable them to feel more connected to school. For those struggling with transitions—such as moving schools or preparing for work—proactive planning, supported internships and job coaches can ease the process and build confidence.

Even with good inclusive practice, some pupils will still struggle. In those cases, high-quality alternative provision can offer a temporary respite and a route back to mainstream education.

Unless we rethink what education is for—and how we support pupils to engage with it—thousands of young people will be denied their potential. One of us (Caroline Bond) contributed to the that mainstream schools can use to help children feel safe in school. It was created with parents, autistic young people and professionals to offer a practical way for schools to understand and support pupils who find school attendance especially difficult.

With school attendance under national scrutiny and special educational needs funding under pressure, this is a crucial moment to ask how we can build a system that genuinely includes every young person—not just in name, but in practice.

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