SEND crisis overwhelms majority of West of England schools, as government reforms loom
Research of 89 schools reveals widespread increase in SEND pupils, poor mental health among students and teachers, and inadequate funding
25 September 2025 New research has revealed the scale of challenges facing schools across the West of England, with the vast majority of those analysed struggling to cope with rising Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) demands without adequate funding.
The analysis of 89 schools across Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset found 94% report increases in SEND pupils, while 92% say they lack adequate funding to support SEND pupils properly.
The findings, carried out by Bristol-based app developer Spicy Minds, paint a stark picture of a national system under severe strain, where one in five children in England needs additional support.
Eighty per cent of the region’s schools that were analysed have seen rises in Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) – legal documents for young people requiring extra support beyond standard provision.
However, 92% of these schools say they lack sufficient funding to support their SEND students properly, with nearly two thirds (61%) reporting that the administrative burden on special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs) has become unmanageable.
Teachers are also suffering, with 74% of the schools reporting staff retention and recruitment problems linked to mental health pressures.
Poorer mental health also extends to the students where, since the pandemic, 85% of the schools have seen an increase, contributing to rising absences.
Local authority failures are compounding these difficulties, according to 73% of the schools analysed, with many reporting that statutory six-month SEND assessment timelines are routinely missed by years rather than months.
Last week (September 18), the House of Commons Education Committee published its report on special educational needs in England - the result of a nine-month long inquiry - which sets out recommendations for solving the national SEND crisis. This has been published ahead of the Government’s White Paper on SEND reforms, which is expected in October.
Bristol-based Ben Cosh, founder of Spicy Minds, said: "As an organisation founded by parents who have navigated the SEND process, we wanted to understand how this crisis looks from the school perspective.
“These figures show dedicated teachers overwhelmed by a system that's fundamentally broken. The recent House of Commons Education Committee Report tells the same story - it's clear that the system isn’t working for anyone.”
Ben Cosh, Founder of Spicy Minds
Spicy Minds has developed an app, Sylva, to help families navigate the challenges they face when supporting neurodivergent children. It helps parents and carers understand their child’s needs and discover practical strategies, and advocate better for them. Sylva demystifies what will support the individual child and help school and home collaborate for better outcomes.
Spicy Minds conducted the research by analysing governing body minutes from nearly a quarter of schools in the region obtained through Freedom of Information requests and public records between 2023 and 2025 with the aim of exploring how effectively schools support students with SEND and address mental health challenges in staff and pupils.
Spicy Minds’s parenting app, Sylva, is available at www.mysylva.com.
