School and Local Authority Contact Details
Benchill Primary School, Benchill Road, Manchester, M22 8EJ. This is a foundation primary school.
The contact address for the Local Authority is:
School Organisation, Manchester City Council, PO Box 532, Town Hall Extension, Manchester M60 2LA.
Proposed Alteration
We propose to establish a 30-place SEN Unit at Benchill Primary School. This unit will be for pupils with learning needs which include Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Speech, Language, and Communication Needs (SLCN). To accommodate this, existing school facilities will be adapted. Specialist equipment and resources will also be obtained.
Evidence of Demand
The January 2025 school census showed that 22.1% (20,689) of Manchester pupils have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Of these, 15.0% (14,055 pupils) have their needs met at SEND Support level within mainstream schools. The remaining 7.1% of the school population, 6,634 pupils, have an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan.
There has been significant growth in the number of children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). The number has risen from 2,186 in 2015 to 6,634 in 2025 (as of January). This growth has seen a higher demand for specialist education placements in Manchester. Based on current data trends, we expect this growth to continue.
The Department for Education has released national data for 2024. According to the report, 4.8% of all pupils in schools in England have an EHC plan. This is a rise from 4.3% in 2023. A further 13.6% of all pupils receive Special Educational Needs (SEN) support without an EHC plan, up from 13.0% in 2022.