Average cost of external special needs place £74k

EACH external non-state school specialist place for a Calderdale child with special educational needs and disabilities is costing the council an average £74,000 a year, audit councillors were told.

- By JOHN GREENWOOD

As of November 2025, there are now 2,900 children in the borough with an education, health and care plan (EHCP) with increasing numbers putting pressure on places in state-funded special schools.

In turn, this is driving an increase in children being placed in independent specialist provision (ISP), according to a report to Calderdale Council's Audit Committee.

As an indication of how demand nationwide is seeing more children placed in these privately run establishments, the number of Calderdale children in independent specialist provision in March 2023 was 121 and the cost of that provision was nearly £6 million that year.