EHC plans: how many, and where children go to school
An EHC plan is a legal document setting out a child or young person's needs and the support they must get, from birth to age 25.
Plans maintained by the council
EHC plans maintained by the council
All EHC plans (ages 0 to 25) the council maintains, counted each January.
Show the numbers
| Area | Jan 2019 | Jan 2020 | Jan 2021 | Jan 2022 | Jan 2023 | Jan 2024 | Jan 2025 | Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waltham Forest | 1,880 | 2,025 | 2,285 | 2,584 | 2,884 | 3,295 | 3,663 | 3,946 |
| London | 59,672 | 65,853 | 72,193 | 78,203 | 85,601 | 93,539 | 99,116 | 108,712 |
| England | 353,995 | 390,109 | 430,697 | 473,255 | 517,048 | 576,474 | 638,745 | 718,838 |
The number of plans grew 109.9% between Jan 2019 and Jan 2026, compared with 82.2% in London and 103.1% in England.
Source: DfE, Education, health and care plans: Education, health and care plans as at January each year (downloaded 2026-10-25)
The council itself thinks the true number of active plans is lower. Its SEND Sufficiency Plan estimates 3,354 active plans, against 3,663 reported to the DfE for January 2025, because overdue annual reviews are expected to end some plans (London Borough of Waltham Forest, SEND Sufficiency Plan 2025-30 (in the Schools Forum pack, 10 December 2025) (December 2025), p. 20). Between March and August 2026 the number of plans rose by another 201 (5%) (London Borough of Waltham Forest, Schools Forum report pack, 21 October 2026 (DSG forecast 2026-27; SENIF extension) (October 2026), p. 29).
Share of pupils with SEND
These figures come from the school census and count pupils at schools in the borough, whoever maintains their plan. They are not directly comparable with the council's plan count above.
Pupils with an EHC plan
Pupils in the borough's schools with an EHC plan, as a share of all pupils. School census, January.
Show the numbers
| Area | Jan 2016 | Jan 2017 | Jan 2018 | Jan 2019 | Jan 2020 | Jan 2021 | Jan 2022 | Jan 2023 | Jan 2024 | Jan 2025 | Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waltham Forest | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.3% | 3.6% | 3.8% | 4.2% | 4.6% | 5.1% | 5.7% | 6.2% | 6.8% |
| London | 2.8% | 2.9% | 3.0% | 3.2% | 3.5% | 3.8% | 4.1% | 4.5% | 4.9% | 5.4% | 6.0% |
| England | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.9% | 3.1% | 3.3% | 3.7% | 4.0% | 4.3% | 4.8% | 5.3% | 6.0% |
Source: DfE, Special educational needs in England: Pupils in all schools, by type of SEN provision - 2016 to 2026 (downloaded 2026-10-25)
Pupils on SEN support
Pupils whose needs are met through SEN support without an EHC plan, as a share of all pupils. School census, January.
Show the numbers
| Area | Jan 2016 | Jan 2017 | Jan 2018 | Jan 2019 | Jan 2020 | Jan 2021 | Jan 2022 | Jan 2023 | Jan 2024 | Jan 2025 | Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waltham Forest | 14.8% | 14.2% | 12.7% | 12.7% | 12.0% | 11.8% | 11.5% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| London | 11.7% | 11.4% | 11.3% | 11.4% | 11.5% | 11.4% | 11.7% | 12.1% | 12.7% | 13.2% | 13.8% |
| England | 11.6% | 11.6% | 11.7% | 11.9% | 12.1% | 12.2% | 12.6% | 13.0% | 13.6% | 14.2% | 14.8% |
Source: DfE, Special educational needs in England: Pupils in all schools, by type of SEN provision - 2016 to 2026 (downloaded 2026-10-25)
Where children with EHC plans are placed
Where children and young people with EHC plans are placed, Jan 2026
Share of all EHC plans by the type of setting named. "Educated elsewhere" covers elective home education and other arrangements made by the council or by parents.
| Setting | Waltham Forest | London | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mainstream school | 59.6% | 51.8% | 45.5% |
| Special school | 22.3% | 26.6% | 29.4% |
| of which independent special | 1.4% | 4.4% | 4.9% |
| Further education | 9.2% | 13.0% | 14.0% |
| Alternative provision / PRU | 0.4% | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Educated elsewhere | 8.3% | 6.9% | 8.7% |
| Not in education, employment or training | 4.9% | 2.6% | 3.1% |
Source: DfE, Education, health and care plans: Education, health and care plans as at January each year (downloaded 2026-10-25)
What the council's SEND Sufficiency Plan found
- Special schools in Waltham Forest are full (822 pupils). 116 of those places (14%) are taken by children from other boroughs. (London Borough of Waltham Forest, SEND Sufficiency Plan 2025-30 (in the Schools Forum pack, 10 December 2025) (December 2025), p. 58)
- 12% of children and young people with EHC plans are placed outside the borough. 2.8% are on home tuition packages, 'mainly because of insufficient specialist provision to meet needs'. (London Borough of Waltham Forest, SEND Sufficiency Plan 2025-30 (in the Schools Forum pack, 10 December 2025) (December 2025), p. 28)
- 5.1% of young people with EHC plans are post-16 and not in education, employment or training (no provision). (London Borough of Waltham Forest, SEND Sufficiency Plan 2025-30 (in the Schools Forum pack, 10 December 2025) (December 2025), p. 28)
- Out-of-borough independent and special school placements cost about £60,000 a year on average. (London Borough of Waltham Forest, SEND Sufficiency Plan 2025-30 (in the Schools Forum pack, 10 December 2025) (December 2025), p. 59)
- Without changes, EHC plans are forecast to grow by a further 78-80% by 2030. (London Borough of Waltham Forest, SEND Sufficiency Plan 2025-30 (in the Schools Forum pack, 10 December 2025) (December 2025), p. 21)
The council says better commissioning means that "only five children have had to be placed out of Borough this year (compares with 28 last year)". It also says that in November 2024, 17% of SEND education placements were outside the borough (London Borough of Waltham Forest, SEND Improvement Plan - Progress So Far (October 2025), p. 3; London Borough of Waltham Forest, SEND Improvement Plan - Progress So Far (October 2025), p. 2).