The number of pupils with statements of special educational needs or education, health and care plans has risen by nine per cent in the past year.
As of this January, there were just over 290,000 pupils aged five to 19 years old with a statement or EHCP, compared with around 270,000 at the same time last year.
However, new data released today does not show whether or not the proportion of pupils with statements or EHCPs has risen. Overall pupil numbers for January 2018 are not expected to be published until next month.
There was a steep rise in the proportion of SEND pupils on EHCPs, which were supposed to have replaced statements entirely by April 1, between January 2017 and January 2018.
At the beginning of this year, 88 per cent of pupils with documented SEND were on the new EHCPs, compared with 58 per cent last January.
Earlier this month, the government admitted that almost 4,000 children with now-defunct statements were still waiting to transfer to the new education, health and care plans (EHCPs) system after the April 1 deadline.
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