Overview

• Public First polling for the Sutton Trust reports middle‑class parents were more likely to secure EHCPs than working‑class parents, 74% versus 66%.
• Parents who spent £5,000 or more on applications had a 90% EHCP success rate compared with 69% for those spending less than £5,000.
• Better‑off families were more likely to obtain special‑school places for their children with SEND, 41% compared with 25% for low‑income parents.
• GCSE outcomes remain stark: 7.5% of EHCP pupils on free school meals achieved grade 4+ in English and maths in 2023–24, versus 17% for better‑off peers with EHCPs.
• Tribunal dynamics highlight systemic barriers, with appellants winning 99% of decided cases in 2023–24 and wealthier families more likely to pursue appeals.