A school leaders' union has called for urgent talks with Northern Ireland's education authorities to prevent another last-minute scramble for special educational needs (SEN) school places next year.

In an open letter to the Education Authority (EA) and Education Minister Paul Givan, Dr Graham Gault, national secretary of NAHT Northern Ireland, said this year's handling of SEN provision was "entirely foreseeable" and must not be repeated.

The EA has announced 1,374 additional SEN places for 2025–26, insisting all schools need to be involved in providing specialist support. But Dr Gault rejected claims that schools had been unwilling to accept pupils with SEN, calling them "profoundly insulting" to teachers and principals. "Every single principal and teacher works effectively with SEN children on a daily basis, consistently demonstrating unwavering commitment and professional excellence," he said.

The letter blames sustained underfunding, citing the Independent Review of Education, which estimates Northern Ireland needs an additional £291m to close the gap with England and Wales. Of this, £136m relates directly to SEN support.

Since 2017/18, pupil numbers have risen by less than 4%, but the number of children with SEN statements has grown by 51% — without corresponding resources.

Dr Gault urged the EA to begin constructive talks with school leaders within two months.

Dr Gault's open letter can be viewed here.