Schools
School information on the gender (male or female) and ethnicity of pupils, free school meals, special educational needs provision and exclusions is collected in the school census. This takes place in January each year. The data below shows the latest information from the January 2023 school census.
School pupils by gender
| Gender | Number of pupils | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Female | 53,734 | 49.14% |
| Male | 55,613 | 50.86% |
| Total | 109,347 | 100% |
School pupils by ethnicity
| Ethnicity | Number of pupils | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White British | 88,568 | 81% |
| Other white background | 10,030 | 9.17% |
| Black or ethnic minority background | 8,796 | 8.04% |
| Refused | 552 | 0.50% |
| Unobtained | 1,401 | 1.28% |
| Total | 109,347 | 100% |
The 2021 census data for Lincolnshire shows that 96.0% of the population are white compared to 90.17% of the population of children in Lincolnshire schools. Like last year 8.04% of children in school are black or ethnic minority background which is higher than the total population of Lincolnshire which is 4%.
School students eligible for free school meals
| Free school meals | 2020 number of students | 2021 number of students | 2022 number of students | 2023 number of students |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | 89,478 (83.61%) | 85,750 (79.66%) | 83,928 (77.12%) | 82,127 (75.11%) |
| Yes | 17,536 (16.39%) | 21,895 (20.34%) | 24,902 (22.88%) | 27,220 (24.89%) |
| Total | 107,014 (100%) | 107,645 (100%) | 108,830 (100%) | 109,347 (100%) |
The number of students eligible for free school meals (FSM) has increased over the last four years by 8.5%. In 2023, this was 24.89% of the school student population.
School students eligible for free school meals by gender
| Free school meals (FSM) by gender | Number of students with FSM eligibility | Percentage of FSM total | Percentage of total students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 13,259 | 48.71% | 24.68% |
| Male | 13,961 | 51.29% | 25.10% |
| Total | 27,220 | 100% | 24.89% |
School students eligible for free school meals by ethnicity
| Free school meals (FSM) by ethnicity | Number of students with FSM eligibility | Percentage of FSM total | Percentage of total students |
|---|---|---|---|
| White British | 23,131 | 84.98% | 26.11% |
| Other White Background | 1,963 | 7.21% | 19.57% |
| Black or Ethnic Minority Background | 1,542 | 5.66% | 17.53% |
| Refused | 144 | 0.53% | 26.09% |
| Unobtained | 440 | 1.62% | 31.41% |
| Total | 27,220 | 100% | 24.89% |
A slightly higher proportion of male students are eligible for free school meals than female students.
For those where ethnicity is known and obtained White British students are more likely to be eligible for free school meals than other ethnic groups. There is a lower proportion of students eligible for free school meals from Black or ethnic minority backgrounds, or other white backgrounds than in the school student population.
Although the promotion of free school meals is equal to all residents, not all ethnic groups claim this benefit related entitlement equally.
School students receiving Special Educational Needs provision
Special Educational Needs provision in schools includes education, health and care plans (EHCPs) and Special Educational Needs (SEN) support.
| Special educational needs provision |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 Number of students (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education, health and care plans (EHCP) | 3,772 (3.52%) | 4,545 (4.22%) | 4,850 (4.46%) | 5,172 (4.73%) |
| Special Educational Needs (SEN) support | 14,184 (13.25%) | 13,611 (12.64%) | 14,277 (13.12%) | 15,089 (13.80%) |
| No Special Educational Need | 89,058 (83.22%) | 89,489 (83.13%) | 89,703 (82.42%) | 89,086 (81.47%) |
| Total | 107,014 (100%) | 107,645 (100%) | 108,830 (100%) | 109,347 (100%) |
The proportion of school students with either an Education, Health and Care Plan or Special Educational Needs support has been increasing over the last four years by 1.76% of the student population.
School students receiving special educational needs (SEN) provision by gender
| SEN provision by gender | Number of students with ECHP | Number of students with SEN support | Total number of students with SEN provision | Percentage of total students |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 1,433 (27.71%) | 5,820 (38.57%) | 7,253 (35.80%) | 6.63% |
| Male | 3,739 (72.29%) | 9,269 (61.43%) | 13,008 (64.20%) | 11.90% |
| Total | 5,172 (100%) | 15,089 (100%) | 20,261 (100%) | 18.53% |
School students receiving special educational needs (SEN) provision by ethnicity
| SEN provision by ethnicity | Number of students with ECHP | Number of students with SEN support | Total number of students with SEN provision | Percentage of total students |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White British | 17,783 (87.77%) | 20.08% | 17,783 (87.77%) | 20.08% |
| Other white background | 1,251 (6.17%) | 12.47% | 1,251 (6.17%) | 12.47% |
| Black or Ethnic Minority Background | 864 (4.26%) | 9.82% | 864 (4.26%) | 9.82% |
| Refused | 85 (0.42%) | 15.40% | 85 (0.42%) | 15.40% |
| Unobtained | 278 (1.37%) | 19.84% | 278 (1.37%) | 19.84% |
| Total | 20,261 (100%) | 18.53% | 20,261 (100%) | 18.53% |
There is a higher proportion of male students (64.20%) accessing SEN provision than females (35.80%) when compared to the total student population (males 50.86% and females 49.14%). Male students are 1.79 times more likely to access SEN provision than female students.
For those where ethnicity is known and obtained, White British students are more likely to be receiving SEN provision (SEN support or Education, Health and Care plans) than students from other ethnic groups.
There is a lower proportion of students receiving SEN provision from Black or ethnic minority backgrounds or other white backgrounds than in the school student population.
Further investigation is required to confirm whether this is affected by accessibility or whether all children requiring SEN provision are receiving the support required.