Our SEN schools database can help you to make appointments, generate leads and find clients in the education sector

Marketing your products and services to our SEN schools database has great potential for long-term relationships with loyal, high-value customers.

SEN or SEND stands for ‘Special Educational Needs’.

It is used to describe a range of learning difficulties and disabilities that make it harder for children to learn at the same rate as their peers.

These special educational needs include:

• ASD Autistic Spectrum Disorder
• MLD Moderate Learning Difficulty
• SLD Severe Learning Difficulty
• HI Hearing Impairment
• MSI Multi Sensory Impairment
• PMLD Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
• PD Physical Disability
• OTH Other difficulty/Disability
• SLCN Speech Language and Communication
• SEMH Social Emotional and Mental Health
• SPLD Specific Learning Difficulty
• VI Visual Impairment

The same support is available to pupils in primary schools and secondary education.

Special educational needs – SEN schools in England

Currently, the UK has 1,546 special schools and 57 non-maintained special schools overall. 

Meanwhile, according to data from January 2021, England alone has 352 schools with SEN units and 1,066 schools with a resourced provision.

Government funding for education is on the rise, with a specific focus on helping those with special educational needs.

It is clear that there has never been a better time for growing your client base in the education sector.

What’s on our list of SEN schools

More Than Words’ SEN schools UK database provides businesses with an up-to-date source of contact details for decision-makers within both special schools and mainstream schools that offer SEN provisions.

This highly-targeted SEN schools list is part of our extensive UK schools database and contains:

• 2,019 schools,
• 2,019 phone numbers, and
• 1,965 email addresses for decision-makers with purchasing responsibilities.

Records include details such as:

• type of school it is (local authority maintained schools, independent schools, pupil referral units etc)
• location,
• the age range of the pupils,
• which local authority the school comes under,
• type of SEN (special educational need) supported and
• the number of pupils overall (or the number of pupils with special education needs).

Who makes purchasing decisions in special schools?

Special schools receive money for pupils with special education needs which is known as “delegated” funding. This is because it is given (delegated) to schools by local authorities from the central government funds they recieve.

Why funding is different for primary school pupils with special educational needs

SEN schools get money for each pupil, based on actual pupil numbers, called the Age Weighted Pupil Unit (AWPU). This differs according to whether the school is primary or secondary.

Who does the local authority work with to allocate funds?

The local authority will generally work with the governing body and head teacher to establish funding arrangements. 

In mainstream schools and academies there will be an SEN coordinator or SENCO who makes the purchasing decisions for their department.

In special schools and units this could be split more evenly throughout the teaching and non-teaching staff.

More Than Words Note: For more information on how schools are funded click here.

How to launch a successful marketing campaign to the UK SEN school sector

Direct marketing is valuable to any business building its reputation as a specialist educational supplier. It is effectively outlining the benefits of what you’re offering and how to get it.

At More Than Words we create and manage bespoke direct marketing campaigns which help you to build your presence in the education sector. 

We are currently offering new clients three email designs with three email broadcasts and after-sales support.

Professionally-designed email

Our in-house graphic designers will create a professional, eye-catching email using your logo and branding.

First three email broadcasts to SEN schools

We will then roll out your first three school email marketing campaign broadcasts to your chosen schools using our trusted servers.

Full after sales management and reporting

For each email broadcast we run for you, we handle the full management and reporting of campaigns on your behalf.

This includes:

• a prompt notification as soon you receive a direct response to an email
• a full report three days following broadcast, and
• unsubscription management.

Technical and advertising support

For the 12 months of your license, you and your colleagues can contact us for technical and advertising support.

Full technical support

If you need help with organising the data, call us and we can assist you.

Full advertising support

We are here for you to discuss your marketing and selling ideas.

More Than Words Note: All UK mainstream schools have a special educational needs coordinator (SENCO). Find out more about our list of SENCO's.

Selling to SEN Schools

In January 2020, a press release from the Department of Education stated that primary schools would be given at least £3750 per pupil for 2021-2022. A further £5000 was guaranteed for every secondary school pupil.

Furthermore, in August 2020, the Prime Minister announced plans to increase funding for schools and high education needs up to 7.1% by 2023. This includes an additional 780 million for children with SEND.

Many schools are using this increased budget, alongside the coronavirus catch-up premium awarded in 2020, to improve SEND programmes. Schools are seeking interventions designed to help children to catch-up on missed lessons during the school closures.

These resources may be used for a variety of things, including:

• special equipment or teaching materials,
• new or expanded classroom technologies,
• curriculum changes,
• classroom support, and
• technology to help children to learn at home.

Maintained schools, like academies (which are funded by not-for-profit trusts), have a duty to ensure that any contracts they enter into with suppliers offer the best value for money. This rarely means choosing the cheapest option.

Instead schools rely on a number of other factors including:

• cost (purchases under £10,000 are considered a ‘low value purchase’ and are easier to get approved),
• the potential for financial savings long-term that could be reinvested into SEN,
• trust that the supplier will be able to deliver as agreed, and
• various financial and legal obligations.

Your marketing messages need to confirm that you are able to give your prospects the best value for money for their specific needs and preferences.

More Than Words note: You can find out more information about school procurement processes, including a useful flow chart in Imogen Rowley’s article here.

Telemarketing to SEN schools

Alongside our managed email marketing service, More Than Words offers a professional telemarketing service. Our experienced telemarketers have in-depth knowledge of the education sector.

We will contact the chosen schools on your database to perform market research, identifying:

• what the procurement process is for each school,
• who has purchase responsibility,
• what existing contracts are in place and when they end, and
• if they are in the market for a new product or service.

Our team can also set appointments and generate leads that your own sales team can follow up.