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Integrated Education or a Special School? Choosing for a Child with SEN

Should a child with special educational needs (SEN) attend an ordinary school with integrated education, or a special school? This guide compares the two routes, the types of special school, how SEN students go through P1 and S1 allocation, and what to ask when choosing a school.

Last updated: 9 June 2026

A child with special educational needs (SEN) has two main paths: an ordinary school with integrated education, or a special school. The choice depends on the level of need and professional assessment.

The two paths

  • Ordinary school (integrated education): the choice for most SEN students — learning in a mainstream setting with the school's 3-tier support.
  • Special school: for students with more severe needs requiring intensive professional support, with low teacher-student ratios and specialist teams. Entry is generally via professional assessment and parental consent — a route separate from ordinary allocation.

Types of special school

Hong Kong has 60-plus aided special schools, grouped by need: schools for intellectual disability, physical disability, visual impairment, hearing impairment, social development (social and emotional needs), and hospital schools. Schools for intellectual disability are the most numerous.

How are SEN students allocated?

SEN students use the same P1 POA and S1 SSPA systems, with no separate quota. One key arrangement: with parental consent, a P6 student's basic SEN information (category and support tier) is passed to the allocated secondary within a few working days of results, so the school can plan support early.

Checklist for an ordinary school

  • Does the school have a SENCO and a Student Support Team?
  • Which support tiers does it provide? Does it use Individual Education Plans (IEPs)?
  • Does it have professional services (speech therapy, occupational therapy, an educational psychologist), in-house or bought-in?
  • What are the barrier-free facilities (lift, ramps, toilets)?
  • What's its experience supporting similar needs?

How to start

  1. Understand the system: SEN support overview.
  2. If there's no assessment yet, see Early identification.
  3. Use the assessment's recommendation, then compare via all primary schools and all secondary schools, and ask each school directly about support.

There's no one-size-fits-all answer — the right fit depends on your child's needs and the school's actual support. Source: Education Bureau (EDB).

Frequently asked questions

Do SEN students go through a special allocation system?
No. SEN students use the same Primary One (POA) and Secondary One (SSPA) systems, with no separate quota. With parental consent, a P6 student's basic SEN information (category and support tier) is passed to the allocated secondary within a few working days of results, so the school can plan support.
How do I know whether to choose an ordinary or a special school?
Most SEN students attend ordinary schools through integrated education. Only more severe cases needing intensive professional support — after professional assessment and with parental consent — are considered for a special school. Use the assessment report's recommendation and discuss with the school and professionals.
What should I ask an ordinary school?
Ask whether it has a SENCO and Student Support Team, which tiers of support it provides, whether it has relevant professional services (speech therapy, an educational psychologist), its accessibility (barrier-free facilities), and its experience supporting similar needs.

This guide is for reference only. Policies, points and dates can change each year — always confirm against the latest EDB and individual school announcements.

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