Special Education Needs and Disabilities

What are Special Educational Needs?
 
  • Referred to as SEN, the abbreviation SEND relates to special educational needs and/or disabilities.  Guidance, legislation and regulations sometimes use the abbreviation SEND
  • "A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special education provision to be made for him or her.  A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she: 
  1. Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or 
  2. Has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in main stream schools or main stream post 16 institutions."
(SEND code of practise 0-25 2015)
 
 

Special educational needs can mean that a child or young person has:

  • Communication and interaction needs - difficulty in expressing themselves, understanding what others are saying or difficulties socially interacting with others

  • Cognition and learning needs – difficulties in learning or retaining basic skills or a specific difficulty with reading, writing, mathematics or understanding information

  • Social, emotional and mental health needs – difficulties making friends or relating to adults. May be withdrawn, isolated or find regulating their behaviours challenging

  • Sensory and/or physical needs –sensory impairments or difficulties such as those affecting sight or hearing, or physical difficulties which impact on their learning Individual children or young people may have needs that cut across some or all these areas and their needs may change over time.

A child or young person may have needs in more than one area of need 

What should I do if I think my child has Special Educational Needs?
 
Sometimes as a parent you may be the first to be aware that your child has special educational needs. If you are concerned about your child’s progress and think that your child may have special educational needs you should first talk to your child’s class teacher and/or to the school's Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) Mrs Bethany Lynes.
 
 
The links below will provide more information and support for young people, parents and carers.