What is SEND? — Definitions

A child has Special Educational Needs (SEN) if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. They have a learning difficulty or disability if they have:

·        A significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or

·        A disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools.

Special educational provision is provision that is additional to, or different from, that made generally for other children or young people of the same age by mainstream schools.

Disability: A child is considered to have a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long‑term adverse effect on their ability to do normal daily activities. The schools make reasonable adjustments so children are not at a substantial disadvantage compared with their peers.

Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP): A statutory plan outlining needs, outcomes and provision. For a very few pupils the help given by schools through special needs may not be sufficient to enable adequate progress; schools may consider initiating a statutory assessment.