What does SEND mean?
A child or young person aged from 0 to 25 years has special educational needs or disability (SEND) if they:
- have a learning difficulty or disability which makes it much harder for them to learn than other pupils of the same age
- they require special educational provision to be made for them
SEN is a legal term. A detailed description can be found in the SEND Code of Practice (SEN on page 15 and disability on page 16). Or you can read the easy-read version of the SEND Code of Practice from Mencap.
Different types of special educational needs or disability (SEND)
Children with SEND may need extra help or support, or special provision made for them to have the same opportunities of other children of their age.
The 4 areas of need according to the SEND Code of Practice
If your child has a SEND, their needs will fall into one or more of the following 4 areas. Here is a brief summary of each area. For more information please contact the SENDCo or Assistant SENDCo.
Communication and interaction needs
Children and young people might:
- struggle to talk or say what they want to
- find it hard to understand what other people are saying
- find conversations and play confusing or challenging
Cognition and learning difficulties
Children and young people might:
- learn at a slower pace than others
- find the curriculum difficult
- struggle with organisation and memory
- have a specific difficulty, for example, in literacy or numeracy
Social, emotional and mental health difficulties
Children and young people might:
- find relationships difficult
- appear withdrawn or isolated
- behave in ways that affect their learning, for example, being disruptive
- do things that impact on their health and well-being
Sensory and/or physical needs
Children and young people might have a disability such as:
- a visual and/or hearing impairment
- a physical difficulty
They may find it hard to access a school because of their disability. This means they might need extra support or specialist equipment.
To find out more about school offer, please read below
