SEND is an acronym for Special Educational Needs and/or Disability/ies.

Children and young people learn at different speeds and in different ways. Often children or young people may need extra support with some learning tasks. Teachers take account of this in the way they organise their lessons and teach. This does not always mean that they have SEND. Children making slower progress or having particular difficulties in one area may be given extra help or different lessons to help them succeed. You should not assume that, because your child is making slower progress than you expected or the teachers are providing different support, help or activities in class, that your child has SEND.

Children or young people only have SEND if they:

• have a learning difficulty which makes it much harder for them to learn than other children or young people
• or have a disability which prevents or hinders them from being able to access learning in the same way as other children or young people
• and need extra and different support with their learning

A learning difficulty or disability might cause difficulties with:

• Some or all of your child’s work
• Reading, writing or number work
• Your child’s ability to express themselves or understand information
• Making friends or relating to adults
• Behaviour in school
• Personal Organisation
• Tasks or activities which depend on sensory or physical skills

Children or young people do not have learning difficulties or a disability simply because their home language is not English. But some of these children or young people may also have SEND.

All educational setting (Nurseries, Schools and Colleges) have a legal responsibility to:

• identify if a child or young person has SEND
• inform parents and/or carers if they have identified a child or young person has SEND
• make sure children and young people with SEND get the right support as early as possible
• support children and young people who have SEND through a graduated response of SEND Support

This is described in detail within the SEND Code of Practice.

Most children and young people with SEND have their needs met in mainstream education (Nurseries, Schools and Colleges). This works through high-quality teaching differentiated for individual pupils or under SEND Support.

Every educational setting (Nursery, School or College) has to:

• publish an SEN Information report which describes what they have in place to meet SEND for pupils in their school
• have a Special Educational Needs and Disability Co-Ordinator (SENDCO).

Please see SEND Support in Mainstream Schools to find out more about SEND Support.

Only a very small number of children and young people with more complex SEND will need be supported via an Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP).

• Most children with an EHCP will continue to attend mainstream educational setting (Nursery, School or College)
• Only a small number of children with an EHCP will be placed in a more specialist setting (e.g. enhanced provision within a mainstream school or special school).

An EHCP will only be issued for a child or young person following them having had an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment. To find out more please see EHC needs assessments.