SEND

Key information this page includes:

• What are Special Educational Needs?
• How do you know if a child has SEND
• Identifying SEND
• What is special educational provision

What are Special Educational Needs?

Special educational needs, often referred to as SEN or SEND (Special educational needs and disabilities), is a term used to describe learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for a child to learn compared to children of the same age.

If you want to learn more about the provisions and resources available in Stoke-on-Trent for children with SEND visit: What is the SEND Local Offer? – Local Offer

How do you know if a child has SEND?

A child or young person has SEN if:

• they have significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of other children and young people the same age
• they have 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 or mainstream post-16 school

A child or young person has a disability if:

• they have a physical and mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect om their ability to carry out day-to-day activities

Identifying SEND

Children may have difficulties in one or more of these areas:

• Cognition and Learning: a child may find all learning difficult or have difficulties with specific activities such as reading or spelling. A child may have trouble understanding instructions and carrying out tasks. A child may have memory difficulties.
• Communication and Interaction: a child may have difficulty in talking to others or understanding what others are saying to them. A child may have difficulty with interactions with others, such as not being able to take turns.
• Physical and Sensory: a child may have hearing or vision loss. A child may have difficulty with sensory processing, being under or over-sensitive. A child may have a medical condition which affects them physically.
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health: a child may display behaviours such as having very low self-esteem or being very anxious. A child may display challenging, disruptive or distressing behaviours. A child may have underlying conditions which affect their mental health.

What is special educational provision

Special education is any educational or training provision which is extra to or different from what is needed by other children or young people the same age. This covers many different things including communicating through sign language, having worksheets in a larger font and needing one-to-one or small group support.

Some children and young people may need extra help which is not special educational provision such as having medication at school. As this is not support with education or training it would not be classed as special educational provision.

You can find more information about SEND support in School on the Stoke-on-Trent Local Offer website