What does Special Educational Needs (SEN) mean?

If a child has a learning difficulty or disability that makes it harder for them to learn than most children of the same age they may have special educational needs (SEN). This means that they may need extra or different help from that given to other children of the same age.

The 1996 Education Act is the law dealing with special education and the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice gives practical guidance to early education settings, state schools and Local Authorities (LAs) on how to identify and assess children with SEN. Click here to view Special Educational Needs (SEN) - A guide for parents and carers.

All children with SEN should have their needs met. Most children with SEN will have their needs met in mainstream early education settings or schools but some children may require specialist support and need to attend either a mainstream school with specialist resources or a special school. Parents and carers play an important role in any discussions and decisions about how their child's SEN will be met. Their views should always be taken into account and the wishes of their child should be listened to.

Parents and carers will be advised of their local parent partnership service when they are first informed that their child has special educational needs.

The Parent Partnership Service provides neutral and confidential advice to help you get involved in the discussions and decisions about your child's education. Find out more about Wolverhampton Parent Partnership Service.