What is Special educational needs (SEN)?

A child or young person has special educational needs if they experience 'significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or has a disability that makes it difficult for them to access the educational provision (including early years education) provided for other children of the same age' (SEND code of practice, 2015).

What is a Disability?

Some children and young people who have SEN may also have a disability. A disability is described in law as 'a physical or mental impairment which has a long-term and substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities' (Equality Act, 2010). This includes sensory impairments such as hearing or visual impairments and long-term health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy or cancer. Having a disability doesn't necessarily mean that a child or young person has SEN.