SEND stands for "Special Educational Needs and Disabilities" and refers to children and young people who require extra help to learn because they have a learning difficulty or disability.
This support is necessary because their needs are different from or additional to those of other learners in a mainstream setting. SEND can impact a child's ability to learn, socialize, communicate, or their physical and sensory development.
What SEND means
· Learning difficulty:
A child has a learning difficulty if they find it significantly harder to learn than most children of the same age.
· Disability:
A child has a disability if it hinders their ability to use the educational facilities generally provided to other children of the same age.
· Need for special provision:
The key indicator is that the child needs special educational provision, which can be a temporary or long-term requirement.
Examples of what SEND can affect
· Cognition and learning: Difficulty understanding information, retaining knowledge, or developing skills like reading and writing.
· Communication and interaction: Challenges with speaking, understanding others, or interacting with peers.
· Physical and sensory development: Issues with mobility, hearing, or vision.
· Social, emotional, and mental health: Problems with behaviour or making friends.
