What does ‘Special Educational Needs or Disability’ mean?

The Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice: for 0-25 years 2014 (updated 2015) states that a child or young person has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability, which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her. Therefore a child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if they:

• Have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or
• Have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions.

Our SEND (Special Educational Needs or Disability) provision allows learners with learning difficulties or a disability the opportunity to follow a curriculum specifically tailored to develop life skills and to give learners confidence through their learning and achievements, enabling them to maximise their potential and to work as independently as possible. The School Accessibility Plan sets out the adjustments made to the curriculum and physical environment in order to improve equality of opportunity for disabled learners, this can be accessed on the website.

We are committed to closing the achievement gap between learners with SEND and those without SEND. This is achieved through the provision of a range of interventions and a differentiated curriculum.

We believe that all learners are entitled to an education that enables them to make progress so that they:

• Achieve their best personally and academically
• Become confident individuals living fulfilling lives
• Make a successful transition into adulthood