Special Educational Needs

The Royal Borough defines special education needs in the following way:

Children have special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for them.

Children have a significant learning difficulty if they:

1. have significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age; or
2. have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age in schools within the area of the local education authority
3. are under compulsory school age and fall within the definition at (a) or (b) above or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them

It is estimated that as many as one in five children may have special educational needs and need special help at some time to make progress in school. Some children may only need help for a short time, some for much longer. Most children receive special teaching and help in mainstream schools but a very small number of children may require the very specialised teaching and extra resources provided in special schools or units.

Related Information:

• Parent’s Guide to Special Educational Needs