SEN or SEND?

SEN stands for Special Education Needs, whereas SEND stands for Special Education Needs and/or Disabilities. The term SEND is more inclusive. As it is a catch-all acronym to include pupils who do not have special learning needs, but do need extra provision due to a physical or sensory disability (for example, pupils who are deaf or need assistive devices such as a wheelchair or crutches to get around).

(Definition obtained from engagededucation.com)

Children can sometimes feel that they have some sort of learning barrier while at school and it is our job to make sure each child is supported. There are different ways in which we at St Georges Catholic Primary Voluntary Academy can support our students, such as in small groups, individually or having support staff within the classroom. We do all this with the advice support of a number of specialists at our school.

What is SEN?

SEN is a legal term to define the needs of a child who has a difficulty or disability which makes learning harder for them than for other children their age, and requires special education provision to be made for him or her. Around 1 in 5 children has a Special Education Need at some point in their school life, and some will have SEND for the duration of their time at school.

Every school has a SEND Coordinator, or SENCO, who is responsible for ensuring that the needs of SEND pupils are met. 

E-safety advice and resources for teachers, parents and professionals working with SEN pupils.