A child is considered to have a special educational need if they have a learning problem or disability that makes the learning process more difficult for them than for most children their age. They can have difficulties in learning, communication or behaviour. Parents can get help and advice from specialists, teachers and volunteer organisations.

This post is about Special Educational Needs (SEN) and how schools can help children with SEN.

What is Special Educational Needs (SEN)?

Special Educational Needs (SEN) is a term used to refer to children or young people who have a learning difficulty or disability that requires special educational provisions to be made for them. undefined

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 the same age or has a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 establishments.’

It is estimated that 20% of children and adolescents will be with special educational needs. The majority of these children and young people will be catered for in mainstream provision (schools or other educational settings) with SEN support, which is designed to be part of a graduated response.

What Types of Difficulties are Covered by the Term SEN?

Children might be experiencing trouble in one or more areas. Here are some examples:

• Thinking, understanding and learning: these students may find all learning activities more challenging or may have particular difficulties with some learning activities like reading and spelling.

• Emotional and behavioural difficulties: these kids often have very low self-esteem and they lack confidence. They might have a hard time accepting rules or staying and behaving nicely in school.

• Speech, language and communication: such kids might struggle to express themselves or to understand what others are saying to them. They might not be able to easily make friends or understand other people. They might confront the world’s unintelligibility or disorganisation.

• Physical or sensory difficulties: they could have a disability or a medical condition that may affect their learning. They could be visually or hearing impaired.

How Schools Can Help Children With Special Educational Needs? 

A school usually has help and sometimes uses specialists. undefined

• with schoolwork
• reading, writing, arithmetic, or comprehending data.
• either expressing themselves or understanding what others are saying.
• making friends or dealing with adults.
• behaving properly in school
• organising themselves

They could have sensory or physical disabilities that affect them in school.

What Happens if a Child Has SEN?

The key point to remember is that all children with SEN have the right to receive a broad, balanced and suitable education which includes the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (for children aged 3 to 5) or the National Curriculum (for children aged 5 to 16).

The majority of children with SEN are catered for in mainstream schools and nurseries, while a few children with more complex needs do better in a specialised school.

You should be given to know if the school thinks that your child has or may have SEN and how the school will be supporting your child. Your opinion matters as much as your child’s opinion. The school should ensure that you are part of all processes that will impact your child since you have a key role in boosting your child’s education.

Your Child’s Progress

Children are different in their developmental stages and in how they learn best. When planning lessons, the teacher will take this into account by being conscious about how they arrange the lessons, classroom, books and materials.

The teacher will choose the best ways to teach your child. If your child is lagging or is struggling with one particular topic, they may be assigned additional help or given different lessons to help them.

Even if your child’s progress is slower than you have anticipated or the teachers are providing various assistance, support or activities in class, this does not necessarily mean that your child has special educational needs.

Supporting Your Kid

In the early years, the physical, mental, emotional, and social development of a child is very important. When health visitors or doctors make a routine check, they tend to comment that there might be some problem. In case you have some problems of your own, you need to see a doctor immediately.

You might wish to consult the class teacher, the person who deals with special educational needs in the school or the headteacher.

You could ask them if:

• The school is concerned that your child has some problems.
• Your child will have enough maturity to be at the same level as others of the same age.
• That your child is attending a tutoring program.
• You can make a significant contribution to their growth

Talking to your Child’s School

If your child has special needs, then those needs should be fulfilled and they should get a general knowledge from all the important subjects.

• The voices of the parents need to be always heard and the opinion of the child deserves to be considered.
• Your kid would often not require any special assistance, but in some cases, it would be necessary to invite an outside expert to help.
• You have a right to be kept in the know about every decision regarding your child.
• You have a significant part to play in the educational process of your child.