How SEN is identified and assessed in education

Children and young people's needs are identified and assessed at the earliest point.

For most children this is in the early years, but it may be at any point throughout their education.

Support needs can change over time and schools / settings are responsible for regularly reviewing a child / young person's needs.

In this section you can find out more about:

What 'Special Educational Needs' are
How SEN is defined.

Types of Special Educational Needs in education
There are four broad areas of need. Your child may have needs across more than one area.

How education needs are assessed
How your child / young person's education needs will be assessed.

The SEND Ranges
The guidance used by schools / settings which describes the needs children and young people may have, and the support and services they may need.

The SEND Code of Practice (2014) describes Special Educational Needs (SEN) as:

A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.

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
• Has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions

Some children and young people that have SEN may also have a disability.

The Equality Act 2010 defines this as:

A physical or mental impairment which has a long-term and substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day to day activities

Not all children with a disability have Special Educational Needs.

There are 4 broad areas of need.

1. Communication and interaction
2. Cognition and learning
3. Social, emotional and mental health
4. Sensory and / or physical needs

It is not intended to fit the child / young person into a category, but to help those supporting the child to work out what action they need to take.

A child / young person may have needs across more than one of these areas, and their needs may change over time.

Communication and interaction

Those with communication and interaction needs may have difficulty in:

• Expressing themselves
• Understanding language
• Interacting with others effectively and / or appropriately

Cognition and learning

Those with cognitive and learning difficulties may:

• Learn at a slower pace
• Find it hard to understand parts of the curriculum
• Have difficulties in organising themselves
• Have a specific difficulty with part or parts of their learning, such as reading

Social, emotional and mental health

Those with social, emotional and mental health needs may:

• Find it difficult to maintain and manage relationships
• Display challenging behaviour
• Be withdrawn and / or isolated

Sensory and / or physical needs

This includes:

• Visual or hearing impairments, or
• A physical need that means they need extra ongoing support and equipment

Schools / settings use guidance called the 'SEND Ranges', which describe the needs children and young people may have, and the support and provision they may need.

Read more about the The SEND Ranges.

If your child needs an EHCP

If your child needs an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), there is a specific legal process which sets out how their needs will be assessed.

If your child has a physical / sensory impairment

If your child needs specialist adjustments due to a physical or sensory impairment, you can ask for 'reasonable adjustments' at their school / setting.

Schools / settings use guidance called the 'SEND Ranges'.

See the SEND Ranges guidance.

The Ranges describe:

• the needs of children and young people with SEND, and how these needs affect their learning
• the support and provision the child / young person might need at each Range

The Ranges are used to make sure that every child is treated with equality and fairness.

They are used by all schools / settings, including specialist schools and academies.

• Range 1
  Universal Support within mainstream education setting
• Range 2
  Universal and short term targeted support within in a mainstream education setting
• Range 3
  Targeted support based in a mainstream school
• Range 4
  Targeted / specialist - support based in either in mainstream or additionally resourced school
• Range 5
  Specialist - support based in either in additionally resourced or special school
• Range 6
  Specialist - support based in special school
• Range 7
  Highly specialist provision, possibly 24 hours

How schools / settings use the Ranges

If your child has SEND (see how 'SEND' is defined), and is in an early years setting, primary or secondary school:

• Your child's teacher and / or SENCOwill work with you to identify your child's needs.
• They will then determine which of the SEND Ranges your child's needs fit into, for each of the 4 types of need (your child may have a different Range for each type of need).
• Schools offer a range of support for children and young people, see types of support and plans.

How the Ranges were developed

The Ranges were co-produced between families, education, health, social care and SEND colleagues in other councils.

Families and services in South Tyneside were consulted to make sure the Ranges reflect experiences and practice in the borough.

When your child's Ranges will be reviewed

If your child  / young person has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), their Ranges will be reviewed every year.

If your child / young person has a SEN Support Plan, their Ranges will be reviewed with their SEN Support Plan.