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"Before attending Sketchley Horizon, my son was out of school for two years. He started at Sketchley Horizon when it opened in May 2007 and now attends school daily. His behaviour has improved dramatically and he is happy to come to school."

Terri Brabham, Mother

Special educational needs

What does special educational needs mean?

Special educational needs means that children have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most children of the same age and as a result they may require extra or different help to other children. These special needs may be displayed through problems in thinking and understanding, physical or sensory difficulties, emotional and behavioural difficulties, speech and language difficulties or how they relate to and behave with other people.

Many children may experience special educational needs at some time during their education and in some cases these difficulties can be overcome with the right help, support and intervention. But some children will need extra help for some or all of their time in school because of their difficulties.

Examples of special educational needs may include having difficulties with:

All of the work in school
Behaving properly in school
Reading, writing, number work or understanding information
Making friends or relating to adults
Expressing themselves or understanding what others are saying
Organising themselves
Sensory or physical needs

Help and support can often be provided in mainstream schools with the help of outside specialists to support the child in the mainstream education setting. Where the child's needs cannot be met in mainstream settings, specialist education schools can provide the right help, support and education for children and their families to enable the child to succeed to their maximum potential.

What to do if you think your child may have learning difficulties

If you have concerns or worries about your child's physical, emotional, intellectual and social development you can seek advice from your doctor or health visitor who can provide you with information about the next steps to take. This can be before your child has started education or whilst they are in an educational setting.

You know your child better than anyone so if you think that your child may have a special educational need that has not been identified by the school you can take action by talking to your child's teacher, to the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) or to the head teacher straight away. Working with your child's teacher and the school's SENCO can help to identify and assess your child's needs and the SENCO can advise you on the next steps to take, if necessary.

The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice offers guidance to early education settings, local authorities, state schools and anybody else that helps to identify, assess and provide help for children with special educational needs. The code sets out the processes and procedures that all these organisations should follow to meet the needs of children. Free copies of the SEN Code of practice are available from the Department for Children, Schools and Families on the DCSF website at www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/sen.