Coventry Parent Partnership Service

Many children will experience some kind of difficulty in learning at some time during their school life. Most children will receive the help they need from their local school. Some children may need more specialised help. The term Special Educational Needs has a legal definition.

The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice states that children have a learning difficulty if they:

a) have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age; or
b) 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
c) are under compulsory school age and fall within the definition at (a) or (b) above or would so do if special educational provision was not made for them.

The Department for Education and Skills produce a parents/carers guide to Special Educational Needs, this states that:

'The term 'special educational needs' has a legal definition. Children with special educational needs all have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most children of the same age. Children with special educational needs may need extra help because of a range of needs, such as in thinking and understanding, physical or sensory difficulties, emotional and behavioural difficulties, difficulties with speech and language or how they relate to and behave with other people.'