What are special educational needs?
A child or young person has special educational needs (SEN) if both of the following apply to the child:
- They have a learning difficulty or disability which makes it much harder for them to learn than other pupils of the same age.
- They require special educational provision to be made for them.
SEN is a legal term. A detailed description can be found in the SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years.