A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made that is additional to or different from that made generally for other children or young people of the same age. (CoP 2015, p16)
There are four broad areas of special educational need, these are:
Communication and interaction – Includes pupils with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and those with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN).
Cognition and learning – Includes pupils with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) , Moderate learning difficulties (MLD), Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD) and Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD).
Social, Emotional and Health Difficulties – Includes any pupils who have an emotional, social or mental health need that is impacting on their ability to learn.
Sensory and/or Physical Difficulties – Includes pupils with hearing impairment, visual impairment, multi-sensory impairment and physical difficulties.