Staffordshire Parent Partnership is funded
by Staffordshire County Council. It operates
independently as a confidential service for parents
and carers of children with special educational
needs.
If you, or someone you know, would like a copy of
this booklet in large print, Braille, on audio-tape or
in languages other than English, please contact the
Parent Partnership Service on 01785 356921.
Email: spps@staffordshire.gov.uk
Website: www.staffordshire.gov.uk/spps
Revised March 2010
Staffordshire Parent Partnership Service
Special Educational Needs useful definitions
Parent Partnership Helpline: 01785 356921
Useful Definitions
Annual Review - A review of progress of a child who has a
statement of special educational needs. This must be carried out
once a year, in a school/early years setting. The child’s progress
is reviewed to determine if their needs have changed and if the
statement is still appropriate.
Assessment - Finding out what a child can and cannot do.
Care Plan - Also known as a Health Care Plan, this is a written
agreement drawn up by parents and school staff (guided by health
professionals) which sets out the help that can be provided in
school to meet a child’s medical needs.
Children Young People and Families Directorate (CYP&F)
- is made up of the Education Department and what was the
children’s Social Services Department.
Children’s Centres - bring together a range of early years
services for children and their families, including early education
and childcare.
Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment
of Special Educational Needs - The document which guides
local authorities and schools in providing for children’s special
educational needs.
Common Assessment Framework (CAF) - CAF is a method of
assessment that will be used by all agencies working with a child to
assess their needs. It will encourage greater sharing of information
and reduce the number of assessments a child has to go through.
Differentiation - This is where teaching methods, learning styles
and materials used are adapted to the pupil’s level of understanding
and ability.
Disapplication - The removal of some part, or all, of the National
Curriculum requirements, where appropriate, for a child.
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Impairment - A weakness of normal function, e.g. vision, hearing.
Individual Education Plan (IEP) - A plan, drawn up by the school
together with parents, that sets out a child’s individual programme
of work. It should include learning targets, teaching methods and
resources to be used.
Inclusive Education - Giving all children, whatever their
disability, the opportunity to be educated in mainstream schools
alongside normally developing peers in their own community.
Learning difficulty/ disability - A child has a learning
difficulty/disability if he or she:
a) has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the
majority of children of the same age
b) has a disability which either prevents or hinders the child
from making use of educational facilities provided for other
children of the same age.
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LA - Local Authority
Mainstream School - An ordinary school which takes all children,
including those with special educational needs. The majority of
children will attend mainstream school.
Mediation Service (Disagreement Resolution Service) An independent service which can help when there is a
disagreement between parents and the school or the local
authority on meeting the needs of a child with SEN. The people
who are involved in the dispute work together to reach an
acceptable solution with the help of a mediator who does not take
sides or make judgements. Use of the service is voluntary and
does not affect a parent’s right of appeal to SEND (see below).
In Staffordshire this service is provided through Midlands SEN
Mediation.
Modification - An amendment of some part, or all, of the National
Curriculum, to make it more appropriate for a particular child.
Multi-agency - this involves people working for health, education
and social services.
Note in Lieu of a Statement - A letter issued by the local
authority to describe a child’s special educational needs and give
recommendations about the type of provision which the school
should give. It will also give reasons why a statement has not been
issued.
Other Agencies - These include the County Psychological Service
(CPS), Special Educational Needs Support Service (SENSS), the
Educational Welfare Service (EWS), Specialist Support Service
(SSS) and the Children’s Disability Service.
Pastoral Support Plan - A plan drawn up between school, parents
and pupils when a child is at risk of exclusion. It sets down realistic
targets for the child to work towards to manage their behaviour.
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P Levels - These are a way of describing the achievements of
pupils working towards Level 1 of the National Curriculum. There
are eight P Levels for each core subject.
Parent Partnership Service (PPS) - is a support and
information service for parents/carers of children with special
educational needs aged 0-19. They provide accurate, unbiased
information so that parents can make informed choices about their
child’s education.
Schools
Mainstream School – a school that caters for most children.
Special School – provides education only for pupils with
special educational needs. Some schools focus on children with
particular disabilities e.g. physical or behavioural. There is also
one special high school and one special primary school in each
district of Staffordshire. These teach children whose learning
difficulties cannot be met in mainstream schools.
Mainstream and special schools can be Maintained, which means
they are financed by the local authority or Independent, these
are not funded by the local authority and charge fees.
Short Stay Schools – are maintained schools which are there
to provide education on a short-term basis for pupils who would
not otherwise receive a suitable education due to illness or
exclusion (and some other reasons). They focus on getting the
child back into mainstream school.
SATs (Standard Attainment Tests) - These are national
tests that most pupils take at the end of each key stage. They are
intended to show the level at which a child is working.
Special Educational Needs (SEN) - A child is said to have
special educational needs if he or she has a learning difficulty
which calls for special educational provision to be made for them.
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Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SEND)
- An independent panel which hears parents’ appeals against decisions
made by the local authority on assessments and statements. They also
hear claims under the Disability Discrimination Act. The Tribunal’s
decision is binding on both parties to the appeal.
Special Educational Provision - Educational provision which is
additional to, or different from, that made generally for children in
schools, other than special schools, maintained by the local authority
Statement of Special Educational Needs - A legal document
that sets out a child’s special educational needs and the provision
to meet those needs.
Statutory Assessment - A formal multi-agency assessment,
conducted by the local authority, to determine how best to meet
the special educational needs of a child.
Transition Plan - The part of the Annual Review, when a child is
in Year 9 and above, which deals with future planning. It sets out
the steps needed for him or her to move from school to adult life.
Voluntary Organisations - Self-funded charitable organisations which may offer support and information. Many organisations
specialise in a particular difficulty/disability or in providing a
particular service.
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Leaflets produced by
Staffordshire Parent Partnership Service include:
Information for parents/carers who have children with special
educational needs – General
Information for parents/carers who have children with special
educational needs – Early Years
Information for parents/carers who have children with special
educational needs – School Exclusion
Information Packs:
Supporting your child’s educational needs – General
Supporting your child’s educational needs - Statutory
Assessment
Supporting your child’s educational needs – Early Years
General Leaflets:
Dyslexia – A guide for parents
Developmental Coordination Disorder or Dyspraxia –
A guide for parents
Transition Review- Year 9 onwards
Copies of these can be obtained from:
Staffordshire Parent Partnership Service
13 Lichfield Road
Stafford
ST17 4JX
Telephone: 01785 356921 (Minicom service available)
Fax: 01785 356921
E-mail: spps@staffordshire.gov.uk
Website: www.staffordshire.gov.uk/spps
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