Special Educational Needs

What is SEN/D – Special Educational Need and/or disability?

A child and young person has SEN/D if they have learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made.

A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if they have significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age or has a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools.

The Towers School and Sixth Form Centre Provision Map, documents by Year Group and Whole school, the range of support available to students within school. Click here to view our whole school provision map.

For enquiries, please contact our SENCO - d.hainsworth@towers.school

Definition of special educational needs (SEN)

A child has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. A learning difficulty means that the child has significantly greater difficulty in learning than most children of the same age. (Adapted from - SEND Code of Practice (0-25) 2014)

Definition of disability

A child has a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment, and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. The disability prevents or hinders the child from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for other of the same age. (Adapted from - SEND Code of Practice (0-25) 2014)

Four Broad Areas

The SEND Code of Practice 2014 outlines four broad areas of SEN need, which are:

Communication and Interaction – Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD), Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC)
Cognition and Learning – Moderate learning difficulties (MLD), Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD), Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD), Specific Learning difficulties (SpLD) such as Dyslexia, Dyscalculia
Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties – Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Sensory and/or Physical needs – Visual Impaired (VI), Hearing Impaired (HI), Multi-sensory impaired (MSI), Physical disability (PD)

Local Offer

Kent SEND Local Offer:

https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/special-educational-needs

SEND information on the Local Offer:

https://www.kelsi.org.uk/special-education-needs/special-educational-needs

Most Common SEND Needs

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading, writing and spelling. (www.nhs.uk) If you are concerned that your child may have traits of dyslexia, some helpful information and websites are listed below.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dyslexia/

https://www.dyslexia.com/

http://www.ashforddyslexiacentre.org/index.htm

Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC)

Autistic people may:

Find it hard to communicate and interact with other people
Find it hard to understand how other people think or feel
Find things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable
Get anxious or upset about unfamiliar situations and social events
Take longer to understand information
Do or think the same things over and over.

Autism is a spectrum. This means everybody with autism is different. Some autistic people need little or no support. Others may need help from a parent or carer every day. (www.nhs.uk) If you are concerned that your child may have traits of autism, some helpful information and websites are listed below.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism

https://www.autism.org.uk/

https://www.kentautistictrust.org/

https://www.asdashford.com/

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects people's behaviour. People with ADHD can seem restless, may have trouble concentrating and may act on impulse (www.nhs.uk). If you are concerned that your child may have traits of ADHD, some helpful information and websites are listed below.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/

https://www.adhdfoundation.org.uk/

https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/service/community-paediatrics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/

Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is a learning disability in math. People with dyscalculia have trouble with math at many levels. They often struggle with key concepts like bigger vs smallest. If you are concerned that your child may have traits of Dyscalculia, some helpful information and websites are listed below.

https://www.dyscalculia.org/home

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) (Dyspraxia)

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, is a condition affecting physical coordination. It causes a child to perform less well than expected in daily activities for their age, and appear to move clumsily. (www.nhs.uk). If you are concerned that your child may have traits of Dyspraxia, some helpful information and websites are listed below.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/developmental-coordination-disorder-dyspraxia/

Speech and Language Difficulties

Problems with speech and language are the most common developmental difficulties that children encounter. Studies indicate that as many as 1 in 10 children in the UK have speech and language difficulties, and these are particularly prevalent in the early years. (bbc.co.uk) If you are concerned that your child may have traits of speech and language difficulties, some helpful information can be found on the link below.

https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/childrens-therapies-the-pod/speech-and-language-therapy/

Sensory Processing difficulties

Sensory processing is the way that our brain sorts out sensory information so we understand the world and can manage our everyday life. For some children their sensory development is delayed or disordered, and they struggle to take part in everyday childhood occupations. For example, they are so distressed by noise they can’t go to a friend’s party or they hit out when someone brushes up against them as they experience it as painful. If you are concerned that your child may have traits of sensory processing difficulties, some helpful information and websites are listed below.

https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/childrens-therapies-the-pod/occupational-therapy/sensory-processing/

https://youtu.be/5AOLDWvn38c - sensory processing explained by an Occupational Therapist

Other useful websites

The Pod – Children’s Therapies

NHS Children's therapies information with films, resources and links that can help your child achieve their therapy goals. The Pod has been developed by the Integrated Children’s Therapies teams, provided by Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust. Find your nearest team below:

https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/childrens-therapies-the-pod/

Oaks National Academy

Specialist classroom for students with additional needs, offering a range of specialist subjects.

https://classroom.thenational.academy/specialist

Special Needs Jungle

Parent-led information and resources

https://www.specialneedsjungle.com