The term sen meaning school refers to children with a learning difficulty or disability that makes it harder for them to learn than most other students of their age. Children who are considered to have SEN will often have an Education, Health and Care plan or personalised outcomes linked to High Needs Funding, and this may set out what specific interventions they will access and how these are to be delivered.

All children may experience difficulties at some point, of course – and most can be helped to overcome these with support from home and in school. However, if a child’s challenges persist and have a lasting impact on their academic performance, they are likely to be classed as having SEN.

Understanding the Legal Framework for SEN Provision in Schools

A range of teaching strategies will be useful in helping children with SEN, and many of these are already part of good practice within any mainstream classroom. For example, ensuring tasks are clearly differentiated and ambitious in terms of outcome and scaffolding, breaking down complex information into smaller chunks or allowing learners to work at their own pace are all helpful.

Some learners’ needs will fluctuate, and it is important to reflect on the impact of any interventions or provision plans regularly – for instance, something that works well for one learner in a particular time of year may not work in another. Keeping the SENCo updated about what has been successful and evaluating how to adapt teaching methods will help.