An introduction to special educational needs

Having a wheelchair-accessible school doesn’t make it a haven for the wheelchair user.

Sandra Hutchinson editor of The Good Schools Guide- Special Educational Needs explains how to navigate the information on this site, to find the answers you need. Alternatively click on the link to purchase The SEN Guide and have all the information together in one handy resource.

Identifying different kinds of special educational needs

Few children fit a condition perfectly – if they do, we tend to say they are a ‘classic’ case. Most will not be straightforward, some will be comorbid, perhaps a dyslexic with dyspraxia and a touch of ADD, or a child with ASD who also has Down’s syndrome. If you have concerns please consult  SEN conditions this section will be a useful reference for anyone who thinks their child has a special need or who has been told their child has.  But please do not take lists of characteristics to mean your child has an SEN – how many medical students thought they were riddled with cancer because they happened to have some of the symptoms outlined in the oncology module? Whatever your thoughts, we cannot stress enough the importance of getting expert, professional opinion, sooner rather than later (See SEN personnel below and our SEN help section which contains useful names and addresses).