Glossary
|
Terminology | Definition |
| Age equivalent score | The age at which an average child would be expected to get the same score. |
| Annual review | A yearly review of a statement of special educational needs. |
| Appropriate progress | Progress in line with targets that would be appropriate for a child of similar age and aptitude. |
| Assessment | An ongoing process of finding out a child’s progress, achievements, strengths and needs. |
| Attention deficit disorder (ADD) | A diagnosis that is based on difficulties with attention and impulsiveness. |
| Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) | Autism disorders are ranged on a spectrum that is characterised by social, communication and learning difficulties. |
| Chronological age | Age in years and months. |
| Code of practice | A guide for early education settings, schools, local authorities and those that help them, on meeting their responsibilities for children with special educational needs |
| Community paediatrician | A doctor employed by the Health service, who plays a major role in early identification of special educational needs. |
| Connexions | A service for all young people of 13 – 19 years old. |
| Connexions personal advisor | Provide information, advice and guidance for young people and parents on transition to work and adult life. |
| Differentiation | The ways in which the curriculum and teaching are adapted to meet a range of needs. |
| Disagreement resolution service | An independent service helping resolve disagreements between parents of children with special educational needs and the local authority or schools. |
| Disapplication | A formal procedure, which removes the requirement to follow the national curriculum. |
| Early education practitioners | All adults working with children (birth to 5) in early education settings. |
| Early education setting | All preschool education provision, such as nursery classes and schools, day nurseries and playgroups. |
| Early Years Action | Special educational provision for children in early education settings. |
| Early Years Action Plus | Special educational provision planned with advice and support from specialists. |
| Educational Psychologist (EP) | Educational psychologists are trained in psychology, pedagogy and child development. They provide advice, consultation and assessment to schools and other settings. |
| Graduated approach | The system used by schools and early education settings to identify, assess and make provision for children with special educational needs. |
| Group education plan | A plan setting out targets and special provision for a group of pupils. |
| Health visitor | A qualified nurse with additional training. |
| Hearing Impairment (HI) | A loss of hearing, which ranges from profound and permanent deafness to lesser, temporary levels. |
| Independent parental supporter (IPS) | Someone who supports parents of children with special educational needs. |
| Individual education plan (IEP) | A working document setting out the targets and the support to meet special educational needs that is additional to or different from that provided for others. |
| Inclusion | A process of educating children within their community. |
| Inclusion statement | The policy set out by the Local Authority in All Together Better - Next Steps. |
| Learning difficulty | A school aged child has a learning difficulty if he or she finds it much harder to learn than other children of the same age or if he or she has a disability that hinders them from using educational facilities. |
| Learning mentor | A school based professional, who works alongside teaching and pastoral staff to support individual pupils to overcome barriers to learning. |
| Learning support and advisory teacher | Teachers with additional qualifications in teaching children with special educational needs. |
| Learning Support Assistant (LSA) | A member of staff providing extra support in early years settings and schools. |
| Mainstream school | A local school, which caters for all children. |
| Maintained school | A state school. |
| Moderation | The way in which needs are compared across the county to ensure resources are allocated fairly. |
| Modification | A change made to the national curriculum to make it more accessible for a child. |
| Named officer | The person from the Placement and Provision Service, who deals with a child’s case and can advise and assist parents about statements and SEN provision. |
| National curriculum | This sets out the entitlement to learning for all pupils. |
| National curriculum inclusion statement | A detailed statement within the national curriculum, setting out the principles that schools must follow, to make sure that all children have the chance to succeed. |
| Note in lieu | A note, which may be issued following a statutory assessment, setting out how a child’s needs can be met without a statement. |
| Parent | A parent includes any person with parental responsibility for a child or who cares for him/her (Section 576 of the Education Act 1966) |
| Parental responsibility – under Section 2 of Children Act 1988 |
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| Peer group | Other children of a similar age, interests or abilities. |
| Performance levels (P levels) | Levels below national curriculum level 1 in the form of a series of learning objectives. |
| Proposed statement | The draft form of a statement of special educational needs, made available for comments. |
| Responsible person | The person (either the headteacher, chairman of the governing body or SEN governor), who has responsibility for making sure that staff know about a child’s special educational needs. |
| School Action | Special educational provision that is additional to and different from that provided generally in school. |
| School Action Plus | Special educational provision made in school, based on specialist advice. |
| Sensory impairment | An impairment of hearing or vision. |
| Social worker | A person employed by the local authority, who is trained to provide support and advice for parents and families on social / care issues. |
| SEN and Disability Tribunal | An independent panel, who consider appeals by parents against decisions of local authorities on statutory assessments and statements. |
| Special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) | The member of staff with responsibility for coordinating special educational provision within a school or early education setting. |
| Special educational provision | The extra or different provision made for children with special educational needs. |
| Special school | A school, that is just for children with statements of special educational need. |
| Specific learning difficulty (SpLD) | A brain based learning difficulty that manifests in delays in specific areas, including reading and writing. |
| Speech and language therapist | A person trained to assess and treat speech, language, voice and fluency disorders. |
| Statement of special educational needs | A legal document written by the local authority that sets out a child’s needs and the extra help they should get. |
| Statutory assessment | A multi-disciplinary assessment of special educational needs, which have not been met by school action or school action plus. |
| Transition plan | A plan, written after the annual review held in year 9, drawing together information from different people into a plan for the young person’s transition to adult life. |
| Visual impairment (VI) | A loss of vision that ranges from profound through to lower level. |
| Voluntary organisations | Usually charities, that provide help and advice – often linked to particular needs. |
