The SEND system has a language of its own. This glossary covers the terms you are most likely to encounter, explained plainly and without jargon. Definitions reflect the SEND framework in England.
A2 terms
Annual Review
A review of a child’s Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) that must take place at least once a year. The review consi…
See also: EHCP, Outcomes, Named Placement
Assess–Plan–Do–Review
The four-stage cycle that schools must follow when supporting pupils with SEND. The school assesses the child’s needs, p…
See also: SEN Support, Graduated Approach
C2 terms
CAMHS
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
NHS services for children and young people with emotional, behavioural, or mental health difficulties. CAMHS is often me…
Co-production
Working with families — not just for them. In the SEND context, co-production means parents and young people are genuine…
D2 terms
Diagnosis
A formal identification of a condition — such as autism, ADHD, or dyslexia — made by a qualified clinician. A common and…
See also: SEN Support, EHCP
DLA
Disability Living Allowance
A benefit for children under 16 who have care or mobility needs as a result of a disability or health condition. DLA is …
E4 terms
Educational Psychologist
EP
A specialist professional, usually employed or commissioned by the local authority, who assesses children’s learning, de…
See also: EHC Needs Assessment
EHC Needs Assessment
The process by which a local authority considers whether a child needs an EHCP. Parents, schools, or young people over 1…
See also: EHCP, SENDIST
EHCP
Education, Health and Care Plan
A legally binding document issued by the local authority for children and young people whose needs cannot be met through…
See also: EHC Needs Assessment, Annual Review, SENDIST
Exclusion
The formal removal of a pupil from school, either for a fixed period or permanently. Children with SEND are disproportio…
See also: SEN Support, EHCP
G1 term
Graduated Approach
The framework that describes how schools should respond to a child’s needs — starting with adjustments within the classr…
See also: SEN Support, EHCP, Assess–Plan–Do–Review
I1 term
ISP / SEN Support Plan
Individual Support Plan / Provision Map / Pupil Passport
The document a school uses to record the SEN Support a child is receiving — their needs, the provision in place, targets…
See also: SEN Support
K1 term
Key Worker
A professional assigned to coordinate support across services for a child or family with complex needs. Key workers are …
L2 terms
Local Authority
LA
The local government body responsible for education and children’s services in a given area. In SEND, the LA has specifi…
See also: EHCP, Local Offer, Named Officer
Local Offer
A public document that every local authority is required to publish, describing the education, health, and social care s…
See also: LA
M2 terms
Mainstream Provision
Education provided in an ordinary school setting, as opposed to a specialist or special school. Most children with SEND …
See also: Specialist Provision, Reasonable Adjustments
Mediation
A process offered to parents before they can appeal to the SEND Tribunal. A mediator helps parents and the local authori…
See also: SENDIST
N4 terms
Named Officer
The local authority employee responsible for a child’s EHCP. Parents have the right to know the name of their named offi…
See also: EHCP, LA
Named Placement
The educational setting named in Section I of an EHCP — the school or provision the child must attend. Parents have the …
See also: EHCP, Specialist Provision, SENDIST
NHS Continuing Care
Funding for ongoing health needs that is separate from education funding. Relevant where a child has significant health …
Notional SEND Budget
The amount of funding schools receive to support pupils with SEND through SEN Support. Schools receive a notional SEND b…
See also: SEN Support, EHCP
O2 terms
Occupational Therapy
OT
A health service that helps children develop the practical skills needed for daily life and learning. In a SEND context,…
See also: EHCP, SALT
Outcomes
The goals set out in an EHCP — describing what the child should achieve as a result of the support provided. Outcomes sh…
See also: EHCP, Annual Review
P1 term
PINS
Parental Involvement in SEND
A term sometimes used to describe the principle — and legal duty — of involving parents meaningfully in decisions about …
See also: Co-production
R1 term
Reasonable Adjustments
Changes that schools and other organisations are legally required to make under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure disabled…
See also: Mainstream Provision
S14 terms
SALT
Speech and Language Therapy
A health service supporting children with speech, language, and communication difficulties. SALT is one of the most freq…
See also: EHCP, Section F, Annual Review
Section B
The section of an EHCP that describes a child’s special educational needs — what the child finds difficult and why. Sect…
See also: EHCP, Section F
Section F
The section of an EHCP that specifies the special educational provision a child must receive. Section F is the legally e…
See also: EHCP, Section B, SENDIST
SEMH
Social, Emotional and Mental Health
One of the four broad areas of SEND need defined in the SEND Code of Practice. SEMH covers difficulties with emotional r…
See also: SEN, EHCP
SEN
Special Educational Needs
A child has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability that makes it significantly harder for them to learn th…
See also: SEND, SEN Support, EHCP
SEN Register
The school’s internal record of pupils identified as having SEND. Most pupils on the register receive SEN Support or hav…
See also: SEN Support, EHCP
SEN Support
The level of support provided by a school from its own resources, without an EHCP. It is the starting point for most chi…
See also: ISP / SEN Support Plan, Graduated Approach, EHCP
SENCo
Special Educational Needs Coordinator
The member of staff in a school responsible for coordinating support for children with SEND. Every school must have a SE…
See also: SEN Support
SEND
Special Educational Needs and Disability
The combined term used in legislation, policy, and practice to describe the range of needs and conditions covered by the…
See also: SEN, EHCP
SEND Advocacy / Independent Support
Support provided by an independent professional to help parents understand the SEND system, navigate assessments and pla…
See also: SENDIAS, SENDIST
SEND Code of Practice
The statutory guidance that sets out the duties, policies, and procedures for organisations working with children and yo…
SENDIAS
SEND Information, Advice and Support Service
A free, impartial service available in every local authority area, offering independent information, advice and support …
SENDIST
Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal
The independent tribunal (also called SEND Tribunal or First-tier Tribunal SEND) where parents and young people can appe…
See also: EHCP, Mediation
Specialist Provision
Education provided in a setting designed specifically for children with particular types of need — including special sch…
See also: EHCP, Mainstream Provision
T2 terms
Transition
The process of planning and managing a move between educational stages — from primary to secondary school, or from secon…
See also: EHCP, Annual Review
W1 term
Working Document
An informal term sometimes used to describe an EHCP that is still being drafted or amended. When a draft EHCP is issued,…
See also: EHCP
This glossary is updated regularly. If you encounter a term not listed here, get in touch.