Glossary

 

Annual Review

A yearly review of a Statement of SEN

Assessment

The collection of information which builds a picture of a child’s needs and progress

Disagreement Resolution Service

A service which helps prevent or resolve disagreements between parents and the LEA or a school

Careers Wales

Careers Officer will be allocated to support SEN Pupils through Transition Plan

Dyslexia Is a specific learning difficulty

Early Education Service

All pre-school education provision such as nursery classes and schools, day nurseries and playgroups

Educational Psychologist

Trained teachers with a degree in Psychology employed by the LEA to advise and help teachers and where necessary, to make recommendations to the LEA on providing for the needs of some children

Education Welfare Officer

Person employed by the LEA to help parents and LEAs meet their respective statutory obligations in respect of school attendance.

Graduated response/approach

The model of action and intervention described in the SEN Code of Practice for Wales to help children with SEN

IEP

Individual Education Plan

Independent Parental Supporter (IPS)

Someone who can support parents, for example, by going to meetings, encouraging parents to get involved and helping them understand the SEN framework

Independent Schools

A school that is not maintained by an LEA.

Local Education Authority (LEA)

A local government body that is responsible for providing education and for carrying out statutory assessments and maintaining Statements

Learning Support Assistant (LSA)

A widely used job title for an assistant providing in-school support for pupils with SEN.

Mainstream school

An ordinary school which is for all children. This would normally be a state school

Maintained Special School

Special Schools which are maintained by the LEA.

Named Officer

The person at the LEA who deals with your child’s case

Note in Lieu

A document that may be issued when, following a statutory assessment, the LEA decide not to make a Statement

Non-Maintained

Special Schools

Special Schools which are not maintained by the state, but charge fees on a non-profit making basis.

Occupational Therapy (OT)

Occupational therapy is the use of the purposeful activity and play to help a child attain maximum level of functional performance.

Parent

A parent includes any person, who is not a parent of the child but has parental responsibility; or who cares for them under Section 576 of the Education Act 1996.

Parental Responsibility (PR)

Parental Responsibility as per Section 2 of the Children Act 1989. 

Parent Partnership Service (PPS)

A service which provides support and advice to parents whose children have SEN

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is a health care profession that emphasises the use of physical approaches in the promotion, maintenance and restoration of an individuals physical, psychological and social well-being.

Pupil Referral Unit

(PRU)

Any school established and maintained by an LEA which is specially organised to provide education for pupils who would not otherwise receive suitable education.

School Action

When a class or subject teacher identify that a pupil has special educational needs they provide interventions that are additional to or different from those ordinarily provided by the school.   Refer to the SENCO

School Action Plus

When the class or subject teacher and the SENCO are provided with advice or support from outside specialists.

SENCO

Special Education Needs Co-ordinator attached to the School

SEN Code of Practice for Wales

A guide for schools and LEAs about the help they give to children with SEN

Service Children’s Education (SCE)

The SCE oversees the education of the UK Service children abroad and those who have significant special educational needs.

SNAP Cymru

SNAP Cymru’s Independent Parent Partnership Service is free to families and offering impartial, accurate information, advice and support to young people, parents and carers.

Special Educational Needs

Children have special educational needs if they have learning difficulties that need special educational provision. They have learning difficulties if they find it harder to learn than most children of the same age or they have disabilities that make it difficult for them in school

Special Educational Needs Tribunal for Wales

An independent body that hears appeals against decisions made by LEAs on statutory assessments and Statements

Special Educational Provision

The additional or different help given to children with SEN

Special school

A school that is specially organised to make special educational provision for pupils with SEN

Speech & Language Therapy  (SLT)

The SLT is a health care profession, the roll and aim of which is to enable young adults and children with speech, language and communication difficulties to reach their maximum communication potential and achieve independence in all aspects of life.

SPLD  Specific Learning Difficulty i.e. Dyslexia

Statement of special educational needs

A documents that sets out a child’s needs and all the additional help they should receive

Statutory assessment

A very detailed examination of a child’s special educational needs

Transition Plan

A plan drawn after the year 9 annual review of a Statement. It sets out the steps needed to move from school to adult life