Jargon Buster

ADD

Attention Deficit Disorder

 

ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

 

Annual Reviews (AR)

Once a statement is completed it is reviewed. At least every 6 months for children aged 0-5 or every 12 months from aged 5+. You will be invited to a meeting to discuss the progress your child has made over the last year and to set targets for the next year.

 

ASD

Autistic Spectrum Disorder

 

CAMHS

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

 

CCG

Commissioning Group. This is an NHS organisation that brings together local GPs and health professionals to take on commissioning responsibilities for local health services. A CCG plans and arranges the delivery of the health care provision for people in its area.

 

SEND Code of Practice (CoP)

A guide to Local Authorities and schools about the help which can be given to children with special educational needs. LAs and schools must have regard to the CoP when dealing with a child with SENs.

 

Compulsory School Age

Parents/carers have a duty to provide their child with an education (subject to section 7 of the 1996 Education Act) during the 'compulsory school age' period. This period begins from the 1st January, 1st April or 1st September following their 5th birthday. It ends on the last Friday of June during the year that the child turns 16, provided that the child's birthday is before the beginning of the next school year.

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CSDPA

The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. This is one of the main Acts of Parliament which entitle disabled people to social care.

 

DDA

Disability Discrimination Act 1995

 

Developmental Delay

A delay in reaching the normal stages of development, for example sitting or talking

 

Differentiation

The way in which the early years setting/school’s curriculum and teaching methods are adapted to meet the needs of a child

 

Direct Payments

Payments made in lieu of services being provided. Direct Payments may be available for health care, social care and for the special educational provision in an EHC plan.

 

Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

A benefit which you can apply for if your child has a disability (diagnosis not essential) and needs extra support over and above that of a typical child of the same age.

 

Designated Specialist Provision (DSP)

Specialist provision for specific types of special needs as part of mainstream school or academy. 

 

Dyspraxia

Affects fine/gross motor skills and also organisation and planning ability (eg difficulty using knife and fork, slow and unsteady coming downstairs, cannot ride a bike, needs help to organise belongings etc)If you think your child may have Dyspraxia it is best to ask for referral to an OT.

 

EA 1996

Equality Act 1996.

 

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

For children aged 0-5 in preschool and school. It links directly with the national curriculum.

 

EP/EPS

Educational Psychologist / Educational Psychologist Service

 

EHC needs assessment (EHCNA)

The assessment of the education, health care and social care needs of a child or young person conducted by a local authority under the Children and Families Act 2014.

 

EHC plan (EHCP)

An education, health and care plan as defined in section 37 (2) of the Children and Families Act 2014.

 

Further Education (FE)

The FE sector in England includes further education colleges, sixth form colleges, specialist colleges and adult education institutes. It does not include universities

 

Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability (SENDIST Tribunal/SEND Tribunal)

An independent body which has jurisdiction under section 333 of the Education Act 1996 for determining appeals by parents against local authority decisions on EHC needs assessments and EHC plans. The Tribunal’s decision is binding on both parties to the appeal. The Tribunal also hears claims of disability discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.

 

Foundation Stage

This begins when children reach the age of 3 and continues until the end of the reception year.

 

Global Delay

general delay in acquiring normal developmental milestones.

 

Graduated Approach/Response

Where a pupil is identified as having SEN, schools should take action to remove barriers to learning and put effective provision in place. This SEN Support should take form of a four-part cycle (assess, plan, do, review) to help gain better understanding of the pupil’s needs and tailor support accordingly. Schools must show evidence of a graduated response whereby they have sought advice, put appropriate interventions in place and evaluated progress before requesting additional or alternative provision through an EHC assessment.

 

Gross Motor Skills

Whole body actions, for example playing games, swimming or riding a bicycle

 

HI

Impairment (including those whose hearing loss may vary from mild to profound)

 

Education Plan/Individual Learning Plan (IEP/ILP)

A planning, teaching and review tool. A document for all teaching staff recording short term targets for an individual pupil that are different from or additional to those in place for the rest of the group or class. The interventions is provided through school action or school action plus (early years action and early years action plus for children under 5 years or in an early years setting) and statements of SEN.

 

Inclusion

Ensuring that all children are, where possible, educated together at their local mainstream school. This is regardless whether they have a disability or learning difficulty

 

Learning Support Assistant (LSA)

Learning support assistant providing in-school support for pupils with SEN and/or disabilities. An LSA will normally work with a particular pupil or pupils, providing close support to those teaching him or her.

 

Local Authority (LA)

A local government body, responsible for providing education, carrying out statutory assessments and maintaining statements.

 

Local Offer

Local authorities in England are required to set out in their local offer information about provision they expect to be available across education, health and social care for children and young people in their area who have SEN or are disabled, including those who do not have Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans. Local authorities must consult locally on what provision the local offer should contain.

 

Mainstream or Maintained School

School which are for all children, not just those with SEN. This will normally be a state school.

 

MLD

Moderate Learning Disability

 

National Curriculum

programme of study a child follows. It is divided into four stages known as Key Stages.

 

Ofsted

Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. This is the body which inspects and regulates services which care for children and young people and those providing education and skills for learners of all ages.

 

Occupational Therapist (OT)

A trained professional that provides assessments, treatment and rehabilitation for children with physical difficulties. They are able to give schools advice on programmes of support, and to advise about suitable equipment and the provision of other facilities.

 

Parent carer forum

This is a group of parents and carers of disabled children who work with local authorities, education, health and other providers to make sure the services they plan and deliver meet the needs of disabled children and families.

 

PECS

Used as an aid to communication, for children and young people with autistic spectrum disorder and special educational needs. It helps them to communicate their needs and wants. PECS is used in schools, home and other venues.

 

Person Centred Planning (PCP)

Person Centred Planning puts the young person at the centre of planning and focuses on their aspirations. It is about families and professionals making plans with a young person and not for them.

 

Personal Budget

Personal Budget is the notional amount of money which an LA has identified as necessary to secure the special educational provision in an EHC plan.

 

PMLD

Profound Multiple Learning Disability

 

PRU

Pupil Referral Unit - for children who need to be educated out of school, often because they have been excluded

 

Speech and Language Therapist (SALT/SLT)

Speech and Language Therapists are trained to assess, diagnose, manage and treat speech, language, voice and fluency disorders.

 

SEMH

Social Emotional Mental Health needs

 

SEN

Special Educational Needs

 

SENCO

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator

 

SEND

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

 

SEND Tribunal

Special Educational Needs & Disability Tribunal

 

Special educational provision

This is provision that is different from or additional to that normally available to pupils or students of the same age, which is designed to help children and young people with SEN or disabilities to access the National Curriculum at school or to study at college.

 

Special school

A school which is specifically organised to make special educational provision for pupils with SEN. Special schools maintained by the local authority comprise community special schools and foundation special schools, and non maintained (independent) special schools that are approved by the Secretary of State under Section 342 of the Education Act 1996.

 

SLD

Severe Learning Disability

 

SpLD

Specific Learning Disability

 

Teaching Assistant (TA)

A person employed by the school to provide general support in the classroom. They work under the direction of the class teacher.

 

The C & F Act 2014 or CAFA

Children and Families Act 2014.

 

VI

Visual Impairment or complete loss of sight

 

Young person (YP)

A person over compulsory school age (the end of the academic year in which they turn 16). From this point the right to make decisions about matters covered by the Children and Families Act 2014 applies to the young person directly, rather than to their parents.