Special educational needs (SEN)

If you think your child may have special educational needs, you should talk to your child's headteacher or the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator at school.  If your child is not yet in school, contact Additional Learning Needs Unit in the Civic Centre.  You may have already received advice from your health visitor or community paediatrician.  Wherever possible pupils with special educational needs are taught in their local mainstream catchment area school rather than a special school.

Extra money is included in each school's budget to help meet the needs of children with special educational needs.  Each school has a Special Education Needs Co-ordinator to provide extra help and advice.  Educational Psychologists and Specialist Teachers (who work in several schools) are also available to help the school.

If your child has significant needs they may be referred for a Statutory Assessment, which in turn may lead to a Statement of Special Educational Needs.  However, this is very rare, as most children with moderate additional needs will have their needs met in their local school from the school's resources.

If your child does have a Statement, the Local Authority will seek to ensure their needs are still met in their local school.  However, some children will have their needs met in specialist teaching facilities within a mainstream school, or occasionally in a special school.  A number of mainstream schools have resources, facilities and specially trained staff to cater for the needs of children with particular learning difficulties.  A few children have long-term, complex needs which are best met in a special school where additional specialist teaching, expertise and equipment are available.  There are two special schools in Swansea, these are Ysgol Crug Glas and Ysgol Pen-y-Bryn. Pupils can only attend these schools if they are placed here by the Local Authority.

If your child holds a Statement of Special Educational Needs then their annual review in year 5 will discuss secondary phase placement and the recommendations of this review will be considered by the Local Authority in the first term of year 6.

The preferred placement scheme does not apply to pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs.  Parents can express a preference directly to Additional Learning Needs Unit in the Local Authority or in the Annual Review and the Education Department will consult with parents and schools to decide which school can best meet the needs of the child.

The Education Department reserves the right to name a school which is not the catchment area school.  If your child has a statement and you wish to change your child's school for some reason, you need to put this request in writing to the Access to Learning Team asking them to amend the name of the school on your child's statement.  If you would like further information about provision for children with special education needs, a booklet called 'Special Educational Needs in the City and County of Swansea: a Guide for Parents and Carers' is available.  The booklet explains the policy, procedures and provision available as well as describing the rights of parents and responsibilities of the Education Department.  The booklet has been produced in partnership with Special Needs Advisory Project (SNAP).  SNAP is an independent project which provides support and guidance for parents of children with special needs.  You can contact SNAP on their Helpline 0845 120 3730.