What is a Statement of Educational Need? (SEN)

A Statement is a document which gives details about the special educational needs of your child and sets out what special arrangements are necessary to meet those needs.

After the LEA has carried out a Statutory Assessment, they will send you a proposed (draft) statement. You then have 15 days to comment and/or ask the LEA for a meeting to discuss the proposed statement.

If you agree to the proposed statement you will need to tell the LEA the type/name of the school you prefer, and the LEA will issue the final statement within 8 weeks.

If you disagree with the proposed statement you have only 2 months from the date of the letter sent with the SEN to appeal to the Special Educational Needs Disability Tribunal (SENDIST).

A Statement of Educational Need (SEN) is set out in six parts:

PART 1 includes information such as your own and your child's name and address, etc

PART 2 gives details of your child's SEN as identified during the Statutory Assessment

PART 3 describes the special help your child should get to meet the needs stated in part 2, together with long term aims and the arrangements for the method of reviewing and monitoring progress

PART 4 names the school your child will attend (left blank in the draft statement)

PART 5 describes any non-educational needs your child has, as agreed by the LEA and other agencies such as the health services

PART 6 describes how your child will get help to meet the stated needs in part 5