Special educational and additional needs

Nationally, about 20% of children may, at some time, have some form of special educational needs that affects their ability to function and learn. For most, mainstream schools will meet such needs, with additional support if necessary.

All mainstream schools must have a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Information Report and a SEND Coordinator (SENCO). Your child's school will be able to give you information about their arrangements. 

Find out about our SEND local offer, which provides information about nearby services for children with special educational needs and disabilities. 

How we help

Most children with special educational needs are able to have their needs met within local mainstream schools. All state and state-funded schools will have an ‘SEN Information Report’, which will outline the support that they provide for children with SEN and the key contacts for SEN support within the school.  

Some children or young people with more complex needs may be assessed to see whether they require an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan, which will set out the specialist support that they require in order to access their education and make progress. 

Requests for EHC assessment can made by schools or the families themselves and should be addressed to our SEN Services.  

You can find links to individual schools’ SEN Information Reports and more details about the Education, Health and Care Planning process, as well as other information regarding local support for SEND at Westminster SEND Local Offer. 

Although SEN takes many forms, often interrelated, and a child could have multiple impairments, unique to him or herself, there are general categories of impairment that inform the support they need. These are:

• communication and interaction
• cognition and learning
• behaviour, emotional and social development
• sensory or physical

Transport assistance

For more information on travel assistance for children and young people with SEND please view our Home-to-school travel assistance policy.

Contact us

If you have any queries or need further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Special Educational Needs team.

Telephone: 020 7361 3311

Post: The Town Hall, 2nd Floor, Green Zone, Hornton Street, W8 7NX.