A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them.  A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if they:

• A) have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or
• B) have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post -16 institutions.
• C) A child under compulsory school age has special educational need if they fall within the definition (a) or (b) above or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them (Clause 20 Children and Families Bill)’

The majority of children with SEN or disabilities will continue to have their needs met within mainstream settings.