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Level C
The legislative context
A girl with her parents, teachers and carers take part in a review meeting
About this module

Level C of this module builds upon the learning at level B which explains how legislation is the means by which the rights of children/young people with SLD/PMLD/CLDD are secured and the duties of adults working with them.

Level C builds on this by exploring provision and evaluating how it responds to the legal rights of children/young people as set out the Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans and Statements of Special educational needs (SSEN). It also examines school priorities and developments in terms of current policy debates.

Learning outcomes
The neoclassical columns of a major national court building

The materials in this level are intended to provide the tools for those working with children/young people with SLD/PMLD/CLDD to be able to:

  • Understand the legal framework for special educational needs/disability in England as well as the current debate regarding the child/young person and family's voice;
  • Be clear about their duties according to the legal framework for SEN and disability in England; and
  • Prioritise the current debates, position school development, and evaluate the application of key procedures of the statutory process.
Teachers' Standards

Details of the professional standards that apply to all teachers in England can be obtained from the Department for Education website. These standards apply to all teachers regardless of their career stage, and all aspects of the standards are relevant to teachers working with children/young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

 

Teachers' Standards (Department for Education, 2011; updated, 2013)

Teachers Standards Cover
Special educational needs

As defined by the 0-25 SEND Code of Practice (2015), children/young people have special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty 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 if he or she has:

  • A significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or
  • A disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions.
0-25 SEND Code of Practice (2015)
SENCodeOfPracticeCover
Acknowledgements

With thanks to the professionals who contributed to
this module:

 

Module content

Professor Hilary Constable, University of Cumbria
Iain Chatwin, Independent SEN Trainer and Consultant
Dame Philippa Russell, Chair, Standing Commission

on Carers

Jo Egerton, Independent Consultant (2015 update)

 

All modules produced by The Schools Network and
Real Group (UK) Ltd for the Training Development Agency for Schools (TDA).

 

Editorial team

Dr Mark Turner, Real Group (UK) Ltd
Professor Hilary Constable, The Schools Network
Jo Egerton, The Schools Network (Edition 2)
Anne Fowlie, The Schools Network
John Truman, The Schools Network
Annie Grant, Independent Consultant

Production and design

Jonathan Bond, Real Group (UK) Ltd
Colm Gibson, Real Group (UK) Ltd
David Hutter, Real Group (UK) Ltd
Ruth Earl, Real Group (UK) Ltd

 

Video, audio and photography

Atomic Productions

 

Project management

Professor Barry Carpenter, The Schools Network
Alan Macgregor, Real Group (UK) Ltd
Sylvia Paddock, The Schools Network
Dr Mark Turner, Real Group (UK) Ltd
Caroline Ward, The Schools Network

 

Thanks to all the children/young people, parents, carers, assistants and teachers for their involvement.