SEN
At times of need As the number of pupils with special educational needs grows across the country, Charlotte Phillips goes behind the scenes at local schools to learn about the support they offer S pecial educational needs, additional needs and neurodivergence. The terms may vary, but the statistics all tell the That doesn’t mean that every neurodivergent child will be identified. While some children might have, or are awaiting, a diagnosis, others will go through their schooldays – possibly even the rest of their lives – without ever having or needing a formal assessment. It’s likely the higher figures reflect
same story. Every year, more children are being diagnosed with learning challenges. In June, the Department for Education reported that more than 1.7 million pupils in England have special educational needs (SEN), an increase of 5.6% and of almost 100,000 students since 2024. According to the government, an estimated one in seven have some form of learning difference. Given those figures, you can expect that in every school in the country, a class of 30 pupils could on average include up to a handful of pupils with learning needs. Raising awareness SEN takes in an eclectic range of conditions, of which the most common are attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism and more specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia and dyspraxia.
improved awareness and identification, something that benefits everyone, as Ian Barker-Sherry, the director of student learning at King’s College School, points out. “It allows us to know and teach pupils better. Every child has a specific combination of relative strengths and weaknesses; whether those are defined SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) needs, or individual preferences and predispositions for learning, they all need to be considered and met in an individual way.” As parents and schools will tell you, it is when learning differences start to impact day-to-day life, happiness and wellbeing that help is needed. That includes very able
NO LEARNER LEFT BEHIND From curriculum to school culture, Kimbolton (pictured) and Gretton (right) hope to foster inclusive environments
66 DECEMBER 2025 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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