The SEN faculty (Special Educational Needs) aims to appropriately meet the needs of all students experiencing long or short-term educational difficulties, in line with national policies for inclusion and retention.

Special Needs and the Learning Support team work closely together to build up an accurate picture of the child as a learner, and of the barriers to learning which are affecting them, in order to enable them as far as possible to fulfil their potential and to succeed within the system.

The main place that students have their special needs met is in the normal classroom with their teachers, and with their tutor in their tutor group. The SEN faculty provides information to help teachers and tutors do this. Teaching assistants are attached to specific faculties, and work in-class with students. Special teaching is also offered, out of class, for short term work on specific difficulties.

Students are placed on the SEN register with Statements, or at School Action Plus, or School Action. The criteria for placing students are given in the SEN Code of Practice and reinforced by guidelines in the local education authority Special Needs Handbook.

Special Needs is a whole school responsibility, managed by the SEN faculty. It relies above all on communication and flexibility, so that the particular needs of all students are recognised, and they can do their best and enjoy learning.