Special educational provision

This is a legally defined term and is the second part of the definition of special educational needs.

Special educational provision is:

1. for those aged 2 or more years old: any educational or training provision that is in addition to, or different from, that generally available for other children or young people of the same age (for example, one-to-one support)

2. for children under two years old: any educational provision, and

3. for all children and young people: any health care or social care provision which educates or trains the child or young person (for example, speech and language therapy, or other provision made by health or social care which teaches a child or young person how to do something).

3. Case law has confirmed that provision may be educational without educating a child itself. The dictionary definition of ‘educational’ is ‘of, pertaining to, or concerned with education’. For example, a hearing loop in the classroom would be educational provision for a hearing-impaired child, though the loop itself does not educate the pupil – the teacher does.

You can find out more about special educational provision and case law on our website.