Children deemed to have special educational needs (SEN) may be most obviously those with a condition that hinders or prevents them from making use of the facilities provided for pupils of their age.

But in the broadest sense it covers all those whom the school considers could benefit from extra help with their studies.

The great majority are educated in mainstream primary and secondary schools, which have to publish their policy on pupils with special needs.

A government code of practice offers practical guidance to all local education authorities and state schools on how to identify, assess and monitor these pupils.

This code takes account of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001, with:

• a stronger right for children with SEN to be educated at a mainstream school
• new duties on education authorities to arrange for parents of children with SEN to be offered advice and information and a means of resolving disputes
• a new duty on schools and relevant nursery education providers to tell parents when they are making special educational provision for their child
• a new right for schools and relevant nursery education providers to request a statutory assessment of a child.

Statutory assessments are used when an individual action plan has proved insufficient for a child's needs.

They may lead to a "statement". Statements specify the provision to be made for a child�s special educational needs and local education authorities then have a statutory duty to arrange for it to be made.

A key principle is that children have a right to be consulted about what they want.

And they should be offered full access to "a broad, balanced and relevant education", based on the National Curriculum.

Some independent schools provide education wholly or mainly for children with special educational needs, and are required to meet similar standards to those for maintained special schools. It is intended that pupils should have access to as much of the National Curriculum as possible.