If a child has not made the expected progress, even though the school has identified, assessed and provided SEND support, the school or the parents /carer should consider requesting an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment. This replaced the assessment for a statement of special educational needs under the old SEN system. This kind of assessment is needed to work out if a child need special educational provision.
Section 21 of the Children and Families Act 2014 explains that special educational provision is:
‘…educational or training provision that is additional to, or different from, that made generally for others of the same age..’ in mainstream schools or colleges.