Sample Solution

According to World Health Organisation (2010) ‘Disability is an umbrella term covering impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions. Impairment is a problem in body function or structure: an activity limitation is a difficulty in executing a task or action: while a participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations’
Ofsted (2010) produced figures that suggested that about 1 in 5 or 1.7 million students were classified as having Special Educational Needs. This figure encompasses those students who are also defined as disabled under the Equality Act of 2010. Estimates of the proportion of children with a disability vary but recent analysis indicates that 7 per cent of children in England are disabled. There is a significant overlap between disabled children and those with SEN. Research suggests that around three-quarters of disabled children also have SEN and will currently be receiving support through the SEN system. Plus, SEN labelling can create low self-esteem and can deteriorate succeeding results, labelling students of ‘special needs’ frequently persuades school management to treat them differently and separately instead of perusing them in regular class. To treat them differently and separately are considered to be the handicap present in the existing SEN system. The introduction of The Equality Act 2010 sought to eliminate those elements within schools of treating SEN students differently and separately. Through the requirements of anti-discrimination measures, reasonable adjustments and treating disabled and SEN students more favourably the intended outcome is to improve the experience and achievements of these students.