ABSTRACT
The SEN Code of Practice (DfES 2001a) provides advice to local authorities, schools and educational settings to enable them to fulfil their statutory duties: to identify, assess and make provision for pupils’ special educational needs. The Code remains the foundation of the SEN system and until such time as it may be updated, SENCOs still need to manage SEN systems with due regard to the Code. If parents take a local authority to a tribunal because they are not satisfied with their child’s provision, the judgement rests mainly on whether or not the Code has featured appropriately within the decision-making process.
