This section imposes duties on the appropriate authorities of the following schools in England—
mainstream schools;
maintained nursery schools.
The appropriate authority must designate a member of staff at the school (to be known as the "SEN co-ordinator") as having responsibility for co-ordinating the provision for pupils with special educational needs.
Regulations may—
require appropriate authorities which are subject to the duty imposed by subsection (2) to ensure that SEN co-ordinators have prescribed qualifications or prescribed experience (or both);
confer other functions relating to SEN co-ordinators on appropriate authorities which are subject to the duty imposed by subsection (2).
The "appropriate authority" for a school is—
in the case of a maintained school or maintained nursery school, the governing body;
in the case of an Academy, the proprietor.