SEN support in mainstream schools

The SEND Code of Practice says:

Class and subject teachers, supported by the senior leadership team, should make regular assessments of progress for all pupils. These should seek to identify pupils making less than expected progress given their age and individual circumstances. (6.17)

The school should then decide if your child needs SEN support. The school should talk to you and your child about this. If a young person is 16 or older the school should involve them directly.

Sometimes you may be the first to think that your child has some special educational needs. If you think your child may need SEN support, you should talk to your child’s teacher or to the Special Educational Needs Coordinator.

If you are not happy about the support your child has, you can ask to talk to the Special Educational Needs Coordinator or Headteacher. You can also speak to the SENDIASS

A graduated approach

The SEND Code of Practice says:

Where a pupil is identified as having SEN, schools should take action to remove barriers to learning and put effective special educational provision in place. (6.44)

When your child is identified as having SEN, the school should use a graduated approach based on four steps. These are:

• assess
• plan
• do
• review

Assess

Teaching staff should work with the Special Educational Needs Coordinator to assess your child’s needs, so that they give the right support. They should involve you in this and, where possible, seek your child’s views. The SEND Code of Practice says:

Schools should take seriously any concerns raised by a parent. (6.45)

Sometimes schools will seek advice from a specialist teacher or a health professional. They should talk to you about this first.

Plan

If the school decides that your child needs SEN support, it must tell you. The school should agree with you the outcomes that will be set, what help will be provided and a date for progress to be reviewed.

Do

Your child’s class or subject teacher is usually responsible for the work that is done with your child and should work closely with any teaching assistants or specialist staff involved. The school should tell you who is responsible for the support your child receives

All those who work with your child should be made aware of:

their needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required. (6.49)

Review

The SEND Code of Practice says:

Schools should meet with parents at least three times a year. (6.65)

The school should review your child’s progress, and the difference that the help your child has been given has made, on the date agreed in the plan. You and your child should be involved in the review and in planning the next step.

If your child has not responded to the help they were given, the review should decide what can be done next. This may include more or different help.

Sometimes it helps to involve other professionals to investigate the difficulties or to plan the next steps.

You and the school can look at the Local Offer to see what support should be available that could help achieve your child’s outcomes. Sometimes the next step may be to ask the local authority for an EHC needs assessment. If the school decides to do this, they must tell you. If you think it is needed, you can ask for it yourself