SEN support in schools and settings
According to the SEND Code of Practice schools should:
- make sure that a child with SEND gets the support they need
- ensure that children and young people with SEND engage in school activities alongside pupils who do not have SEND
- name a teacher to be responsible for co-ordinating SEN provision (SENCO)
- tell parents when they are making special educational provision for a child
- publish a SEND information report and their arrangements for the admission of disabled children.
To find out more about what support schools could offer your child please see our ordinarily available provision document and ordinarily available provision guide for parents and carers.
How a school or setting can help your child
Schools will help your child by:
- regularly reviewing your child’s progress
- identifying needs early
- adapting teaching to meet individual needs.
If your child is not making expected progress, the school should decide if your child needs additional interventions and support. This is called SEN support. The school should talk with you and your child about this.
What SEN support is
SEN support is a 4-stage cycle also called The Graduated Approach: Assess, Plan, Do, Review. This support could be in the form of school-based interventions and/or seeking advice from other specialist services such educational psychology, behaviour support or speech and language therapy.
The purpose of SEN support is to help children and young people to make progress.
You should be fully involved in discussions about the support your child needs, how it will be delivered and when it will be reviewed.
Some children and young people need more intensive and specialist help.
If your child does not make progress despite SEN support, an Education, Health and Care needs assessment (EHC) might be the next step.