This booklet explains what support your child or young person should get in an educational setting.

The SEND Code of Practice says:

All children and young people are entitled to an education that enables them to make progress so that they:

  • Achieve their best
  • Become confident individuals living fulfilling lives, and
  • Make a successful transition into adulthood, whether into employment, further or higher education or training (6.1)

 

Sections

  1. What should the setting do?
  2. How can the setting help my child/YP
  3. What is SEN support?
  4. Examples of SEN Support
  5. Other useful information

What should the setting do?

  • The Code of Practice says to use their ‘best endeavours’ to make sure that a child or young person ( YP) with Special Educational Needs (SEN) gets the support they need - this means doing everything they can to meet children and YP’s SEN 
  • Ensure that children/YP with SEN engage in the activities of the educational setting alongside pupils who do not have SEN
  • Name a teacher to be responsible for coordinating SEN provision—the SEN Coordinator (SENCo)
  • Tell parents when they are making special educational provision for their child/YP
  • Publish a SEN information report and their arrangements for the admission of disabled children
  • They may involve specialists at any point to advise them on early identification of SEN and effective support and interventions.

How can the setting help my child/YP

Educational settings should be:

  • Regularly checking every child/YP’s progress
  • Identifying child/YP’s needs early
  • Adapting teaching to meet individual needs
  • If your child/YP is still not making progress, the setting should decide if they have SEN and need SEN support.
  • School should talk with you and your child/YP about this.

What is SEN support?

SEN support is a four stage cycle also called the graduated approach. It is help that is additional to or different from the support generally given to most children/YP of the same age.

The purpose of SEN support is to help children/YP progress.

SEN Support ( A Graduated Approach)

The Four Stages

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)

Assess

Teaching staff should work with the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) to assess your child/YP’s needs so that they give the right support. They should involve you in this and seek your child/YP’s views.

Sometimes settings will ask for advice from a specialist teacher or a health professional. They should talk to you about this first.

 image SENSupport

 

The SEND Code of Practice says: Schools should take seriously any concerns raised by a parent. (6.45)

Plan

If the setting decides that your child/YP needs SEN support they must tell you. The setting should agree with you the aims (outcomes) that will be set, what help and support will be given to meet the aims and a date for progress to be reviewed.

Do

The SENCO will support teachers, teaching assistant (T.A) and specialist staff to put the plan in place.

Review

The SEND Code of Practice says: Schools should meet with parents at least three times a year (6.65)

The setting should review your child/YP’s progress and the difference that the help as made to your child/YP. You and your child/YP should be involved in the review and in planning the next step.

If your child/YP has not responded to the help they were given, it should be decided what can be done next. This could be extra or different help. This could involve other professionals from external services such as educational psychology, or the school to school support service.

If your child/YP is still not progressing or the school is putting in far more support than for most children with SEN, the next step is to consider requesting a needs assessment for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Link to flowchart

Examples of SEN Support

  • Extra help from a teacher or a learning support assistant
  • Making or changing materials and equipment
  • Working with your child/YP in a small group
  • Observing your child/YP in class or at break and keeping records
  • Helping your child/YP to take part in class activities
  • Making sure your child/YP has understood things by encouraging them to ask questions and getting them to try something they find difficult
  • Helping your child/YP to work with other children or play with them at break time
  • Supporting your child/YP with physical or personal care, such as eating, getting around school safely, toileting or dressing
  • Advice and/or extra help from specialists such as specialist teachers, educational psychologists and therapist


If your child/YP has a disability the educational setting must put things in place so that your child/YP can access learning and take part in everyday activities—this is called making ‘reasonable adjustments’.

Other useful information

  • Chapter 6 of the SEND Code of Practice available on our resources page
  • Norfolk’s Local Offer www.norfolk.gov.uk/SEND
  • The SEN Information Report and Policies on your settings website
  • Talk to one of our trained SEND Advisors