SEN support in Schools, Colleges and Early Years settings

SEN Support is available for children who have SEND but do not have an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan.

Schools must identify pupils who have SEND and need extra help through SEN Support. They should record this in the school records. They must tell parents if they are making special educational provision for your child.

Schools must have a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) who is responsible for arranging and co-ordinating extra help for pupils with SEND. The SENCO works with class and subject teachers to plan and deliver support.

The school should draw up a plan, involving you and your child, focusing on the outcomes your child needs and wants to achieve and detailing how the school will support them to achieve these.

The SEND Code of Practice says that schools should use a graduated approach, or four-part cycle (Assess, Plan, Do and Review) to support your child. The actions taken to help them should be reviewed and revised as the school understands more about how your child learns and the support they need.

You should be fully involved in discussions about the support your child needs, how it will be delivered and when it will be reviewed. School should meet with you at least three times a year to review how your child is progressing. This should be in addition to scheduled parents’ evening meetings. The school must provide a report at least once a year on your child’s progress.

If your child is not making the expected progress following the SEN Support approach then they may need more specialist input and you as the parent/carer or the setting may request an assessment as part of an Education Health and Care plan

Complete guide to SEN Support  but each section can also be found below.