Getting extra help or different types of help at school/college

This page explains how children and young people aged 0 to 25, including those in early years settings, schools, colleges and other post-16 education settings, can receive SEN Support.

The information on this page is taken from the SEND Code of Practice 2015.

It would be helpful to read the following leaflet and page for further information:

What does special educational needs (SEN) mean?

A child or young person has SEN if they find it harder to learn than other children or young people of the same age.

A child or young person may find it difficult to learn because they have a learning difficulty or disability, where they need SEN provision (extra or different types of help) to be made for them.

There are four main areas of SEN

Your child or young person may experience difficulties in one or more of the following areas:

  • Communication and interaction: They may find it difficult to understand what others are saying, express their thoughts, follow conversations, or develop and maintain friendships

  • Cognition and learning: They may need support with learning, including reading, writing, maths, understanding information, concentration, memory, organisation and problem-solving

  • Social, emotional and mental health (SEMH): They may experience difficulties with their emotions, behaviour, relationships or mental health, which can affect their learning and participation in education

  • Sensory and/or physical needs: They may have difficulties relating to hearing, vision, physical mobility, coordination or sensory processing. For example, they may be sensitive to noise, light or touch, or need support with tasks such as writing, moving around the setting or accessing learning activities

What is SEN provision?

SEN provision is education or training that is additional to, or different from, the support generally provided for other children and young people of the same age.

The first step in supporting a child or young person is high-quality, inclusive teaching, often called quality first teaching (QFT). This includes adapting teaching and learning to meet different needs within the classroom.

Schools and colleges are also expected to provide a range of support through their ordinarily available provision (OAP). This is the support, strategies and reasonable adjustments that mainstream settings should be able to provide from their own resources to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND.

Examples of SEN provision

Where a child or young person requires additional support, SEN provision may include:

  • Adapted teaching and learning materials, such as visual timetables, checklists, larger print, dyslexia-friendly resources, sensory aids or assistive technology

  • Additional support from teachers or support staff to help a child or young person access learning, develop skills or participate in activities

  • Support with organisation and independence, for example using planners, visual prompts, routines or organisational aids

  • Support with transitions and moving around the setting, such as a buddy system, transition booklet, map or photo guide

  • Movement breaks, sensory breaks or access to a quiet space to help with concentration, regulation and wellbeing

  • Small-group or targeted interventions to develop specific skills, such as communication, social skills, emotional wellbeing, literacy or numeracy

  • Support from a learning mentor or key adult to discuss concerns, build confidence and develop emotional regulation skills

  • Support with personal care or independence skills, where required

  • Advice and support from specialist professionals, such as specialist teachers, Educational Psychologists (EPs), Speech and Language Therapists (SaLTs), Occupational Therapists (OTs) or other relevant services.

You can ask your child’s school or college what quality first teaching strategies, ordinarily available provision and SEN support are currently in place to meet your child’s needs.

For more information about the support mainstream schools and colleges are expected to provide, please see Wandsworth’s Ordinarily Available Provision Guide.

You can also read our What is SEN? Short information sheet.

The role of the SENCO

Every mainstream school (maintained school, academy or free school) has a special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO). The SENCO is responsible for co-ordinating provision for pupils with SEND and working with teachers, support staff, parents and other professionals to help ensure children’s needs are identified and met.

The SENCO works with class and subject teachers to plan, monitor and review the support provided for children and young people with SEND.

In colleges, there should be a named member of staff with responsibility for overseeing SEND provision and co-ordinating support, similar to the role of the SENCO in schools.

Mainstream schools/colleges are settings which provide education for all children or young people, including those with SEN and/or disabilities.

Maintained (state) schools are schools funded by the local authority (LA). Academies and free schools are government-funded independent schools.

SEN information report

Maintained schools, academies and free schools must publish information about the SEND support and provision they provide. This is usually called the SEN information report and can be found on the school’s website.

The report should explain how the school identifies and supports children and young people with SEND, how you and your child are involved in decision-making, and how progress is monitored and reviewed.

You can also speak to the SENCO if you would like more information about the support available.

How is SEN identified and SEN support put in place?

If you think your child or young person may have special educational needs (SEN), it is helpful to speak to their class teacher, tutor, key worker or SENCO at their school or college.

If your child or young person is identified as having SEN, the school or college should do everything they reasonably can to identify and meet their needs so that they can take part in learning and make progress alongside their peers.

The first step in meeting a child or young person’s needs is through quality first teaching (QFT). This means high-quality, inclusive teaching adapted to meet different learning needs within the classroom.

Schools and colleges should also provide support through their ordinarily available provision (OAP). This is the range of support, strategies and reasonable adjustments that mainstream settings are expected to provide from their own resources for children and young people with SEND.

Where a child or young person needs additional support, the school or college may provide SEN support. SEN support follows a four-stage cycle known as assess, plan, do, review (APDR), which helps ensure support is tailored to the child or young person’s needs and reviewed regularly.

You can ask your child’s school or college about the quality first teaching approaches, ordinarily available provision and SEN support that are in place to support your child.

How does SEN support work?

SEN Support should follow a graduated approach. This means support is provided in stages and reviewed regularly to help ensure it meets your child or young person’s needs. The cycle can be repeated and adjusted as needs change.

SEN Support follows a four-stage cycle known as assess, plan, do, review (APDR):

Assess

This is when your child’s class teacher, subject teacher, tutor or key worker, together with the SENCO or named person in a college, gathers information to better understand your child’s strengths, needs and any barriers to learning.

This may include information from:

  • Classroom observations

  • Assessments and attainment data

  • Examples of work

  • Discussions with you and your child or young person

  • Information from previous settings or professionals involved

Your views and your child’s or young person’s views should be sought, listened to and taken into account as part of the assessment process. Children and young people should be supported to share what is important to them, what they enjoy, what they find difficult and what helps them to learn.

Where needed, the school or college may seek advice from specialist professionals to help better understand your child’s needs and identify appropriate support.

For example:

  • Wandsworth Autism Advice Service (WASS)

  • Literacy & Numeracy Support Service

  • Behaviour Support Services

  • Educational Psychologists

  • Speech and Language Therapists

  • Occupational Therapists

  • Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

If your child is under 16, the school or college should discuss and agree any referrals to specialist services with you.

The assessment process should be reviewed regularly to ensure that support continues to meet your child’s needs, promotes inclusion and participation, and helps them make progress.

Plan

If it is agreed that your child or young person requires SEN support, the school or college should discuss this with you, or directly with your young person if they are 16 or over.

Children and young people should be involved in planning their support as far as possible. Their views, wishes and aspirations should help shape the support provided and the outcomes being worked towards.

Together, you should agree:

  • The support, strategies, adjustments or interventions that will be put in place

  • The outcomes being worked towards

  • How progress will be measured

  • Who will be responsible for delivering the support

  • When the support will be reviewed

All staff working with your child or young person should be made aware of their needs, agreed outcomes and the support being provided.

The school or college should keep a record of this information. This may be recorded in a SEN support plan, provision map, individual education plan (IEP) or another document used by the setting.

Do

The class teacher, subject teacher or tutor remains responsible for your child’s learning and progress on a day-to-day basis.

They should work closely with the SENCO and any support staff involved to ensure the agreed support is delivered and monitored effectively.

Your child or young person should be encouraged to take an active role in their learning and support, where appropriate. Support should help them develop confidence, independence and participation in school or college life.

Review

The support provided should be reviewed regularly to consider how well it is helping your child or young person achieve the agreed outcomes.

Your views and your child’s or young person’s views should be included as part of the review process. Children and young people should have opportunities to share what is working well, what they are finding difficult and whether they feel the support is helping them.

Reviews should normally take place at least three times a year. If your child is under 16, you should be invited to take part. If your young person is over 16, they should be involved directly, although many families continue to be involved in discussions.

Reviews should be led by a member of staff who knows your child or young person well, such as their class teacher, tutor, SENCO or the named person responsible for SEND in a college.

During the review, consideration should be given to:

  • Whether the support is helping

  • Progress towards agreed outcomes

  • What your child or young person thinks about the support they are receiving

  • Any new needs that have been identified

  • Any changes to support that may be needed

  • Whether further advice from specialist services is required

Children under 5 (early years)

Children do not need to attend school to receive SEN support. Nurseries, pre-schools and childminders should identify and support children with SEND as early as possible.

If you have concerns about your child’s development, learning or communication, speak to their key person, SENCO or health professional. Early support can help identify needs and ensure the right help is put in place.

Early years settings should use a graduated approach and involve parents in decisions about support.

Young people aged 16 to 25

Colleges and other post-16 settings have a duty to identify and support young people with SEND.

Young people should be involved in decisions about their support and future aspirations. Where a young person is aged 16 or over, decisions should usually be made with them directly, although many families continue to be involved.

SEN support in further education should help young people prepare for adulthood, including higher education, employment, independent living, good health and participation in their community.

What if progress is slow or not being made?

If your child or young person has special educational needs and is not making expected progress, despite appropriate support being put in place, you, your young person (if over 16), the school or college may consider requesting an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment from the local authority.

An EHC needs assessment is a detailed assessment of your child or young person’s education, health and care needs. Following the assessment, the local authority will decide whether an education, health and care (EHC) plan is necessary.

You do not need to wait for a specific amount of time before you or the school can request an EHC needs assessment. Each request should be considered based on your child or young person’s individual needs and circumstances.

Find out more information about EHC needs assessments.

Leaflet

You can download our leaflets:

Where can I get more information, advice or support about SEN support?

If you have more questions about SEN Support, you can: