What to expect from school if your child has Special Educational Needs (SEN )
Every child deserves an education that meets their individual needs. Schools and colleges are required to adapt their teaching to ensure all pupils can access the curriculum. For some children, additional support—beyond what is normally provided—may be needed to help them make progress. This level of support is called SEN Support and is funded through a school’s notional SEN budget, which allocates up to £6,000 per child.
What Does the Law Say?
The SEND Code of Practice (2015) states that:
“High-quality teaching that is differentiated and personalised will meet the individual needs of the majority of children and young people. Some children and young people need educational provision that is additional to or different from this. This is special educational provision under Section 21 of the Children and Families Act 2014.”
Schools must use their best efforts to provide the support children with SEND need, removing barriers to learning and putting effective special educational provision in place.
If your child has been identified as having SEN, the school must:
- Inform you about the support being provided.
- Involve you in decisions about your child’s education.
- Involve the school’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo).
The Graduated Approach
This process is guided by the graduated approach, a cycle of:
1.
Assess
Identifying your child's needs.
2.
Plan
Creating a plan of support.
3.
Do
Putting the plan into action.
4.
Review
Evaluating what's working and what needs to change.
Your child’s support plan should include clear goals (short-term outcomes), the provision to meet these goals, and details of who will provide the support.
You should be given a copy of this plan and invited to regular review meetings—ideally at least once a term. Don’t hesitate to ask for updates or to schedule reviews.
If further support is needed
If your child isn’t making expected progress despite receiving SEN support, the school may seek advice from specialists like a Learning Support Advisory Teacher (LSAT) or Educational Psychologist (EP). These professionals can carry out assessments and recommend tailored interventions to help your child.
Next steps beyond SEN support
For most children with SEND, the support provided through SEN Support is sufficient to meet their needs. However, if your child continues to face challenges despite a high level of intervention, the school may:
-
Request additional funding from the Local Authority through the Graduated Support Pathway, or
-
Request an Education, Health, and Care Needs Assessment to explore whether an EHCP is needed.
If you think this might apply to your child, discuss your concerns with the school or contact us for advice and support.