What Is SEN Support In School/College?

SEND support includes any help for children and young people with SEN that is additional to or different from the support generally made for other children of the same age. 

The purpose of SEN Support is to help children achieve the outcomes or learning objectives that have been set for them by the school. Schools should involve parents in this process.
Your child does not need to have a diagnosis to receive SEND support 

SEND support can take many forms, including:
• A special learning programme for your child.
• Help for your child to take part in the class activities.
• Extra help from a teacher or a learning support assistant.
• Making or changing materials and providing equipment.
• Working with your child in a small group.
• Observing your child in class or at break.
• Making sure your child has understood things by encouraging them to ask questions and to try something they find difficult.
• Helping other children work with your child, or play with them at break time.
• Helping your child with physical or personal care, such as eating, getting around school safely, toileting or dressing. 

Schools may also involve specialists to advise them on effective support and interventions. 

Who decides what SEN support my child has?
• Teachers, supported by the SENCO, should make regular assessments of progress for all pupils. These assessments should identify pupils who are making less than expected progress.
• The SENCo should then decide if your child needs SEN support and talk to you and your child about this.
• Sometimes you may be the first to be aware that your child has some special educational needs. If you think your child may need SEN support you should talk to your child’s teacher or to the SENCO. 

A graduated approach
When your child is identified has having SEN, the school should use a graduated approach based on four steps. These are: 

Assess
Teaching staff should work with the SENCO to assess your child’s needs, so that they give the right support. They should involve you in this and, wherever possible, seek your child’s views. The SEND Code of Practice says that ‘schools should take seriously any concerns raised by a parent’. Sometimes schools will seek advice from a specialist teacher, an education psychologist or a health professional. They should talk to you about this first.
Plan
If the school decides that your child needs SEN support it must tell you. The school should talk with you about the outcomes that will be set, what help will be provided and agree a date for progress to be reviewed. These plans should be developed with SENCo, parents and if possible the child or young person.
Do
Your child’s class or subject teacher is usually responsible for the work that is done with your child, and should work closely with any teaching assistants or specialist staff involved. The school should tell you who is responsible for the support your child receives.
All those who work with your child should be made aware of: 

• Their needs.
• The agreed outcomes.
• The support being provided.
• The teaching strategies that are required. 

Review
The school should discuss the difference that the help from staff at the school and other specialist staff has made. You and your child should be involved in the review and in planning the next steps. It is suggested that you should meet with the SENCo around once a term to discuss your child’s progress and set new outcomes.