SEN support

Introduction

SEN Support is the support a child or young person with special educational needs (SEN) receives from the nursery, school or college they attend, from its own resources. The Council for Disabled Children (CDC) have written a short guide that provides an overview of what SEN Support means as well as clarification on some common misconceptions in this area.

SEN support arrangements

Can also be called Individual Education Plans (IEP), Individual Support Plan (ISP) or (Costed) Provision map.

Provision maps are a way of showing the range of provision available to children with special educational needs and/or disability (SEND). They detail the interventions that are in 'addition to' and 'different from' that which is offered through the school's curriculum.

Good provision maps should:

  • Match provision with need
  • Recognise gaps in provision
  • Provide an illustration of the schools graduated approach to support
  • Ensure progression and age-appropriate interventions
  • Identify strengths and weaknesses in provision
  • Inform specifically how provision is used to meet need.

They should break down and specify exactly what it is that the child is receiving that is different to the school's curriculum. There is currently no SEND law or guidance that outlines exactly what should go on a provision map but below is a list of things that we would expect to see:

  • Provision/Resource (for example, interventions)
  • Delivered by (if applicable – Teaching Assistant, Class Teacher)
  • Session length
  • Frequency per week
  • Group size (Number of children)
  • Outcome
  • Date for review

They are a great way of identifying what support a child is already receiving and thinking about what might be missing from their special educational provision (SEP) package within school. If a child is receiving SEN Support and is not making progress, it may be that there are some gaps in the provision. It is worth checking that any targets that are not fully met at review stage are reformatted to enable the child to meet them.

For some children with complex needs, even with the support of provisions put in place by the school, they are still unable to make progress. It may be that on reviewing the provision map that the child could require special educational provision over and above what is already available. An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is something that is available to these children and young people. (Please see our information sheet on 'EHCP's for further information).

A child with an EHCP should be able to access a provision map from the school, a detailed and potentially costed one at that. There is no duty to provide this however it should be made available at request. Provisions on the provision map should match up with or break down provision listed in Section F of the EHCP.

All schools can approach this differently and some may have much more or less information or even call them by a different name.

Provision maps can also be called an Individual Education Plan (IEP), Individual Support Plan (ISP) or indeed part of a child's SEN Support Arrangements Document. These are all very important planning, teaching and reviewing tool for individual pupils with SEND.

The above are all terms that can be used to describe a way of tracking exactly what support a child with SEND is receiving. They are normally written by the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) in consultation with class or subject teachers, parents and any outside professionals who may be working with the child, for example, speech and language therapists or visiting specialist teachers.

Targets in any of the above plans should be 'smart':

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Achievable
  • Realistic
  • Time-bonded.

You should contact the school SENCO to find out further information about your child's provision map/IEP/ individual support plan/ SEN support arrangements.

SEN support in mainstream

This information is about the support that mainstream schools must and should provide for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

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.

SEND Code of Practice (6.1)

Ordinarily Available Provision

Surrey have produced a booklet called Ordinarily Available Provision which outlines the support that mainstream schools and settings are expected to offer to children on role through their funding. It includes all the provision a school offers. You may hear the terms SEN Support, High Quality Teaching and Quality First Teaching. All mainstream Schools will provide a range of support for children with additional needs and they must do all they can to make sure all children get the support they need to make their expected progress.

Duties on schools to make SEN provision

Mainstream schools must:

  • use their best endeavours to make sure that a child with SEN gets the support they need (this means doing everything they can to meet children and young people's SEND)
  • ensure that children and young people with SEN engage in the activities of the school alongside pupils who do not have SEN
    designate a teacher to be responsible for co-ordinating SEN provision – the SEN co-ordinator, or SENCo. (This does not apply to 16 to 19 academies)
  • inform parents when they are making special educational provision for a child
  • Prepare an SEN information report and their arrangements for the admission of disabled children, the steps being taken to prevent disabled children from being treated less favourably than others, the facilities provided to enable access to the school for disabled children and their accessibility plan showing how they plan to improve access progressively over time.

SEND Code of Practice (6.2)

What is SEN support?

Every child with special educational needs should have SEN support. This means help that is additional to or different from the support generally given to most of the other children of the same age.

The purpose of SEN support is to help children and young people achieve the outcomes or learning objectives set for them by the school in conjunction with parents and pupils themselves.

Every school must publish an SEN information report about the SEN provision the school makes. You can find this on the school's website. You can also ask your child's teacher or the school's Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) for information on the SEN provision made by the school.

The Surrey Local Offer also sets out what support it expects early year's settings, schools and colleges to make for all children and young people with SEND 'The Right Provision at the Right Time'. You can find out about the funding of SEN support on our helpline sheet: Funding for special educational needs in mainstream schools.

SEN support can take many forms, including:

  • a special learning programme for your child
  • extra help from a teacher or a learning support assistant
  • making or changing materials and equipment
  • working with your child in a small group
  • observing your child in class or at break and keeping records
  • helping your child to take part in the class activities
  • 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
  • supporting your child 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 therapists.

When schools want to call in specialists, they should discuss and agree this with parents.

Who decides what SEN support my child has?

Class and subject teachers, supported by the senior leadership team, should make regular assessments of progress for all pupils. These should seek to identify pupils making less than expected progress given their age and individual circumstances

SEND Code of Practice (6.17)

The school should then decide if your child needs SEN support. The school should talk to you and your child about this. If a young person is 16 or older the school should involve them directly.

Sometimes you may be the first to be aware that your child has some special educational needs (SEN). If you think your child may need SEN support you should talk to your child's teacher or to the SENCo.

If you are not happy about the support your child has you can ask to talk to the SENCo or Headteacher.

A Graduated Approach

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.

SEND Code of Practice (6.44)

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

1. 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 where possible, seek your child's views.

The SEND Code of Practice says:

Schools should take seriously any concerns raised by a parent.

SEND Code of Practice (6.45)

Sometimes schools will seek advice from a specialist teacher or a health professional. They should talk to you about this first.

2. Plan

If the school decides that your child needs SEN support it must tell you. The school should agree with you the outcomes that will be set, what help will be provided and a date for progress to be reviewed.

3. 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 (TA) 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 outcomes sought, the support provided and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required.

SEND Code of Practice (6.49)

4. Review

Schools should meet with parents at least three times a year.

SEND Code of Practice (6.65)

The school should review your child's progress and the difference made by the help your child has been given, on the date agreed in the plan. You and your child should be involved in the review and in planning the next step. Your child's progress should be documented.

If your child has not responded to the help they were given, the review should decide what can be done next. This may include more or different help.

Sometimes it helps to involve other professionals to investigate the difficulties or to plan the next steps.

You and the school can look at the Local Offer to see what support should be available that could help achieve your child's outcomes.

Sometimes the next step may be to ask the local authority for an EHC needs assessment. If the school decides to do this they must tell you. If you think it is needed you can ask for it yourself.

Where can I get more information, advice or support?

You can find out more about SEN Support by:

  • looking at the SEN Information Report on the school website
  • talking to your child's teacher or the SENCo
  • looking at the Local Offer
  • reading Chapter 6 of the SEND Code of Practice.

Funding for SEN in mainstream

What is SEN funding for?

Schools must:

use their best endeavours to make sure that a child with SEN gets the support they need – this means doing everything they can to meet children and young people's SEN.

SEND Code of Practice (6.2)

Schools should use some of their budget to buy resources and make provision for children who need additional help. This can take many forms, for example, children with SEN might need:

  • changes to the curriculum
  • special equipment or teaching materials
  • the use of additional information technology
  • small group work
  • support in the classroom
  • a base to work in or have quiet time.

How can I find out what support and resources my child is getting?

The first step is to talk with your child's teacher or the SENCo. This may be at a parents' evening, a support plan meeting or a review. You can ask for a written copy of any support plan in place for your child.

If your child has an EHCP it must set out the support and resources that must be provided.

Where can I get further information, advice or support?

Look for the SEN Information Report on the school website.

Surrey Local Offer is the place to find out about services available locally and the arrangements that schools and others are expected to make for children and young people with SEN.

Worried that your child is having difficulty or not making progress?

The first step is to talk to your child's school, college or early years setting. This can be the class teacher, the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo), a tutor or sometimes the head teacher. If your child is in an early years setting this is usually the manager or key person. Working together in this way will often help and extra or different help may be provided for your child.

This extra or different help could be a different way of teaching your child or some help from an extra adult, perhaps in a small group or use of special equipment like a computer or a desk with a sloping top. Your child's progress with this extra help will be reviewed regularly and changes made if needed. This is called SEN Support.

Your child may need help for only a short time or for some years and in some cases it may be for the whole of their education. If your child is still having difficulties despite the help being provided, the school, college or early years setting may bring in more specialist expertise.

You could also look on the school's website and read their SEN Information.

EHC needs assessment

If your child still does not seem to be making enough progress or needs a lot more extra help, your child's school, college, early years setting can ask the Local Authority to carry out a more detailed assessment to find out more about their special educational needs and/or disability (SEND) and what special help they need. You can also do this. This is called a statutory assessment or an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment.