An Overview
Essentially, schools provide children with support in their learning and development to support their ‘attainment’ and help their ‘progress’. You can think of attainment as achievement, e.g., assessment and exam results. Whereas, progress is their achievements over a period of time, e.g., a school term.
Children are expected to learn and remember more as they grow, and schools monitor children’s attainment and progress over time. Likewise, schools are measured on the attainment and progress of their students.
What schools provide is known as ‘provision’, and this includes teaching, activities and resources. Using their provision, children progress through the key stages of their education as they grow older.
However, without additional provision, a child with SEND’s ability to progress and access the National Curriculum, like their peers, can be affected. This additional provision could include extra or different help and support, depending on the child’s needs. Often, this takes the form of ‘reasonable adjustments’ being made to ensure the child isn’t discriminated against or substantially disadvantaged.
School Processes
On the ground, this means that schools have a monitoring system, aiming to identify children in need of additional support as early as they can. Yet, this doesn’t always mean every child is identified. That’s why advocacy is important if you suspect your child may have SEND.
When your child is identified, schools use a process called a Graduated Approach. This process follows a cycle of four stages: Assess, Plan, Do, and Review. It aims to give children appropriate support by assessing their needs and strengths as they develop. Accordingly, schools will set targets, objectives or outcomes for the support they provide. These may be short-term, long-term or both. Notably, they should be measurable so that progress can be monitored.
Every child is unique; each has different levels of need. In addition, these needs can change throughout their development. Generally speaking, schools aim to meet your child’s ‘primary need’ or primary area of special educational need. A primary need can be categorised as sensory and physical, communication and interaction, cognition and learning, and social, emotional and mental health.
Once your child has been identified as having SEND, an ‘Individual Education Plan (IEP)’ is created. This plan outlines your child’s needs and strengths, what the school is doing to give support, and tracks their progress. Moreover, your child will go on the school’s ‘SEN register’ which records and monitors their progress. Combined with the Graduated Approach, this means schools utilise all of their available resources prior to accessing increasingly specialist support. These resources are provided through funding schools receive known as their ‘Notional SEND budget’.
Should the school need more support than what can normally be provided, the council will request an ‘Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)’ assessment. An EHCP is a legal document that unlocks further support funding. It has many benefits for the children who need them. Yet, the school will need to agree your child needs one. Moreover, they will need to give evidence demonstrating your child’s needs are not being met by their IEP. However, you can also apply for an EHCP for your child. Moreover, if they are aged 16+ they can apply themselves.
Children’s Rights
All SEND children have rights and schools must offer a certain level of additional provision. As your child’s advocate, it is useful to understand their rights.
- The Equality Act 2010 protects those with disabilities from being substantially disadvantaged.
- The Children and Families Act 2014 states duties concerning institutions supporting children with SEND.
- Based on the above, the SEND Code of Practice 2015 holds the guidance schools follow to support children with SEND. This includes access to education if a child is too sick to attend school. Notably, it also states the responsibilities of schools to ensure there’s planning for young children with SEND to progress into adulthood. This is known as ‘Preparing for Adulthood (PfA)’.
- Furthermore, the ‘Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)’ states the standards Ofsted-registered early years settings (0 – 5 years) must uphold. It also requires non-maintained early years settings to have arrangements to identify and support children with additional needs.
Policies
It’s worthwhile reviewing and staying informed about your child’s school policies and procedures. Useful policies could include those covering SEND, supporting children with medical conditions, behaviour, equality and inclusion. Equally, all schools should have a SEN Information Report and some provide a Provision Map showing how they support children’s needs.