SEN Provision in Schools

Special Educational Needs Provision in Schools

If you or the school your child attends are concerned that your child is not making adequate progress it is possible that they may have special educational needs (SEN).

The following explains how provision is made in school for children with SEN and disabilities.

What is School Action?

If your child is having difficulties in school, they can get help that is either extra or different from the help that the school usually provides.

Your child’s teacher or SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) will collect information about your child and discuss with you what extra or different help is needed. This may be recorded in a document called an individual Education Plan (IEP).

School Action will continue until it is no longer needed or it is decided that your child needs additional support at School Action Plus.

What is School Action Plus?

If your child does not make the progress on School Action that has been expected, the next step may be to move onto School Action Plus.

The SENCO will ask your permission to seek further advice from services outside school, for example from a specialist teacher, an educational psychologist or other health professional.

A new IEP will usually be developed based on this additional advice and your child’s progress will be recorded and reviewed as at School Action.

School Action Plus will continue until it is no longer needed or it is decided that a request for a statutory assessment may be appropriate.

What is an IEP?

An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a document which schools can plan for pupils with SEN. The IEP includes information about –

· Short term targets for or by your child
· Teaching strategies to be used
· Provision to be put in place
· When the plan is to be reviewed
· Success/Outcome criteria
· Outcomes (When the IEP has been reviewed)

The IEP will be discussed with you and the school will review the IEP at least twice a year to make sure it is still appropriate or to set new targets.

Not all schools call your child’s plan an IEP. It may be called a:

• IBP – Individual Behaviour Plan

• PSP – Pastoral Support Plan

• PEP - Personal Educational Plan

What is Statutory Assessment?

The Statutory Assessment is a detailed assessment under the 1996 Education Act. Reports about your child will be provided by a number of people. These will include reports from you, teachers, an educational psychologist, health, social care and others who work with or support your child.

This assessment will identify your child’s needs and any special help they may require. At the end of it the Local Authority (LA) will decide whether or not to issue a ‘Statement of Special Educational Needs’ for your child. The statement is a legal document that says what your child’s needs are and the kind of support he/she will receive and how this will be given.

If the LA decide not to write a statement for your child you will be sent a letter called a ‘Note in Lieu’, which will explain the reasons why the statement is not needed.

There is a strict timetable to the assessment, which are as follows –

• Consider whether an assessment is necessary (obtaining initial information) – 6 weeks

• Carrying out the assessment (obtaining more detailed reports) – 10 weeks

• Drafting the proposed statement of Special Educational Needs or Note in Lieu – 2 weeks 

• Making a Final Statement – 8 weeks

For support and guidance on the above, please contact the Parent Partnership Service. Contact details are at the top of this page. 

The Parent Partnership Service Leaflet available for download in the document section to the right of this page. If you require any printed copies, please contact us and we will send some out to you.