SEN Support
Every week, we’re posting another myth that we have heard spread around, with the countering, factual information. This begins with…
1: You do not need an EHC plan for your child to receive SEN support
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Support (SEND Support) is help which is additional to or different from the support generally given to most children of the same age.
The SEND Code of Practice 2015 states that regular assessments of all pupils should seek to identify pupils making less than expected progress given their age and individual circumstances. It later states that where a pupil is identified as having SEND, schools should take action to remove barriers to learning and put effective special educational provision in place.
This support should be provided through the graduated approach, which is based on four steps – Assess, Plan, Do, and Review, through which earlier decisions and actions are revisited, refined and revised with a growing understanding of the pupil’s needs and of what supports the pupil in making good progress and securing good outcomes.
Therefore, support should begin as soon as needs are identified. Schools can adapt teaching, provide interventions, and involve specialists without waiting for an EHC plan.
You can find out more information on SEN Support in Mainstream Schools right here on our site.
If you’ve any questions, get in touch.
2: A child does not need a diagnosis before SEN Support can start
The SEND Code of Practice 2015 states that 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. It goes on to state that 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.
Therefore, support is based on needs, not a diagnosis. Schools should act as soon as they notice a child is struggling, even without a formal diagnosis.
3: SEN support is not only for academic difficulties
The SEND Code of Practice 2015 provides information on the four broad areas of need. These are:
Communication and interaction, such as, not understanding the perspective of others, or having speech and language needs,
Cognition and learning, such as difficulties with literacy or numeracy, or not making expected progress within their learning,
Social, emotional, and mental health difficulties may include displaying dysregulated behaviour or a child may have adverse childhood experiences(ACE),
Sensory and/or physical needs, which could include a hearing impairment, visual impairment or sensory processing difficulties, such as, being sensitive to noise or making repeated movements.
A child’s needs can present themselves in one or all four road areas of need.
4: Schools should work in partnership with parents
The SEND Code of Practice 2015 states that schools should take seriously any concerns raised by a parent.
As part of the graduated response (assess, plan, do, review), the school should involve both the parent and the child in the review, provide an opportunity for the parent to share their concerns as well as to allow sufficient time to explore the parents’ views and to plan effectively. The SEND Code of Practice 2015 also encourages effective parental engagement.
If your child has not responded to the help they were given, the review should decide what can be done next.
