SEND support in mainstream schools
This information is about the support that mainstream schools must and should provide for children with special educational needs or a disability (SEND).
The duties on schools
Schools have a duty to make sure that they try their best to meet the needs of children who need extra help. They must also:
• ensure there is a teacher responsible for SEND (SENCo – Special Educational Needs Coordinator)
• ensure that pupils with SEND are included in school activities
• tell parents if their child is getting additional help
What is SEND support?
Every child with SEN should have SEND support. This means help that is additional to or different from the support most of children have.
Every school must publish a SEND information report about how the school helps children with SEND. You can find this on the school’s website or ask the school for a copy.
The Local Offer www.readingsendlocaloffer.org also sets out what support the local authority expects settings to make for children and young people with SEND.
SEND support can mean many things, including:
- an individual learning programme
- extra adult help
- adapted materials and equipment
- working in a small group
- observing your child and keeping records
- help to take part in the class activities
- making sure your child has understood things
- encouragement to stay focused
- help to play or interact with others at break time
- support with physical or personal care, such as eating, toileting or dressing.
When schools call in specialists, they should talk to parents first and make sure they agree.
Who decides what SEND support my child has?
The school should decide if your child needs SEND support. The school should talk to you and your child about this. If a young person is 16 or older the school should talk to them directly. Sometimes you might think that your child has SEN. If you think your child may need SEND 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.
If your child has SEN, the school should take four steps. These are:
Assess
Teachers 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 they can, ask for your child’s views. Sometimes schools will seek advice from a specialist teacher or a health professional. They should talk to you about this first.
Plan
If the school decides that your child needs SEND support, it must tell you. The school should agree with you the outcomes that will be set, what help will be put in place and a date for review.
Do
Your child’s teacher(s) are usually responsible for the work that is done with your child and should work closely with any teaching assistants or specialist staff involved.
Review
The school should review your child’s progress on the date agreed in the plan. You and your child should be involved in the review and in planning next steps. If your child has not made progress, the review should decide what can be done next. This may include more or different help.
Sometimes it helps to involve other professionals, such as an educational psychologist, to look at 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 your child. 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 get in touch with Reading IASS for SEND who can give you:
• information about SEND support, including information about SEN funding
• advice about what to do if you are not happy with the support your school is providing
• information about other organisations, support groups and information services that could help
• information and advice about your rights to request an EHC needs assessment.