SENDIASS
Where a pupil is identified as having SEN, settings should implement support to prevent them from struggling.
Settings should:
This is known as the Graduated Approach.
Every child with special educational needs should have SEN support. This means help that is additional to or different from the support given to most of the other children of the same age. All schools must use their “best endeavours” to ensure that children with SEN achieve the best outcomes they can. This means doing everything that could reasonably be expected of them.
“If a registered pupil or student at a school or other institution has SEN, the appropriate authority must use its best endeavours to secure the special educational provision called for by the pupil’s or student’s SEN is made.” (Section 66 CAFA 2014)
The purpose of SEN support is to help children and young people achieve the outcomes or learning objectives set out 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 Special Educational Needs Coordinator for information on the SEN provision made by school.
The Local Offer published by Local Authorities also sets out what support it expects early years settings, schools and colleges to make for all children and young people with SEN or disabilities.
SEN support can take many forms in school:
An individual learning programme,
Extra support from a teacher or a learning support assistant.
Use of specialist resources or equipment,
Small group work,
Support with physical or personal care,
Advice from specialists such as specialist teachers, educational psychologists and therapists.
Parents of children whose needs are being met through SEN support should be invited to regularly meet with the school SENCO.
The Graduated Approach should help parents and carers understand what support is in place and how school are using their SEN budget to support their child. Schools should provide parents and carers with a costed provision map.
A costed provision map is a document which school should provide to show what provision is in place, when it happens, who delivers it and how much of the SEN budget each bit of provision costs.