Types of support school can offer

Inclusive, quality first teaching for all. Variety of activities to support all learning.

Additional support to enable children to work at age-related expectations, e.g. small group focused work, adapted classwork and activities.

Highly personalised support, e.g. highly individual intervention, or small groups.

• Discuss your concerns with the school SENCO.
• One page profile / student passport – Ask the SENCO if your child would benefit from having a ‘one-page profile / student passport’. These help staff working with the student to see, at a glance, anything important they need to know.
• Reasonable adjustments and support for learning can be agreed within the plan, do, review cycle. Speak to your SENCO about this. These could include:
  • Using equipment to support the child, e.g. fidget toy, pencil grips, wobble cushions, individual visual timetables
  • Learning adaptations, e.g. adapted activities and teaching, movement breaks, sensory circuit activities.
  • Small group / individual learning activities.
  • Screening of the child / young person’s speech, language and communication skills with support targeting any areas of need.
• Not all pupils with SEND need individual dedicated support in the classroom. Support can come in lots of different ways, including promoting self-help and independence skills, organisation, managing anxieties and developing social communication skills.

• If progress and development is being made – no further action is needed.
• Continue with reasonable adjustments which are regularly reviewed in the plan, do, review cycle. 
• Older pupils may be eligible for specific access arrangements to help them access formal assessments and exams. Each school has a member of staff who assesses this need and organises this. Students do not need formal diagnoses to access these. Ask your SENCO for support with this. 
• Have further discussions with SENCO / Teacher to decide if more support or assessment and advice is needed from other professionals.

• If progress and development is being made – no further action is needed.
• If concerns remain despite support in place you may want to consider a referral for a neurodevelopmental assessment.
• Neurodevelopmental (autism and ADHD) assessment referrals require evidence from at least two settings e.g. home and school. Other professional advice / assessments, e.g. Speech and Language / Educational Psychology, would also count as evidence. Therefore, it is important to discuss any assessment referral with the SENCO. 
• Referrals for ADHD assessments also require families to have sought and implemented advice on behaviour management, e.g. Cluster / pastoral support. Ask your SENCO for support with this.