What support is there for SEND children?

What are the different types of support available for children with SEN and /or disabilities in this school?

Class teacher input via good/outstanding classroom teaching.

  • The teacher will have the highest possible expectations for your child and all pupils in their class.
  • All teaching is based on building on what your child already knows, can do and can understand.
  • Putting in place different ways of teaching so that your child is fully involved in learning in class. This may involve things like using more practical learning or providing different resources adapted for your child.
  • Putting in place specific strategies (which may be suggested by the SENCO or staff from outside agencies) to enable your child to access the learning task.

All children in school receive this. Specific small group work. This group may be: Facilitated by a Therapist, Psychologist, Teacher or Higher Level Teaching Assistant who has received specific training to run these groups. Run outside of the classroom in our Inclusion centre. These are often called Intervention groups by schools.

Stage of SEND Code of Practice: School Action. This means the student has been identified as requiring additional support in school.

The class teacher and SENCO monitor the progress of students. Where gaps in understanding or learning are identified, additional support is assigned to help the student make better progress.

Targeted and highly personalised interventions can reduce the barriers to learning and support the student to make faster progress.

Support is offered in mainstream classes, in small withdrawal groups or on a one-one basis. Any child who has specific gaps in their understanding of a subject/area of learning.Some of the children accessing intervention groups may be at the stage of the SEND Code of Practice called School Action, which means they have been identified by the class teacher as needing some extra support in school. Stage of SEN Code of Practice: School Action PlusThis means they have been identified by the class teacher/SENCO as needing some extra specialist support in school from a professional outside the school.

This may be from:

  • Local Authority central services such as the ASD Outreach Team or Sensory Service ( for students with a hearing or visual need)
  • If your child has been identified as needing more specialist input instead of, or in addition to, good and outstanding classroom teaching and intervention groups, referrals will be made to outside agencies to advise and support the school in enabling your child to make progress.
  • Before referrals are made you will be contacted to discuss your child’s progress and help plan possible ways forward.
  • If it is agreed that the support of an outside agency is a way forward, you will be asked to give your permission Children with specific barriers to learning that cannot be overcome through whole class good/outstanding teaching and intervention groups. Specified Individual support for your child of more than 20 hours in school. This is usually provided via a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This means your child will have been identified by the class teacher/SENCO as needing a particularly high level of individual and small group teaching (more than 20 hours a week), which cannot be provided from the resources already delegated to the school. Usually, if your child requires this high level of support they may also need specialist support in school from a professional outside the school.

This may be from:

  • Local Authority central services such as the ASD Outreach Team or Sensory Service ( for students with a hearing or visual need)
  • Outside agencies such as the Speech and Language therapy (SALT) Service, Occupational therapy service, Physiotherapy and or CAMHS
  • The school (or you) can request that the Local Authority carry out a statutory assessment of your child’s needs.
  • After the school have sent in the request to the Local Authority (with a lot of information about your child, including some from you), they will decide whether they think your child’s needs (as described in the paperwork provided), seem complex enough to need a statutory assessment. If this is the case they will ask you and all professionals involved with your child to write a report outlining your child’s needs. If they do not think your child needs this, they will ask the school to continue with the support at School Action Plus.
  • After the reports have all been sent in the Local Authority will decide if your child’s needs are severe, complex and lifelong and that they need more than 20 hours of support in school to make good progress. If this is the case they will write a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an EHC Plan. If this is not the case, they will ask the school to continue with the support at School Action Plus and also set up a meeting in school to ensure a plan is in place to ensure your child makes as much progress as possible.
  • The Statement or EHC Plan will outline the number of hours of individual/small group support your child will receive from the LA and how the support should be used and what strategies must be put in place. It will also have long and short-term goals for your child.
  • The additional adult may be used to support your child with whole class learning, run individual programmes or run small groups including your child.

Children with specific barriers to learning that cannot be overcome through whole class good/outstanding teaching and intervention groups. Children whose learning needs are:

  • Severe, complex and lifelong
  • Need more than 20 hours of support in school