Every child is entitled to a free, full-time education. Every mainstream school should use their “best endeavours” to meet the needs of every child. If they do not have enough funding to support a child, they must apply to the LA for top-up funding. They may also receive additional funding through an Education, Health and Care Plan. (EHCP)
Four Areas of Need:
"Special Educational Needs" is not just about children not being good at Reading, Writing or Maths. Many very intelligent children have SEND. The SEND Code of Practice outlines four areas of need (below), sometimes children are on the SEND Register because of their mental health, or their behaviour.
A child is said to have SEND if they need something that is additional to, or different from, their peers.
The SEND Code of Practice (which schools have to follow) talks about the four areas of need:
-Communication and Interaction
- Social, Emotional, Mental Health
- Cognition and Learning
- Physical and Sensory
The Code of Practice requires schools to have a graduated approach to supporting children (outlined below), and a four-stage cycle of assess – plan – do – review at each stage.
Stages of the Graduated Response:
1. A child is struggling to make progress and the teacher does things within the classroom to help and support them. They might speak to parents and discuss their concerns and let parents know what they are doing to support. They will review the effectiveness of this as part of their usual teaching, and either escalate to Stage 2, remain doing what they are because it is effective, or stop because the child is doing so much better.
2. SEND Support. Child is put on the SEND register because they need Special Educational Provision (SEP)- something additional to, or different from, their peers. The support at stage 1 hasn’t worked, and the staff feel that the child needs something more. The SENCo & teacher will meet with parents and go through the support their child has already had and explain that progress is still not being made. They will make SEP for the child Eg interventions outside the classroom once a week, pre-teaching every morning, small group extra provision, etc. It will be reviewed at least every term with parents.
3. If progress is still slow, schools will involve outside agencies eg Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychologists, Behaviour Support Services, Occupational Therapists, etc. These professionals will make recommendations to the school as to what they can further do, to meet the child’s needs. Parents will be kept involved with this, and it all counts as cycles of the Assess, Plan, Do, Review process.
4. If the required support (SEP) is complex or involves needs across more than one area (eg. Education and Health), or it’s very expensive, or it’s something it’s not possible for the school to do without a great deal of support, then school might apply for an EHCP. Parents can also apply for an EHCP, which is easier with, (but not impossible without), the support of the school.
What Educational Choices do you have?
Mainstream school (independent or academy or maintained). Available for all children, regardless of any Special Needs.
Alternative Provision (usually need to be named on an EHCP)
Specialist Provision – might be maintained, academy, wholly independent or Section 41 (must be named on an EHCP)
Home Education (if your child has an EHCP then you must fund their provision)
Education Other Than At School (needs to be named on an EHCP)