Special educational needs help in primary and secondary
schools
Schools
have a number of stages of support for children with special
educational needs. The first two stages are School Action and
School Action Plus. The stage that your child is at will depend on
their individual learning needs. Each level of help is governed by
a national code of practice. This staged approach is known as the
Graduated Response.
School Action
If the school feels that your child is not making adequate
progress in class, school staff will provide additional support,
known as School Action.
This can take a variety of forms depending on your child’s
needs, and normally includes drawing up an individual education
plan. This educational plan is reviewed regularly and amended to
meet the changing needs of your child. The individual education
plan will target specific areas your child is struggling with and
show appropriate strategies and resources.
If your child has not been identified and you feel that they
need special educational support then you should speak to their
class teacher.
School Action Plus
If your child is still not making adequate progress then the
school will move to the School Action Plus stage. The special
educational needs coordinator (SENCO) at the school can ask for
help from outside specialists, such as educational psychologist or
a speech therapist, to make sure your child receives the effective
and long term support that they need.
Your child’s individual education plan is also reviewed and
amended, based on the advice of the support services involved.
Statutory Assessment
If your child has more complex needs that cannot be met by
School Action Plus, the school may consider asking for a
statutory assessment. Parents can also ask for an assessment to be
made.
