School age: Best practice walkthrough

School communities that are THRIVING for all staff and children and young people (CYP) tend to be more effective at meeting SEND needs. In the context of a school with Quality First teaching and a broad, balanced and stimulating curriculum offer, the Matching Provision to Need approach will work best.

In schools where SEND is a key focus for the Senior Leadership Team when analysing attendance and exclusions data, this analysis effectively informs developments in the school in relation to SEND. The most experienced Special Educational Needs and Disability Co- ordinators (SENDCo) have a good overview of the skill sets of teaching and support staff in relation to SEND. They will ensure there is access to training for all staff on SEND and vulnerable groups on a needs led basis. This will lead to class teachers having ownership of the progress of all CYP within their classes.

All CYP will thrive in schools and settings that are nurturing and inclusive; that have good systems for supporting individuals and monitoring issues pertinent to groups, for example, use of pupil council systems and regular opportunities for feedback from CYP, staff and pupils. Inclusive and differentiated behaviour policies embed reasonable adjustments into the school or setting’s response to behaviour. Examples include:

There are many programmes and accreditations that can support schools to embed inclusive practice at whole school level including:

• Emotionally Friendly Schools
• Dyslexia Friendly Schools
• Inclusion Charter Marks

The spirit of the changes to SEND legislation in 2014 encourages professionals to identify how they are part of a wider system and that collaboration with partners is a key duty. It’s important that SENDCo’s and school leaders are activity engaged in the local vision and priorities for SEND children and families. They will have a good understanding of their school’s data and how that compares to local and national trends. Schools that work in collaboration with the LA on identifying and addressing strategic issues will drive standards across the network of SEND professionals and ultimately have positive outcomes for the SEND population. You can find the current strategic priorities on the Local Offer. Salford appreciates the time commit- ment SENDCos and head teachers give to decision making panels. The feedback we get from participants is that it is mutually beneficial. Get involved!

Our SENDCo practitioners have a good grasp of the legal duties and entitlements of SEND CYP. They should have an overarching understanding of budgets for SEND CYP. We are working together to enable SENDCos to collate and analyse their SEND data and share their findings with services in order to maximise the impact of resources. SENDCos need to be able to be creative when planning group support to ensure CYP access timely and appropriate intervention to address their areas of need.

SEND Data Profile (Microsoft Word format, 18kb)

Just as a subject lead in a school will champion the importance and quality of the teaching of their subject the SENDCo maintains an overview of the quality of the teaching of SEND CYP. The SENDCo can do this through their SEND and inclusion polices. SENDCo’s tell us that they feel they need a good knowledge of legal frameworks around exclusion to inform senior leadership regarding decisions around exclusion. Headteachers have a lot to think about and they expect their SENDCo to be advocating for the rights of SEND children across all aspects of school life.

The Statutory Exclusions Guidance (2017) states that:

Experienced SENDCo’s will support and challenge teachers about the adjustments they are making for CYP with SEND who have behaviours that challenge.

Schools must also ensure that their policies and practices do not discriminate against pupils by unfairly increasing their risk of exclusion.

Behaviour policy will be reviewed by the SENDCo to ensure that practice doesn’t discriminate against any particular type of need.

Our SENDCos and data tell us that often a child is excluded prior to the identification of SEND.

Early intervention to address underlying causes of disruptive behaviour should include an assessment of whether appropriate provision is in place to support any SEN or disability that a pupil may have. The head teacher should also consider the use of a multi-agency assessment for a pupil who demonstrates persistent disruptive behaviour. Such assessments may pick up unidentified SEN but the scope of the assessment could go further, for example, by seeking to identify mental health or family problems.

Effectively working with parents and carers will help schools to provide successful support for children with SEND.

For a SENCO, good communication with parents and carers is vital if a school considers itself to have excellent provision for children with SEND.

The more experienced SENDCos are also ensuring that SEND families are well informed about provision and approaches used in school. Through robust communication systems that provide regular sharing of information between home and school/setting. They are also gathering the views of SEND families about what they would find helpful more broadly and feeding families’ views into the wider planning of support across the school. For example, through the use of questionnaires and multi-agency coffee mornings alongside sharing information about other SEND support services. They are able to support parents to understand the whole of the SEND pathway and where their CYP’s need are currently met on the continuum.

SEND CYP’s voices are also regularly and authentically gathered and used to inform development work and practice across the school.

Parents of SEND children are used as experts to inform the package and approaches to support their child.

In Salford we advocate for a broad definition of Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND). If a child or young person needs adjustments to be made in order to be included or make progress, then consideration should be given to them having a Special Educational Need. We also recognise the benefits of identifying SEND early and how being responsive to individual needs early can have positive impacts on children and young people’s outcomes in the longer term.

The Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice (Department for Education [DfE] & Department of Health [DoH], 2015) sets out guidance and expectations in relation to identifying, assessing and providing for children and young people (CYP) with special educational needs. It tells us in relation to identification:

A child or young person has a special educational need if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision, namely provision that is different from or additional to that normally available.

A CYP has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:

• ‘has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age’; or
• ‘has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions’.

(SEND Code of Practice, 2015, pg. 15).

The Code of Practice (2015) and Children and Families Act (2014) make it clear that settings have to meet the needs of all CYP with SEND, including those who do not have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). All schools are required to use their SEN Notional Funding as part of a graduated approach to meeting CYP’s needs.

Most schools choose to hold a SEND register to support them with the identification of need. The school are asked to categorise the nature of the CYP SEND through the census data. It is therefore important that this identification of need is based on careful assessment over time and the primary need categorised accurately. Many Special Educational Needs and Disability Co-ordinators (SENDCo) embark on a cycle of plan-do-review in order

to explore the nature of the CYP’s SEND prior to recording the primary need in order to ensure an accurate classification is recorded. This data should then inform local strategic developments and commissions. The data is often included in the school’s SEND information report for parents on the school website.

Case Study - Categorisation (Adobe PDF format, 55kb)

The graduated approach encourages teachers to revisit, refine and revise decisions and actions that have been made, in order to grow their understanding of their pupil’s needs and provision. The SEND Code of Practice (DfE, 2015,pg. 100) encourages us to provide the right support at the right time. It is graduated in that for some CYP they will require small adjustments within the classroom to be successful, whereas for others they will require a highly personalised timetable of support and intervention in order to make progress and be included. The code highlights;

• Where a CYP is identified as having SEND, the setting should take action to remove barriers to learning and put effective special educational provision in
• Once a CYP is identified as having SEND their family must be The setting must work with parents/carers, listening to their views and involving them in any decision making and planning.
• The provision in place must be reviewed termly and involve the CYP and their family.

There are a wide range of teams available across Salford who can support settings to meet the needs of CYP with a wide range of SEND. These include Primary Inclusion Team (PIT), Learning Support Service (LSS), Autism, Communication, Education (ACE), LSS – Sensory Support and Springwood Outreach.

It may be decided that specialist advice from professionals is required to meet the needs of CYP, for example Speech and Language Therapy (SALT); Young person and Adolescent

Mental Health Services (CAMHS), Educational Psychology Service (EPS), Occupational Ther- apy (OT) and/or Physiotherapy.

Further information about these teams and how to access them is available on the Local Offer page for Salford. Any recommendations provided by professionals should be clearly incorporated and referenced in planning for the CYP.

This SEND support should take the form of Assess-Plan-Do-Review Cycles, through which earlier decisions and actions are revisited, refined and revised with a growing understanding of the CYP’s needs, alongside what support the CYP requires to make good progress and secure good outcomes (SEND Code of Practice, 2015, pg. 100, 6.44). The Assess-Plan-Do- Review Cycle is the foundation of the graduated approach and key to meeting the needs of all CYP identified as having any form of SEND.

The best teachers reflect on their teaching style and approach and revise their approach based on what works well for them and the CYP they work with. This is a crucial aspect of working with our SEND population as they are all individuals; what works for one CYP may not work for another even with a similar SEND profile or diagnosis. Staff with good self- awareness and a willingness to adjust to the CYP they engage with, experience the greatest success within the classroom and with SEND support.

‘Reflective Practice is learning through and from experience towards gaining new insights of self and practice.’ (Finlay, 2008)

Reflective Practice is to critically evaluate experience from both the past and present and to use that information to inform and plan teaching and learning.

Reflective Practice is:

• about learning from others
• a shared activity
• about improving your objectivity
• a key factor in improving learner experience

Reflective Practice supports good teaching and support for SEND pupils: Reflective Practice supports identification of and provision for SEND pupils and fits well with the Assess-Plan-Do-Review Cycle.

‘Where a pupil is identified as having SEND, early years’ settings, schools and colleges should take action to remove barriers to learning and put effective special educational provision in place’ (DfE, SEND Code of Practice, p.100). The SEND Code of Practice promotes the use of the ‘Assess-Plan-Do-Review’ Cycle to support this process. This works by revisiting, refining and revising our understanding of a pupil’s needs and what works to support them.

This means that the understanding of the CYP’s needs should become clearer over time. This does not mean starting again; current understanding and approaches should clearly be informed by what has gone before. In SEND there has been a culture of each new teacher or practitioner working with the CYP wanting to formulate their own overview of need, which is likely to be frustrating for the parents and CYP who experience a disconnect across the system. A good SENDCo will try to understand differences of opinion or experiences and make sense of them to inform the CYP’s needs and provision.

Our experienced SENDCos have created one-page versions of the Assess-Plan-Do-Review Cycle to support parental understanding.

Parent explanation (Adobe PDF format, 107kb)

1. Review

Following the plan phase, key educational professionals, SENDCo, parent/ carer should meet to review the plan. The review should include:

• Evidence of the impact of the plan, both in terms of the desired outcomes and the success criteria.
• Everyone’s views on progress and impact, including the pupil themselves.
• A plan for next steps. Does there need to be another cycle of ‘assess-plan-do-review’ or can the CYP’s needs now be met through ‘Quality First Teaching’? Does a referral need to be made to another service?
• A written record.

If it is agreed that the CYP would benefit from further support, then a second round of ‘assess-plan-do- review’ should begin.

2. Assess

Clear and comprehensive assessment of the pupil’s needs by key educational professionals, Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENDCo), parents/ carer and CYP, based on a combination of:

• Discussions to gather the views and aspirations of the CYP and their family.
• Universal and targeted in-house assessments and observations carried out by a range of school staff.
• CYP’s current attainment and progress.
• CYP’s previous attainment and progress.
• Tracking of data and comparisons with national data.
• Any relevant assessment information provided by external agencies eg Health, Educational Psychology (EP), and Social Care.

3. Plan

Following the assessment phase, key educational professionals, SENDCo, parent/carer and pupil, meet and agree a plan of action. This plan should be outcome focussed (eg improve, develop, and achieve) and should include:

1. SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-based) targets.
2. Details of the adjustments, equipment, support, and interventions that need to be put into place to fulfil the plan.
3. Details of who will be running the programme and when.
4. Details of success criteria, including how progress will be measured, when and by whom.
5. A date for review, typically 6-8 weeks.

The plan should be recorded and circulated to all relevant parties before it begins. Any training needs should be identified and addressed prior to the start of the ‘do’ phase.

4. Do

In this phase the plan is put into action.

The SEND Code of Practice makes it clear that it is the responsibility of class/subject teachers to implement the plan on a day-to-day basis. This should be supported by the SENDCo. The ‘do’ phase should involve teachers:

• Delivering ‘Quality First Teaching’ to all pupils.
• Implementing any adjustments, specific strategies, interventions, or approaches to teaching that have been identified as teacher-led within the ‘plan’ phase.
• Managing any teaching assistants (TAs) who are supporting pupils with SEND within the class.
• Continually assessing and monitoring the CYP’s progress and making any necessary adjustments.
• Communicating with TAs and any other teachers providing interventions to pupils and making plans for them to generalise their skills within lessons.
• Communicating how things are going with the pupil, their family and the SENCo

Robust information should be gathered during this phase so that the following can be discussed at review:

• How the intervention/adjustment has been implemented g. whether there have been any absences or delays.

Learn

At the end of each cycle there should be an explicit pause built into the process within which, professionals, the family and the pupil reflect on what has been learnt (eg regarding their learning preferences, motivation, approach, strategies that support and those which do not). This learning should be explicitly incorporated into any subsequent cycles of ‘assess-plan-do-review’ and into all ‘Quality First Teaching’ that the pupil receives.

In this way there should be a clear thread linking subsequent plans and approaches.

SEND CYP have the same rights as non-disabled children and young people to participate in decisions and issues that affect them. The importance of the participation of SEND CYP is reflected in both the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and in duties placed on the local authorities to support and involve CYP in decision-making. Sadly, research suggests that despite this SEND children in practice remain inactive in decisions about their education and future.

Why gather the views of CYP with SEND?

Research suggests that listening to the views of CYP with SEND is beneficial for several reasons. There are clear advantages including increased motivation, independence, perception of personal control and progress. Todd (2003) notes that if CYP are part of decision-making processes they can provide appropriate information about their skills and abilities and offer their views about possible interventions; enhancing the likelihood of successful outcomes.

The SEND Code of Practice makes it very clear that throughout the process of assessment the CYP’s views should be sought. Every cycle is an opportunity to enable the CYP to be involved in decision making. It is important to have regard to the views, wishes and feelings of the CYP and for these views to be clearly incorporated into Assess-Plan-Do-Review Cycles.

‘Planning should start with the individual and local authorities must have regard to the views, wishes and feelings of the child, child’s parent or young person, their aspirations, the outcomes they wish to seek and the support they need to achieve them.’ (SEND Code of Practice, 2015, pg. 147).

Throughout the assessment/planning process staff should:

• Focus on the CYP as an
• Enable CYP to express their views wishes and
• Enable CYP to be part of the
• Ensure what is being discussed is easy for CYP to
• Highlight the CYP’s strengths and
• Elicit what they have done, what they are interested in and what outcomes they are seeking in the

Using a person-centred approach, involving CYP and their families, is key.

1. Things to consider

• The developmental stage of the CYP.
• How they like to communicate and their level of understanding (eg are they able to share their views verbally or would they be best supported with a visual activity, such as picture sorting, or multiple-choice questions?
• Whom they like to communicate with – is there a member of staff whom they feel most comfortable being honest with? Are parents/carers better placed to gather views at home?

2. What views to gather?

• Likes and dislikes (What subjects do they like / like less? What do they like to play with?)
• What support they value (What helps them in school? What helps them less?)
• Who supports them in school (Who can they go to in school that can help them? Who helps them feel safe or manage their feelings, who helps with their learning?)
• Long-term goals and aspirations (What would they like to be better at? What job would they like when they are older? What college courses / qualifications might they like to do?)

3. How can we do it?

A variety of methods can be used to gather CYP’s views. Some CYP will be happy to talk and complete questionnaires whereas others will need the practitioner to be more creative (eg CYP with speech and language difficulties or CYP with profound and multiple learning difficulties). All pupils should be encouraged to give a view, to gain a realistic view of how they perceive their school experiences. This will then help highlight actions that will support adaptations to Quality First Teaching and other more targeted interventions.

For CYP who may not communicate verbally or prefer using visual supports try non-verbal methods eg

• taking photos of all of their favourite parts of the classroom;
• card sorts to pick favourite subject / least favourite;
• line up photos or pictures in order from favourite to least favourite;
• projective techniques in which they might select a picture that shows how they feel eg the Blob School resources

For CYP who are able to communicate verbally, use verbal or written methods (adults could scribe / pupil could use speech to text / they could write their own views if they wish). For example (templates included in the Appendix):

• Three wishes – if you could have three wishes about school, what would they be?
• Perfect week – describe your perfect week in detail;
• Good day/bad day - describe what happens on a good day (from the moment you get up)
• Relationship circle (who is important in your life?)
• Decision making profile

Older CYP can contribute to planning in well structured meetings. Here are two ways of sharing views and representing planning of actions jointly with CYP in a visual and inclusive way:

• MAP – a visual way of planning for CYP with SEND.
• Planning Alterative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH) - a visual tool for longer term planning as a group

The importance of enabling CYP to have a voice in decisions regarding their life and learning is central to SEND policy. Pupil participation should be encouraged in all decision- making processes including setting individual targets, support plans and contributing to assessments and reviews. Schools and settings need to promote a culture of ensuring pupil voice across a range of issues and CYP need to be taught and supported to contribute appropriately and effectively. It’s up to the adults to ensure CYP see the impact of their contribution, as many CYP become frustrated when their voice appears to be ignored.

4. Pupil views within Annual Reviews

Annual Reviews can be an intimidating experience for some CYP as they are sometimes asked to express their views in a room full of adults. It can be helpful to ensure that the CYP’s views are gathered well in advance of the meeting, perhaps over several weeks. The CYP may prefer to be supported by a key adult or trusted member of staff, in articulating their ideas. The CYP may also wish to be supported by their key adult in the review meeting, for moral support. Alternatively, the CYP may wish to prepare a video or PowerPoint to share their views, or to ask a trusted adult to share their views on their behalf without the need to attend the review meeting in person.

It may be helpful following the Annual Review for the CYP to talk through the meeting with a supportive adult to answer queries or highlight the actions of the review and the next steps.

Schools and settings have a duty to meet the needs of all their learners and to follow a graduated approach to identification and meeting Special Educational Needs. For a small number of low incidence-high need CYP the school may need further guidance and resource from the local authority in order to meet their specific individual needs. In these cases, the school have a duty of care to apply for an Education, Health, Care (EHC) assessment and the local authority has a duty to respond within legal timeframes. The Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document which sets out a description of a CYP’s special educational, health and care needs and what provision (what will be done) to meet their needs to enable the CYP to make progress. It is crucial that the family and CYP are fully informed of the Education, Health, Care needs assessment process and supported through it. Parents routinely report that they feel set up for a battle and that they have multiple professionals and panels contradicting each other, which causes understandable frustration. It is the duty of all SEND professionals to have a robust and working knowledge of processes locally and nationally so that parents can be supported through the process amicably.

There are a number of resources available to explain an EHCP to CYP.

Generally, only a very small number of CYP with complex and severe needs, who require very high levels of individualised support, are issued with an EHCP. All schools and settings have a budget that is available to support CYP with SEND. Most CYP will access help in their educational placement through the level known as school SEN Support or as we describe it within the Main THRIVE tool ‘Getting Help’ and ‘Getting More Help’.

Where provision cannot reasonably be provided through services and resources that are normally available, it may be necessary to request an EHC assessment. Schools and settings typically request EHC assessments, but parents and professionals can do too. Young people aged 16 and over have the right to request an EHC assessment independently. Schools, colleges and other bodies can also request assessments but they can only do this with the knowledge and agreement of the young person and/or person with parental responsibility. The CYP has to have a special educational need that is severe and/or complex and which has persisted in spite of the school following the graduated approach; including taking all expected steps and using the highest level of its resources to identify, assess and meet the need. The Local Authority (LA) SEND panel also considers whether or not the difficulties are having an effect on the CYP’s emotional wellbeing.

The Local Offer in Salford will enable families and practitioners to find out what is available locally and further afield and should help everyone to make the most of many services and opportunities that are available, without the need to have an EHCP.

The referral

This is the first part of the process in making a request for an EHC assessment and is a key document that the local authority will consider when making decisions. It is important for the referral to identify outcomes for the CYP and any reports should highlight these outcomes.

The decision to draw up an EHCP will depend on the severity of a CYP’s needs and if any resources are identified that need adding to those already available.

The referral should be accompanied by evidence of provision made for an individual CYP from the SEN Notional Funding over three school terms (including the previous, current and next planned school term). This must take the form of a costed provision map completed on the referral template (please only provide the individual CYP’s provision map rather than the whole school provision map). If a CYP has support in small groups, please ensure that you divide the cost between the number of CYP accessing the group.

The My Story documents completed by parents and CYP should be included. It should be evident that the school have been working on the aspirations highlighted by parents and CYP.

Settings should make every effort to identify strengths in all areas as well as difficulties. It is also helpful to detail what has worked in the last two/three cycles of Assess-Plan-Do-Review and what additionality is needed to maintain or enhance the CYP’s rate of progress.

The Timescales

Overview

The Annual Review is the statutory process by which a CYP’s progress against the outcomes set out in the EHC Plan are reviewed in order to ensure that the provision and targets are

up to date and relevant. The review also helps to consider whether the EHC Plan is still necessary to support the CYP’s needs in the future, and to plan the outcomes for the coming year, setting new outcomes if necessary.

Statutory requirements

• An Annual Review must be undertaken in partnership with the CYP and their parent, or the young person (if over 16), and must take account of their views, wishes and feelings, including their right to request a Personal
• A Personal Budget is the amount of money identified by the LA to deliver aspects of provision set out in an EHC Plan where the parent or young person (over 16 years of age) is involved in securing that The funds may be held and managed either by the LA, school or college; the family; a third-party arrangement; or a combination of the aforementioned.
• The Annual Review process must be completed on or before the anniversary of when the EHC Plan was first issued or the anniversary of the last review.
• In the Early Years an EHC Plan should be reviewed every 6 months up to the child’s 5th birthday (SEND Code of Practice, 198, 9.178)

The annual review meeting

Before the meeting

• The host (usually the SENDCo in the educational setting) will contact relevant professionals to gather up-to-date reports and must contact the parent and CYP to invite them to contribute their views, wishes and
• The host must send an invitation to attendees at least 2 weeks prior to the meeting date and circulate copies of the gathered reports and
• The host should arrange a suitable meeting place, where confidential conversations can be held without

During the meeting

• The aim of the process is to review the CYP’s progress towards achieving outcomes and must cover the following:
  • Are the outcomes and objectives still appropriate? Agree new outcomes or short- term objectives if
  • Is the educational provision (including any health and social care provision) and the arrangements for delivering still appropriate?
• Have the aspirations of the CYP changed? From Year 9 onwards, Annual Reviews must include an explicit focus on the CYP’s aspirations for the future in relation to preparing for adulthood outcomes (paid employment, good health, independent living and community inclusion/participation).
• Is a Personal Budget required?

Following the meeting

• The host must prepare a report including any recommendations for amendments to the EHC Plan, documenting differences of opinion if necessary, rather than a general This must be circulated to those invited and the LA within 2 weeks of the meeting.
• The LA will consider the review documentation and decide whether the EHC Plan should either remain unchanged; be amended or be The LA must inform the parent or young person of this decision within 4 weeks from the review date and should be no later than the anniversary of either when the EHC Plan was first issued or the previous Annual Review.

Special review meetings

• The Year 5 Annual Review helps to inform decisions about the transfer from primary to high school and is an opportunity to make clear recommendations about the type of provision a CYP needs on transition to high school. The Year 6 review is then an opportunity to make sure these arrangements are working or consider alternative / additional
• The Year 11 and Year 13 Annual Reviews will be held shortly before a young person leaves There will need to be a focus on the support needed by the young person in preparing for adulthood considering paid employment, independent living, good health and community inclusion/participation.
• In some cases it may be appropriate to call an Annual Review ahead of the usual This would typically be when there has been a significant change in circumstances, where a significant change is anticipated, or where it is felt that the support outlined in the EHC Plan may no longer be needed.

Best practice tips and things to consider

• Ensure adequate time for planning, organising and completing relevant paperwork following the Annual Review. Invite all relevant professionals who have had recent involvement (last 12 months); it may be helpful to think ahead about these arrangements at the start of the year (eg during planning meetings with outside agencies).
• Ensure the communication needs and accessibility of information (eg written text) has been considered for all participants. Ensure an interpreter is provided if required (using a professional service rather than a family member or family friend) and consider the use of visuals or other alternative communication methods where appropriate.
• Ensure all attendees are able to contribute to relevant parts of the review. At the start of the meeting it can be helpful to clarify that it is a group process and all attendees are bringing their own skills and expertise to draw upon in the Using a visual methods (eg MAP or PATH) as described in ‘Gathering and responding to children’s views’ above can help make the process collaborative.
• It can be helpful to spend time with CYP or parents ahead of the Annual Review to explain the process and ensure that all reports and information have been shared in a way that is If there have been any particular difficulties or issues, it is important that parents/carers are made aware of these concerns outside of and in advance of the Annual Review, and for this information to not be shared for the first time within the context of a multi-agency meeting.
• Have relevant paperwork and reports from the last 12 months available, this can help to clarify a timeline of events if necessary (eg appointments attended) and plans for future involvement (eg if a re-referral is required after a missed appointment).
• Celebrate positives and successes g. sharing examples of the CYP’s work or extra- curricular achievements.
• Ensure attendees are familiar with the outcomes and objectives and how the educational setting has worked with the CYP and their family to make progress towards outcomes.
• The Annual Review is the opportunity to revisit, refine and revise the outcomes and provision within the EHCP to ensure it is effective in supporting the CYP to meet their This should include a detailed discussion about how the provision detailed in the plan has been implemented and the impact it has had in meeting the outcomes and objectives. If something is not working or no progress has been made, it is important to explore the reasons why (eg are there barriers to provision being successfully implemented? Is a different approach or type of support needed?) Having these discussions during a multi-agency meeting leads to a collaborative approach to planning provision that draws on the expertise within the room so as to improve the support plan for the coming year.

The role of the SENDCo has continued to expand with each revision to the Code of Practice. The role is diverse and interesting, but the pace of change has accentuated SENDCo turnover. SENDCos’ roles can be emotional laborious as they are in a position where they are supporting the wellbeing of others; children, families, teachers and teaching assistants. It is, therefore, essential that they get the support they need to fulfil their vital role for SEND CYP. Research  (Lewis, 2017) suggest that SENDCOs’ resilience is protected by access to social support from other SENDCos, having a position in school that enables systemic change (SLT or clear links to), access to training and learning opportunities, and by individual coping strategies with workload and emotionally charged situations.

Research has shown that peer networks can offer valuable support and development opportunities for SENDCos and school staff (Hayes and Stringer, 2016). Cluster meetings between schools are often a helpful way to share ideas, training costs and generate solutions to commonly occurring challenges. Similarly, finding time to meet as a staff team can be powerful. School staff who engaged in group problem solving sessions reported they were: ‘productive’, ‘structured’ and ‘supportive’. All respondents (10 staff) reported an impact on their understanding of SEN, and 90-80% of respondents reported the groups helped them learn new strategies, try new things in the classroom and feel more confident about SEN. 70% reported the groups helped them feel less stressed (Lyons, 2019).

The Educational Psychology Service can facilitate group problem solving sessions and offer supervision to other professionals such as school staff, which can provide a safe space to reflect on your role, concerns and coping; ask your Educational Psychology service for more details.

We hope this overview has given you a good understanding of the best SEND practices within schools. The remainder of this document will support you to meet need within your school across the Getting Advice, Getting Help, Getting More Help (Main Thrive Tool) and Getting Risk Support sections of the Thrive Framework.

Finlay, L. (2008). Reflecting on ‘Reflective practice’. Practice-based Professional Learning Paper 52, The Open University.

Hayes, M. and Stringer, P. (2016) Introducing Farouk’s process consultation group approach in Irish primary schools. Educational Psychology in Practice, 32 (2), 145-162.

Lewis, T, F. (2017). Special Educational Need Coordinator (SENDCO) wellbeing: a mixed methods exploration of workplace demands and effective coping actions. University of Birmingham.

Lyons, R. (2019). Reducing Exclusions in Salford: Identifying and Supporting Special Educational Needs (SEN), Summary Report (Part Three). Salford: Salford City Council.

Todd, L. (2003). Enabling pupil participation. Special Children. April/May, 22-25.

Appendix 1: Guidance documents for parents

EHC plan assessment pathway (Adobe PDF format, 88kb)

Appendix 2: Examples of tools to gain pupil views

• My Three Wishes (Adobe PDF format, 223kb)
• Perfect Week (Microsoft Word format, 15kb)
• Relationship Circle (Adobe PDF format, 72kb)
• Decision Making Profile (Microsoft Word format, 14kb)
• Good and Bad Days (Microsoft Word format, 14kb)