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Sign in or register for an accountThese resources reflect and support local settings with SEND processes, from early identification of need, making adjustments, SEND Support interventions and beyond (which is what we call a ‘Graduated Approach’).
The resource is separated into three parts:
Best practice walkthrough gives an overview of Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) and the graduated approach. It also provides guidance documents for parents.
Salford is an inclusive city and a needs-led local authority. It is expected that the vast majority of children and young people will have their needs met by universal and mainstream services through an ethos of best practice and reasonable adjustments in line with the SEND Code of Practice (DfE Jan 2015) which states that:
"A pupil has SEN where their learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision, namely provision different from or additional to that normally available to pupils of the same age.” (6:15 p.94)
OAIP is the range of activities, opportunities and strategies that are offered as basic good practice to meet a range of additional needs without the need for a formal diagnosis or specialist support.
The overarching approach of this guidance is based on the principles of inclusion and the belief that by setting out clear expectations, families and providers are given clarity, consistency and confidence in the support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings (DfE, 2023).
Salford’s OAIP guidance has been developed with Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), involving a range of stakeholders in Salford and across Greater Manchester. Some information may mirror and overlap that which is contained in the main Salford THRIVE tool but it has been developed to work alongside each other.
There is a downloadable copy of the guidance available within the OAIP section which gives further information about the development of the document.
The main THRIVE tool is organised by type of need and key stage. The sections cover:
Strategies are suggestions, not a tick list, and it should be the case that some children and young people just need the first section, others may need the first two and others may need all three.
Hyperlinks have been included within the document to make it easy to locate information about suggested approaches and interventions. A glossary is included at the end of each key stage, detailing information and costings for each intervention in response to consultation with schools and settings.
The THRIVE model has an additional section about getting risk support and we have included a corresponding section to support schools and settings to manage risk in relation to SEND. It is acknowledged that this is a standalone section that may be used at any point by staff to support with planning around children and young people presenting with risk alongside the graduated approach above. It is in no way a replacement for advice from local safeguarding boards or children mental health pathways.
National evidence shows that children and young people with SEND are more likely to experience school absence, both before and after COVID-19 (Department for Education, 2023; Child of the North Attendance Report 2024). Risk factors for non-attendance are also intersectional (overlapping). For example nationally, female pupils who are eligible for Pupil Premium and have a special educational need are particularly likely to be low attending (ImpactEd, 2024). Children are most vulnerable at transition years, when starting primary and secondary school.
Salford’s school attendance overall remains below the national average, and the largest gap is for secondary schools. However, the gap is beginning to close and children who have identified SEND (SEN Support or an EHCP) and are eligible for free school meals attend in line with or above national averages. We have set ambitious targets as part of Salford’s Attendance Strategy to raise all children’s attendance and reduce barriers to education.
Early intervention is key. Attendance support for families in Salford can be found here: School attendance and absence. Guidance and resources for schools/colleges are available on the Reducing Barriers to Education Padlet.
The THRIVE conceptual framework was developed by a collaboration of authors from the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families and the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust