School Support Guide
My Child Needs More Support at School
If you feel that your child is struggling at school or that the support they are receiving is not enough, it can be difficult to know what to do next. This guide explains the support schools can provide and practical steps you can take to work with your child's school.
Your pathway
Where to Start
If your child may need more support at school, these steps may help you prepare for that conversation.
What this might mean
- Many children make progress with additional support arranged by their school, known as SEN Support.
- Support is usually planned, tried and reviewed in a cycle rather than decided in one meeting.
- Needing more support does not automatically mean an EHCP is required.
What you can do
- Ask for a meeting with the class teacher or SENCo.
- Ask what is already in place and what difference it has made.
- Agree what will be tried next and when it will be reviewed.
What to think about / record
- What support has been tried and for how long.
- How your child responds at school and at home.
- Dates of meetings and what was agreed.
Who you can talk to
- Your child's class teacher or form tutor.
- The school SENCo.
- Where relevant, professionals already involved with your child.
What to do next
- If support is in place but progress is limited, you may wish to read about EHCPs.
- Use the Starter Pack to prepare for your next school meeting.
This is general information to help you think about next steps. It is not legal advice, and every child's situation is different — where appropriate, consider seeking further advice.
What is SEN Support?
Many children and young people with SEND can have their needs supported through the resources and provision ordinarily available within their school or setting. This is often referred to as SEN Support.
Schools should identify children's needs, plan appropriate support, put that support into place and review whether it is making a difference.
A cycle of support
The Graduated Approach
Assess
The school gathers information to understand your child's strengths, needs and barriers to learning. This may include information from teachers, parents, the child or young person and relevant professionals.
Plan
The school and family consider what support should be provided, what outcomes are being worked towards and how progress will be reviewed.
Do
The agreed support is put into place and should be implemented consistently.
Review
The impact of the support is considered. The school should use evidence of progress and the views of the child and family to decide what should happen next.
Practical examples
What Can SEN Support Look Like?
Important note
Support should be based on your child's individual needs rather than simply on a diagnosis.
Take action
What Can Parents Do?
- Talk to your child's class teacher or SENCo about your concerns.
- Ask what your child's strengths and areas of need have been identified as.
- Ask what support is currently being provided.
- Ask what outcomes the school is working towards.
- Ask how the impact of support will be measured and reviewed.
- Share relevant information from home, including examples of difficulties your child experiences outside school.
- Keep copies of reports, assessments and important correspondence.
- Ask what the next steps will be if current support is not making enough difference.
Conversations with school
Questions You Could Ask School
- What are my child's main areas of need?
- What support is currently being provided?
- What difference is the support making?
- What are my child's current outcomes or targets?
- When will the support be reviewed?
- What further support could be considered if progress remains limited?
- Are there any professionals or services who could provide further advice?
When Might More Support Be Needed?
If your child's needs continue to have a significant impact on their education despite appropriate support and intervention, it may be appropriate to consider whether further assessment, specialist advice or additional provision is needed.
An EHCP is one possibility
An EHCP is one possible form of additional support, but not every child with SEND will require an EHCP.
Need More Help?
Sometimes it can be difficult to know whether your child's current support is appropriate, what questions to ask or what the next step should be.