Support for SEN in schools
The school / setting's responsibilities
Schools / settings should:
- Follow SEND legislation and statutory guidance
- Have an accessibility plan
- Make reasonable adjustments so all children and young people with SEND have access to a broad and balanced curriculum
- Update their policies and practices based on changes to SEND education
- Use their 'best endeavours to provide an inclusive education'
What mainstream schools and academies must do
Mainstream schools and academies must:
- Make sure that a child with SEND gets the support they need to succeed.
- Make sure that all children and young people can take part in all activities alongside others.
- Make sure that there is a qualified teacher designated as the Special Education Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) and a member of the Governing Body with specific oversight of the school's arrangements for SEN and disability.
- Let parents / carers or the young person know when they have identified that the child / young person has SEND, and that they are providing special educational support.
- Publish a SEN information report and accessibility plan.
Legislation / guidance
School / settings must follow legislation and guidance:
This includes:
- mainstream schools, or academy
- pupil referral units
- early years providers (such as childminders, preschools or nurseries)
- post-16 providers (such as colleges or sixth forms)
Accessibility plan
Every school must make accessibility plans to:
- increase the ability for disabled pupils to take part in the curriculum
- improve the buildings and spaces so disabled pupils can take advantage of education, benefits, facilities and services available
- improve the availability of accessible information to disabled pupils
Schools should take into account the resources needed to carry out these plans, and regularly review them.
Reasonable adjustments
What a reasonable adjustment is
Reasonable adjustments refer to the positive steps that schools must take to make sure that all students can fully take part in the education provided by the school, and that they can enjoy the other benefits, facilities and services that the school provides for students.
Consideration should be given to whether adjustments would help to overcome the disadvantage, and whether the suggestions are reasonable.
Examples of reasonable adjustment could include:
- arranging for a student who uses a wheelchair to have classes on the ground floor of the building
- making sure that a teacher faces a deaf student so they can lip-read
- providing a piece of equipment, such as an adapted keyboard
- support with guiding pupils around the building
- extra support from staff
When reasonable adjustments are needed
Some children / young people will need reasonable adjustments, in addition to the support they already get.
Some children and young people are disabled, but do not have SEN, and will need reasonable adjustments to be made for them.
It is likely that a reasonable adjustment is needed so the child / young person is not at a substantial disadvantage, if:
- it would take extra time and effort for them to take part, compared with another child who does not have additional needs
- they would suffer inconvenience, indignity or discomfort if an adjustment wasn't made
- they would lose an opportunity, or make less progress, compared to another child without additional needs
Schools / settings should work with children / young people and their parents to see what reasonable adjustments can be made.
It is not expected that families suggest adjustments.
When reasonable adjustments are not needed
Some children / young people get support which meets their Special Educational Needs.
This means that they are not at a substantial disadvantage, and reasonable adjustments are not needed.
What a reasonable adjustment is not
In law, reasonable adjustments are different from big capital projects, like installing a lift or building an accessible toilet.
Schools / settings still have a duty to do this kind of improvement work in a planned way, with support from the Council, and have an accessibility plan.
More information
For more information, see Equality and Human Rights Commission: What are reasonable adjustments.