How is my child with SEND supported in school?

Around 5,000 children and young people in Islington have identified Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and most of these are supported in their local mainstream school or Early Years setting. The majority of children and young people will have their needs met through additional help that is put in place by their setting or school, sometimes with advice from specialist services.

Special educational provision is education or training that is additional to or different from that made generally for others of the same age. This means provision that goes beyond the different approaches, learning arrangements and interventions normally provided as part of high quality, personalised teaching.

The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (2015) sets out guidance and expectations in relation to identification, assessment and provision for children and young people with SEND. It stresses that all teachers are teachers of children with SEND.

The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (2015) also sets out how parents and
young people should be involved in identifying, understanding and taking decisions about special educational needs provision.

Parents like to know how their child’s school or setting will make decisions about any extra support put in place for them and what form that support should take. They also want to know that their child will be given the support as they need, and how they can help.

Responsibilities of schools and settings

All early years and education providers (including academies and free schools) are
responsible for using their ‘best endeavours’ (which means doing everything they possibly can) to ensure that the SEND of children and young people are met. This means:

  • Identifying needs early
  • Ensuring the views of parents, children and young people inform assessment planning and decision making; the SEND Code of Practice places great importance on involving parents, children and young people in decisions
  • Knowing precisely where children and young people with SEND are in their learning and development, and planning for their next small steps
  • Having high aspirations and setting stretching targets for children with SEND
  • Putting in place effective, evidence based interventions individually tailored to needs
  • Tracking progress towards outcomes regularly, reviewing the appropriateness of provision and ensuring that it impacts on progress.
Further information for parents and carers

Find examples of what you and your child can expect from schools through a graduated approach to supporting the following Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities.

This Local Offer Page is Parent Approved

This Local Offer Page is parent approved.

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