SEND Support Plans

Children and young people with SEND all have learning difficulties or disabilities that make learning harder than for others of the same age.

These children and young people may need extra or different help from that given to others.

SEND can be identified in many ways. This can be by the school, by the parent, by another professional or a combination of all three. Support for young people with additional learning needs in education is detailed in three broad ways:

·       SEND Support Plans (SSP)

·       Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments (EHCNA)

·       Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP)

Majority of children and young people with SEND are supported through SEND support planning within their mainstream school, college or early years setting. This is through the graduated approach, quality first teaching, targeted and personalised support that is ordinarily available in mainstream schools settings. All schools and settings have funding to allow them to do this. 

The responsibility for the SEND Support Plan (SSP) should lie with the class teacher. The SSP is supported by the SENCo and includes any relevant partners. Together, they will ensure SEND is clearly identified. Provision is required to meet those needs and outcomes sought. See the Code of Practice (sections 6.59 - 6.66) for information about SEN Support Plans [External Link].

Many of the principles behind SEND support plans are the same as they are for Education, Health and Care plans. For some young people whose needs are more common in the general pupil population, there may be little practical difference between the two. For needs that are not routinely found in the general public, a more intensive level of specialist help may be appropriate that cannot be met from the resources available to schools and other settings. In these cases, it may be appropriate to consider an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) for the child.