Who needs a SEND Support Plan?

The majority of children and young people with SEND will be supported within their mainstream setting. This support includes the graduated approach, quality first teaching, targeted and personalised support.

All schools have notional funding to allow them to support young people with SEND within their mainstream setting. The Local Area has also provided additional predictable needs funding. This aims to further strengthen mainstream provision in the local area. 

All children and young people on the SEND register need a SEN Support Plan (SSP). This should include:

• all barriers to learning

• the provision to meet each identified barrier to learning (need)

• outcomes

SSPs are the more ‘dynamic’ process to support young people as they include shorter term targets ie the steps towards the outcomes. An SSP will also enable families to identify appropriate partners that could be engaged at the appropriate time. This could include Social Care, Health, Therapies and Educational Psychologists.

An SSP - sometimes called IEP (Individual Education Plan), Passport or Inclusion Plan - should have 4 main areas:

• Pupil’s views, aspirations, strengths and wishes

• Barriers to learning (SEN)

• Outcomes sought

• Provision to meet those needs and achieve the outcomes.

SSPs should be reviewed termly with families and the young person as part of the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle.  As the reviews take place termly, ‘fine tuning’ of interventions and strategies can take place ensuring progress.  

Where a pupil is receiving support for SEND - whether through school’s resources or through an EHCP - schools should:

• talk to parents regularly to set clear outcomes and review progress towards them

• discuss the activities and support that will help achieve them

• identify the responsibilities of the parent, the pupil and the school.

Schools should meet parents at least three times each year. 

Key Considerations for Outcomes

Outcomes help us to evaluate the success of the support that is being provided to the young person with additional needs. Find out more on the Outcomes for SEND Support Plans page.

Key Considerations for Outcomes include:

1. Holistic. Often a multi-agency approach will be required to support the child or young person to achieve their outcomes. 

2. Make use of existing Resources. Resources and materials should be shared to support the development of outcomes. 

3. Golden Thread. There should be a golden thread directly through the aspirations, needs, outcomes and provision. 

4. Person Centred. Specific to the child or young person and expressed from a personal perspective, not a specific one. 

5. Aspirational. Opportunities to find out what is possible and what type of support would help them achieve their aspirations. 

6. Outcomes are NOT Provision. Provision is what must be provided to meet a child or young person's needs and enable the outcomes to be achieved. 

7. SMART. Smart, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time limited.

Preparing for Adulthood starts early!

Preparation for adulthood starts from the earliest years for all young people. Conversations about the future and dreams are common for all children. Their future should hold personalised opportunities for: 

• Future jobs and further education or training options to help achieve job goals

• Where to live in the future, and how you could live independently

• Things to do in the community, including interests and hobbies

• Future health needs

Young people with a SSP should have regular discussions with parents, carers and their teachers about future plans. This includes support needs as an adult. There won't have a specific preparation for adulthood review.

Whether for Young people with an SEN Support plan or for children with an EHC Plan, preparing for adulthood must be a focus in reviews from year 9.

Visit our Preparing for Adulthood pages for additional information and support.