Introduction by Julia Katherine, Director for Education
In Surrey, we believe every child deserves the chance to reach their full potential. We are committed to ensuring that all children have access to high-quality, inclusive education within their local communities.
Guided by our ‘Time for Kids’ principles, we are dedicated to creating learning environments that are responsive to the diverse needs of every child, enabling them to develop a sense of belonging within their school community.
The Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) Guidance is a practical tool designed to help schools deliver the best quality education tailored to the individual needs of each child. This revised document serves as an accessible, everyday guide, reflecting real-life school situations and experiences.
This resource has been shaped by the invaluable insights and dedication of school leaders, Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCos), parents, carers, and children. We are deeply grateful for their contributions to the co-design process. Together, we can promote meaningful independence in school environments where every child feels valued, supported, and empowered to succeed in their unique way.
By adopting a consistent, whole-school approach to Ordinarily Available Provision, we aim to strengthen inclusive practice and ensure equitable opportunities for all children to thrive. By fostering positive relationships between schools, families, and other professionals, we hope to meet children's needs at the earliest opportunity, ensuring no learner is left behind .
Supporting statement from School SENCos
“From co-producing the OAP, I’ve seen first-hand how bringing together different professionals helps make the document genuinely useful across the whole school. It’s not just about supporting pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN) — it’s about building the confidence and skills of staff too. In our school, the OAP helped us to support understand of their journey clearly and recognise when the right time was to apply for an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan. That process felt less overwhelming because we had the OAP as a shared reference point. It’s a tool that really makes a difference when it’s shaped by everyone."
Primary and Nursery School Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCo)
A huge thank you to..
The children at Broadwater School, Danetree Primary School, Darley Dene Primary School, Glyn School, Oxted School, Sythwood Primary School, and Westfield Primary School — thank you for your invaluable contribution and perspective on school life. Your comments and lived experiences have provided a valuable insight into what everyday life in school is like for you, and we hope you see yourselves and hear your voices reflected throughout this document.
We also extend gratitude to the school staff, subject matter experts, partners, and stakeholders who have contributed to this review — whether as members of the review group, participants in the working groups, reviewers of documentation, or as host schools providing us with the opportunity to hear the ‘child’s voice.’ Your engagement, expertise, insights, and viewpoints have enriched and shaped this project beyond expectation.
This resource is the result of a collaborative effort involving many, and we hope the relationships built during this review period will continue to support our shared goal of improving outcomes for children.
Overview
Ordinarily Available Provision – Section A
This section includes a clear definition, and key principles of OAP, as collaboratively designed, in partnership, with Surrey SENCo school colleagues. These underpin the way OAP should be applied in schools.
Importance of Relationships
This section describes the impact of positive relationships that nurture a sense of belonging for the whole school community. It is relevant for parents, school leaders, teachers, SENCos, and all other schools staff.
Support around the Child
This section is especially relevant for parents, teachers, and SENCos where concerns persist despite High Quality Teaching.
Reasonable adjustments
This section includes a description of reasonable adjustments, with a focus on inclusive practice and removing barriers to learning, what the law says, and seeks to clarify what is and is not ‘reasonable’.
High Quality Teaching
'High quality teaching', as described in the SEND Code of Practice, is teaching that is differentiated and personalised to meet the needs of children where progress:
- is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline
- fails to match or better the child’s previous rate of progress
- fails to close the attainment gap between the child and their peers
- widens the attainment gap
High quality teaching considers the needs of children in schools to inform planning and delivery to make learning accessible. This may involve teaching staff using the examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustments and specific interventions, detailed in section three, to support children to learn, access and engage with the curriculum.
This section can be used to facilitate conversations between children, parents, and schools, and can be understood as the requirement for a school to take positive steps to ensure that all children can fully participate in the education provided by the school, and that they can enjoy the benefits, facilities, and services that the school provides.
Ordinarily Available Provision – Section B
Contains practical examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustments and specific interventions to support children in schools. The strategies in this section should be used alongside High Quality Teaching, based on the needs of individual children. Schools are not expected to deliver all of the strategies, rather they should make adjustments and apply appropriate support based on the skills and resources available to the school.
It is of relevance to teachers, SENCos and school leaders when determining the school's SEND offer in relation to their learners' additional needs. It will also support conversations between schools and parents to ensure the right support can be prioritised at the right time.
Shared practice
In this section you will find examples of practice shared by schools, used to support children in school.
Ordinarily Available Provision – Section A
Definition of Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP)
OAP is part of a school’s approach to inclusive education based on individual needs. It removes barriers to progress and supports the development of every child. It forms part of everyday provision that schools are expected to deliver, within their resources, and is available to all children as part of high-quality teaching and learning practice.
Key principles of OAP
- Empowers children and young people to be independent and develop their decision making in preparation for adulthood.
- Takes a personalised approach that acknowledges success looks different for everyone.
- Holds the views and aspirations of children, young people and their families central to planning, and ensures they are included in decision making.
- Ensures assessment and intervention focus on identified needs and not a diagnosis. This refers to a need led approach that centres on inclusion and adaptations.
- Is a whole school approach, where inclusion is fully integrated, not something extra.
- Places a strong focus on inclusive practice where schools endeavour to remove barriers to learning, adapt to support progress and social inclusion, create environments that offer a strong sense of belonging for all learners.
Importance of relationships
“We thought we were good at relationships and that we held them in high regard. (After attending the Relational Practice Whole School Leadership Programme) We realised that we had more to do and that our actions were not intentional enough in ensuring relationships were at the heart of everything we do.”
(Head Teacher)
Relationships are essential for creating a successful and supportive school community where everyone belongs, and learning can take place. Relational practice is a way of being, a fundamental ethos which provides an environment where healthy relationships are fostered, where there is both, high support, and high challenge. It underpins and aligns with the Surrey Healthy Schools approach.
A relational approach is evidenced through the daily interactions and culture of the school, promoting trust, empathy, and mutual respect among children and young people, parents, carers and the wider school team.
When relationships are at the heart of everything we do, the community feels connected, there is increased engagement, and everyone thrives both socially and academically.
Relational practice is about proactive relationship building and maintenance, reducing conflict and enabling resolution and repair. Relational communities seek to understand behaviour, show curiosity and acknowledge all behaviour as a form of communication. Having well established positive relationships with children and families leads to a secure foundation on which to build when additional support is needed. When additional support is needed it is provided in a restorative way where everyone is involved in what happens next and in deciding how to move forward.
Benefits of relational practice
For children
- Higher engagement: Feeling valued boosts motivation.
- Positive behaviour: Reduces behaviour that challenges.
- Stronger social skills: Develops communication, empathy, and teamwork. Includes a positive impact on attendance.
- Supports mental health and emotional well-being
For Teachers and Teaching staff
- Improved classroom environment: Fewer disruptions, more cooperation
- Job satisfaction: Meaningful connections lead to a more positive experience
- Better collaboration: Stronger relationships between teachers, children and parents
For the Whole School
- Increased sense of belonging: Fosters inclusivity and respect
- Higher academic performance: Studies link relationships to better learning outcomes
- Reduces conflict, bullying and discipline problems
- Creates a safe learning space where children feel respected
- Prepares children for future career, relationships, and lifelong success
- Aligns with school goals: Equity, inclusion, and positive school culture
Relational practice in OAP
Build strong relationships:
- Prioritise getting to know children and colleagues
- Show genuine interest in their lives and experiences
Create safe spaces:
- Ensure that children feel respected and understood
- Foster an environment where children feel safe to express themselves and take risks in learning
Listen with purpose:
- Actively listen to children’s concerns and needs
- Validate children’s feelings and experiences. This will help build trust
Model positive behaviour:
- Demonstrate the behaviour you would like to see from children
- Show kindness, open-mindedness, empathy, in your interactions
Collaborate with families and colleagues:
- Work together to provide consistent support for children
- Engage parents and external agencies to create a unified approach
Understand and respond to behaviour:
- Understand behaviour is a form of communication
- Address underlying needs rather than just managing symptoms
Provide ongoing support and training:
- Invest in continuous professional development for all staff, including support staff and staff not based in the classroom
- Offer regular meetings, supervision, and coaching to maintain skills
Before – What children said before restorative conversations where part of everyday practice
“I don’t think they like me because they always give me strikes.”
“I always get sent out, but I can’t help it.”
“You get a strike if you do something naughty, but only if you get caught!”
“I don’t always tell the truth because I don’t want to get into trouble”
“I don’t want to get anyone in to trouble or be called a tell-tale (when teachers ask children who weren’t involved in an incident what happened)”
“I don’t care, so red cards don’t work.”
After – What children said about restorative conversations once embedded in everyday school practice
“I trust my teacher more now and feel less worried about speaking to her when something happens because I know it will be dealt with in a fair way.”
“My friends were all arguing, we managed to sort it ourselves by listening to each other. We didn’t need to tell anyone, and we are all friends again now.”
What teaching staff said about restorative conversations
“They take away the anxiety of being shamed. The child is not ‘told off’ but there is still a consequence, a logical one.’
“Restorative conversations have been illuminating and have helped me view incidents in a different way. I thought I knew what was happening when I observed a situation, but I realised when I listened to the children’s perspective that I had misunderstood.”
“They help you build better relationships with the children. They build trust and support the children to take responsibility for their behaviour.”
“They (children) know they aren’t going to get in trouble, so they are more likely to be honest about what happened.”
“Because they have been involved, the children accept the consequences and take ownership, they understand why it has been given.”
“Children know the incident will be dealt with in a fair way. The structure (of the restorative conversation…) is predictable and everyone gets their say.”
Support around the child
All children in Surrey schools’ benefit from high-quality teaching and universal support, enabling the majority to thrive and make strong progress.
At times—and not solely in relation to educational needs—some children may require additional support. In such instances, schools can refer to the Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) document to identify reasonable adjustments, minor adaptations, and supportive strategies that can be scaffolded around the child to help them continue to make the progress we know they are capable of.
If a child is not making progress, despite the above, schools can look at providing SEND support for the child, in the form of appropriate interventions.
All the above should be considered alongside conversations with parent/carer to understand if anything at home is impacting on school life.
Assess, Plan, Do and Review
The support and actions put in place by the school to meet a child’s needs will usually be re-visited, reviewed, and refined. This allows for increased focus and informed provision to be put in place. These actions aim to ensure children can make good progress and better access the school curriculum. This is often referred to as a graduated response.
For most children, high quality teaching strategies remove potential barriers to learning and enable progress. Where there is evidence of ongoing difficulties that prevent progress, indicating the need for additional support and/or provision, the school should apply the four-part model outlined in the SEND Code of Practice: assess, plan, do, review.
Assess
- What is happening for the child?
- How does the child describe their needs/difficulties?
- What are the parents seeing at home?
- Is there a pattern i.e. a particular lesson/environment
Plan
- What additional High Quality Teaching strategies could support the child?
- What additional provision and resources are needed to meet needs?
- Best time for the support to take place?
- Who is best placed to act as point of contact, deliver and review additional support?
- Best way to measure impact?
Do
- Deliver agreed support strategies and note differences made.
- Refine strategies to maximise the effect they have.
- Ensure that additional provision is delivered as it is meant to be
- Observe and gather feedback.
Review
- What adjustments are needed based on observations and feedback?
- What worked well, what didn’t work well?
- Did the child make sustainable progress?
- Identify next steps. Is further support needed?
- Is further training needed for the staff team?
Reasonable adjustments
All children should be helped to fulfil their potential. Reasonable adjustments can help to create equity by minimising the disadvantages that children might face compared with their peers.
Most reasonable adjustments are amendments made to policy and practice, that are straightforward to implement, where teaching staff recognise barriers to learning and see the benefits the adjustments have for children. Whilst there is no requirement to change policies for all pupils, adaptive learning environments provide the best opportunities for all children to succeed.
Whilst it is not possible to say what is and is not reasonable, because situations and circumstances are different, schools are encouraged to consider the following when thinking about the reasonable adjustments they can make:
- What is already in place?
- Cost and resources available to the school
- Potential impact/outcomes
- Is it practical?
- Health and safety requirements
- Impact on school standards (incl. academic, musical, sporting)
- Interests of other pupils and prospective pupils
You can read more about the Equality Act Guide for schools in the National Children's Bureau guidance Disabled Children and the Equality Act 2010: What teachers need to know and what schools need to do.
Examples of reasonable adjustments
What are reasonable adjustments and how do they help disabled pupils at school? gives more information on reasonable adjustments, including examples.
When putting reasonable adjustments in place, it is important, in all instances that a member of the school staff team is allocated as a point of contact between home and school, to agree what can be put in place, a timeframe, and dates for review. The same member of school staff should check in with the child daily, to ensure the adjustment is appropriate, and to understand if further adjustments are needed. This may include increasing, extending, or ending the adjustment.
- child with a broken foot who requires adjustments to the school uniform (footwear) to accommodate the injury for a fixed period, determined by need.
- a child who has experienced a bereavement, requires temporary adjustments to their timetable to support them throughout the grieving process.
- a child who experiences panic attacks is permitted to remove their school tie as and when required
- a child who has recently been observed struggling to manage their emotions in class has a conversation with a trusted adult, they agree that a movement break card may help. This permits the child to leave the class when needed.
- a child who becomes dysregulated when unclear about what happens next in school is permitted to wear a smart watch with their timetable
- a child with a visual impairment is able to leave the classroom early to ensure they can easily move through the corridors before everyone starts to move around
- a child with a visual impairment sits at the back of the class to accommodate their field of vision.
- an inclusive and considered Whole School Food Policy is implemented to enable a child with diabetes to consume a high-calorie snack at breaktime.
- school uniform is adapted for a child who has an allergy to synthetic material or severe eczema.
- communication systems like traffic light cards are put in place for a pupil who needs extra time to complete a task.
- a child with specific literacy difficulties i.e. dyslexia, has a printout of Interactive Whiteboard presentations to make reading and tracking text easier.
- a short-term reduced timetable, which is reviewed regularly, is agreed for a child with Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or other neuro-divergence (ND) who finds classroom environments overwhelming, to build their confidence back up to full time attendance.
Working with children and families to make adjustments can increase attendance, improve behaviour, and contribute to building positive relationships. Schools are encouraged to discuss reasonable adjustments with parents and Children, who may be able to provide insight that offers innovative solutions.
The SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years states:
‘In practical situations in everyday settings, the best early years settings, schools and colleges do what is necessary to enable children and young people to develop, learn, participate and achieve the best possible outcomes irrespective of whether that is through reasonable adjustments for a disabled child or young person or special educational provision for a child or young person with SEN.’
Schools should assess each child’s current skills and levels of attainment on entry, building on any information provided by previous settings and key stages where appropriate. At the same time, schools should consider evidence that a pupil may have a disability under the Equality Act 2010 and, if so, what reasonable adjustments may need to be made for them.
They must make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services, to ensure that disabled children and young people are not at a substantial disadvantage compared with their peers. This duty is anticipatory – it requires thought to be given in advance to what disabled children and young people might require and what adjustments might need to be made to prevent that disadvantage.
Further detail on disability discrimination duties in schools can be found on page 3 of the Disabled Children and the Equality Act 2010: What teachers need to know and what schools need to do.
High quality teaching
Provision and coproduction with children, parent and carers
Expectation 1
There is an embedded commitment to work in partnership with parents, carers and children to maintain a person-centred approach.
Children told us
‘At my school I have a key worker who comes and gets me from my tutor group to check on me and make sure everything is ok. My mum and dad can speak to the key worker when they need to.’ Key Stage 4 child
‘Some children have difficulties, like my brother. He struggles quite a bit, so I go to a special group, and we do cooking or crafts and stuff. It helps me and I have different friends there.’ Key stage 2 child
‘We have a Student Council, but it’s for everyone, not just SEN people. Some teachers ask what we think about stuff. They asked us about Sparx Maths and what would make it better and then they changed it.’ Key stage 4 child
Characteristics of good practice
- Parents, carers and children have a named contact who they can speak to. This may be the child’s head of year, SENCo, or another suitable person.
- Families can access a range of formal and informal ways of sharing information about children. This may include, but is not limited to, child and parent surveys, coffee mornings, use of a home school diary, information placed in book bag, text or email. Parents and carers are actively encouraged and supported to contribute.
- Parents and carers are signposted appropriately to Surrey’s Local Offer website via the school.
- Parents can access the OAP for Schools guidance on the school website.
- Parents and carers are actively encouraged and supported to contribute to support plans.
- Every school/setting has a SEND information report which is coproduced with parents/carers and updated annually.
- Formal and informal events take place to seek views in relation to SEND from both family carers and children e.g., school council.
Expectation 2
Effective partnerships with children and their parents are evident through participation in the assessment and review processes. The voice of the child is central to the support and interventions put in place.
Children told us
‘Sometimes I feel scared and don’t want to do learning at school. Drawing makes me feel better, then I can join in with my friends.’ Key stage 1 child
‘If we are having a difficult day we can ask to go and see the Reading Dog. That helps me to relax for a bit.’ Key stage 2 child
‘I used to sit in the front row because I needed extra help. I don’t need so much help now, so I can choose where to sit in any of the other rows.’ Key stage 1 child
Characteristics of good practice
- Parents and carers are aware of their child’s learning needs, the support, and any individually tailored interventions in place.
- Children are aware of their own learning needs, the support in place, as well as any additional support that may be available to them. Children are informed when they are accessing interventions, and when the intervention has come to an end, so that there is an opportunity to reflect on the learning and to plan next steps.
- Targets are coproduced and reviewed with parents, carers and the children themselves.
- Children are supported to understand the difficulties they are experiencing and the
- strategies they can use to overcome these difficulties.
- Children understand and can contribute to the targets they are working to achieve.
- Child’s strengths and aspirations are key to the support put in place.
- The parent and children’s expertise are actively sought to inform strategies of support
Pastoral Care
Expectation
Children feel safe, valued and cared for. school staff are supportive and responsive to the needs of children and manage concerns appropriately.
Children told us
‘When the teacher knows me, I feel better because they know what I’m like and what I need.' Key stage 3 child
‘Having a teacher or someone, I can go to when I need them, helps me feel safe and calm.’ Key stage 3 child
‘If I am worried, I can use my ‘Worry Bubble’ then the teacher will come and find me to talk about it.’ Key stage 2 child
‘I have dyslexia, and we all get given coloured overlays. They don’t help me, so the teacher just gives me a bit more time to read things and doesn’t make me read out loud.’ Key stage 4 child
‘There is some bullying, and we talk in class and assembly about how to treat our friends. The Headteacher always takes it seriously so that’s who I tell.’ Key Stage 2 child
‘I have a movement card so that I can leave the class if I need to. Sometimes I pop out and come back, other times I go to the SEND room and chat with the teacher. That stops me getting in big trouble.’ Key stage 4 child
‘In tutor we talk about relationships and stuff about looking after ourselves.’ Key stage 4 child
Characteristics of good practice
- Children feel they are listened to, heard, and treated with respect.
- There is a calm and purposeful learning environment where children belong, feel welcome, and that their contributions are valued
- Children can identify an agreed safe space that they can access and use when they need it.
- Relationships are at the heart of the school’s culture. Relational and Restorative Practice is evidenced through the school values, behaviour and teaching and learning policies. Everyone in the school community demonstrates positive regard for each other.
- The school/setting fosters a culture of self-help, cooperation, and collaboration. A range of strategies are used to promote peer support.
- Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education is proactively planned to help develop a sense of belonging, self-esteem, health and wellbeing along with skills to develop social and emotional literacy, assertiveness, decision making and resilience.
- Children have opportunities to understand their own needs and reflect on the needs of others
- Peer awareness and sensitivity towards difference e.g., SEND and protected characteristics, are raised at a whole school level. Work is then carried out with classes and groups regarding specific needs or conditions as appropriate.
- Difference is accepted with all children included and represented across all aspects of school life.
- The language used in school/setting is positive and encouraging
- Unconscious bias training is available for all staff
- See relevant policies as set out in Theme 1 of the Surrey Healthy Schools approach.
- Children know a trusted adult/teacher/person they can talk to when they have a concern. They know how, where and when they can reach them.
- The setting promotes positive attitudes, beliefs and practices towards individuals and groups
- The staff in the setting model positive attitudes, beliefs, and practices.
- The views of children are sought regularly to identify and implement improvements.
- Children are ready to learn before teaching begins and teachers are equipped with a collection of strategies for this
- Staff and teachers listen so that children, parents and carers feel that they have been heard, and their concerns have been acknowledged and addressed accordingly
Physical and sensory environment
Please read in conjunction with the section on reasonable adjustments.
Expectation 1
The physical environment is adapted to meet the needs of children and young people.
Children told us
‘I get lesson notes printed for me, so that I don’t have to keep stopping what I’m doing to look up at the board. I get lost when I do that.’ Key stage 4 child
‘It can be difficult to know what to do, who to talk to, at break/lunch so it’s nice to know I can go to the library/LRC and be quiet there.’ Key stage 3 child
‘It helps me stay calm if I can leave lessons 5 minutes early to get to my next class.’ Key stage 3 child
‘It helps me when the tables are set up so I can walk around them, without bumping into them’ Key stage 4 child.
Characteristics of good practice
- All settings have an accessibility plan which is published on their website.
- Reasonable adjustments are made according to individual needs.
- The furniture is the appropriate size and height for the child.
- Extra-curricular activities and educational visits are planned to fully include children with SEND (in line with the Equality Act 2010), including those with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) and physical disabilities
- Children’s views are routinely sought and are used to inform in planning for physical or sensory adaptations that they may require.
Expectation 2
Practitioners are aware of and adjust for children’s sensory needs which may include physical impairment e.g., hearing/ vision and sensory differences e.g., touch, smell, noise.
Children told us about
‘It really helps me if I can have a space to work quietly and on my own.’ Key stage 4 child
‘The science rooms are like a greenhouse. Some teachers turn the lights off which helps and let us remove our blazers.’ Key Stage 4 child
Characteristics of good practice
The following adjustments have been considered and applied where appropriate:
- Seating arrangements
- Movement breaks
- Equipment
- Environmental modifications e.g., reduced sensory overload, lighting, displays.
- Presentation of materials e.g., text size, colour, background.
- Noise management e.g., noise cancelling headphones, a quiet area to work.
- Access to alternative spaces e.g., due to smell or noise.
- Flexible uniform policy
Teaching and learning strategies
Expectation 1
Practitioners understand the nature of children’s needs, the impacts their needs have, and how to respond to them.
Children told us
‘We stay in our tutor groups for all lessons. After progress checks we go in sets. I think sets are good because we’re all at the same level.’ Key stage 3 child
Characteristics of good practice
- Practitioners carry out assessments through teaching, screening tools and standardised assessments so that they understand the child’s strengths and if there are gaps in learning.
- Practitioners use this information to coproduce targets and interventions with the child and family carers.
Expectation 2
Practitioners differentiate to provide suitable learning challenges and cater for different learning needs and styles.
Individualised and small group planning and programmes in more than one curriculum area.
Use of approaches to promote independence, scaffold, and support children.
Children told us
‘We have printed copies of our timetable so we know where to go next. Some people have pictures to show what lesson they’ve got, food for lunch time etc, they have words too.’ Key stage 3 child
‘Teacher tells us what we are doing, gives an example on the flip chart and this stays up whilst we are doing it. Teacher reminds us to look at the flip chart before we ask for help.’ Key stage 2 child
‘Some teachers leave examples on the whiteboard as reminders - I forget things if I can’t see them.’ Key stage 3 child
Characteristics of good practice
Strategies that support differentiation include:
- visual timetables, clear concise instructions with written or visual prompts (e.g., now, and next cards), particularly during transitions.
- additional time to process information before being asked to respond.
- breaking down tasks into small manageable steps which are explicitly taught.
- varied pace, content, and order of activities to support access and engagement
- modelling is used to aid understanding.
- repeated learning to promote fluency and planning for generalisation of newly learnt skills.
- key vocabulary is displayed with visuals.
- alternatives to written recording are used routinely.
- study skills are explicitly taught.
- Children have access to homework clubs, or additional support with homework
- homework is differentiated appropriately for the child.
- Know and incorporate children’s interests.
Expectation 3
Every teacher is a teacher of SEND: Teachers adapt their approaches and can support a range of needs through an adapted approach.
Children told us
We have this teacher who uses sport to teach Maths. He knows we love sport so and it helps. It’s brilliant!’ Key stage 4 child
‘Teacher helps us but we have to try first before asking for help.’ Key stage 1 child
‘We got to learn some British Sign Language. We got to show it at an open evening for new people. It was so good. I’d like to do more.’ Key stage 3 child
Characteristics of good practice
- Strategies are used to actively promote independent learning through overlearning and appropriately differentiated resources.
- Seating plans and groupings considering individual needs and routinely provide opportunities for access to role-models, mixed-ability groups.
- Provide planned opportunities for children to generalise newly learnt skills.
- Study skills are explicitly taught. Children and young people have access to homework clubs, or additional support with homework.
Expectation 4
Practitioners ensure that collaborative learning and peer support is a feature of lessons.
Children told us
‘One child in the class can choose a friend who goes with them early to lunch. It helps to avoid queueing and gets extra outside after lunch and stops them feeling anxious.’ Key stage 1 child
Characteristics of good practice
- Strategies are used to build and maintain positive relationships across the whole school community (e.g., restorative approaches).
- There are opportunities to develop peer awareness, sensitivity and support for different needs and disabilities both in and out of the classroom.
Equipment and resources
Expectation 1
Equipment and resources are allocated appropriately to ensure additional needs are met.
Children told us
‘We have a box of toys in the classroom to help us concentrate.’ Key stage 2 child
‘Emotional toolbox has headphones if it’s too loud.’ Key stage 2 child
‘I have a wobbly cushion to sit on during carpet time.’ Key Stage 1 child
‘I can use a Chromebook, iPad or writing slope.’ Key stage 4 child
Characteristics of good practice
- There should be access to a range of equipment and resources to support children with sensory differences, sensory impairment, and physical disabilities.
- Use the Occupational Therapy resource finder
- Concrete apparatus and adapted resources are available for those children who require it.
- All equipment and resources should be available to pupils to support independent learning.
Expectation 2
Increased use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) resources to remove barriers to learning.
Children told us
‘Everyone has a Chromebook. My parents couldn’t afford it, so we got help from the school through Pupil Premium plus. It’s the same with buying uniform.’ Key stage 4 child
‘We can use the c-pens if we want.’ Key stage 4 child
Characteristics of good practice
ICT is used to support alternatives to written recording and to promote independent learning.
Expectation 3
Every setting should have a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) plan for all staff including teaching assistants so that they can meet the needs of all children.
Children told us
‘I have anxiety, so I get a ‘uniform card’. My card means I can take my tie off if I need to. I only use it when I’m stressed out, but some teachers, who don’t know me, get funny about it so I can just show them my card and it’s fine.’ Key stage 3 child
Characteristics of good practice
- There is a planned programme of ongoing CPD in relation to SEND for the whole setting and individual teams and departments.
- Best practice is shared within the school and with other schools via SENCo networks.
Expectation 4
Staff collaborate and have effective links with other relevant outside agencies and specialists.
Characteristics of good practice
- Practitioners know when to refer for extra support or advice
- The setting is aware of and regularly communicates with any other professionals who are involved with each child.
- Advice received from other professionals is adapted where appropriate and used to inform teaching and learning.
Expectation 5
Every setting has an induction programme for new staff which includes a robust focus on additional and special educational needs.
Children told us
‘We can go to the SEND room, there is always someone in there you can speak to. It’s a bit awkward when they don’t know you though.’ Key stage 3 child
Characteristics of good practice
- Induction programme in place for all new staff which includes:
- Working with parents
- Gaining pupil views
- Assessment
- Teaching and learning strategies
- Adapting the environment
- Understanding of key school policies e.g., safeguarding, inclusion
Skills and interest
Expectation 1
A regular cycle of Assess, Plan, Do, Review is used to ensure that children are making progress.
Characteristics of good practice
- Child’s strengths and difficulties in learning and behaviour are observed and monitored in different settings and contexts for a short period of time to inform planning.
- Staff are aware of children’s starting points so that expected progress can be measured across each key stage.
- Assessment is used to inform planning and interventions.
- Consideration is given for individual child developmental trends. Case studies are used to demonstrate holistic progress
Expectation 2
Practitioners ensure that formative assessment and feedback is a feature of lessons and evident in marking and assessment policy.
Characteristics of good practice
- A wide range of assessment strategies and tools are used to ensure a thorough understanding of leaners.
- Children have regular opportunities to evaluate their own performance.
- Self-assessment is routinely used to set individual targets.
- The impact of interventions is critically evaluated. Alternative approaches are explored to establish whether they may result in better outcomes for the child.
- Recommendations for screening tools can be found in Inclusion and Surrey Inclusion and Additional Needs Schools Service Offer.
Expectation 3
Expertise is in place to manage reasonable examination arrangements (access arrangements) for tests and national tests and public examinations.
Characteristics of good practice
- Schools make adaptions to assessment arrangements as part of everyday practice. This is used to establish the leaners normal way of working
- Adapted resources are used in class and assessments.
- Please refer to the relevant exam board guidelines. Arrangements may include: rest breaks, use of a reader, scribe, or laptop, extra time
Transition and change
Expectation
There is an effective process in place to support and plan for children joining and leaving their settings.
Primary school staff work in partnership with previous settings, including Early Years provision, to ensure the needs of the child are understood and planned for. Enhanced arrangements are made for pupils with additional and special needs.
Secondary school staff plan transition days for school children joining the school, includes in-year transfers where possible.
Schools and Early Years settings should work together to ensure the needs of the child are understood and planned for, and enhanced arrangements are made for pupils with additional and special needs.
Relationships with other settings are nurtured, in best interests of all children. This includes working together to discuss strategies and options to support the child throughout the transition period and beyond.
Children are supported to understand and manage transitions and predictable changes in their lives.
Staff are aware of those who will need additional support for all or most transitions and plan for this.
Staff understand how change may affect children and how to support them.
There are plans in place that enable staff to support children when unexpected change occurs.
This includes children who:
- Have insecure attachment, including but not limited to Children Looked After (CLA), Children in Need (CIN), Children on Protection plans (CP), children of serving forces families, and children who have social communication difficulty including English as an Additional Language (EAL)
- Suffered trauma, loss, or bereavement
- Are anxious
Transitions include, but are not limited to:
- Moving around the school
- Preparing for weekends and the start of holidays and beginning of term
- Moving from lesson to lesson
- Changing from structured to unstructured times
- Moving from break to lesson times
- Changes to staffing
- Special events (visitors, outings, celebrations etc)
Children told us
‘It’s better for me if teachers don’t ask me to answer questions when I haven’t put my hand up. If I get it wrong, I don’t like to try again in front of everyone’. Key stage 3 child
‘You can go to lunch club or use the computers if you don’t want to go outside, or you haven’t got any friends.’ Key stage 3 child
‘When we first joined, we had two weeks to get used to things and find our way round. There were no consequences for being late etc. We were all given a printed timetable. After that we knew where to go.’ Key stage 3 child
‘We move around and swap teachers for English and Maths to get ready for year 7.’ Key stage 2 child
‘We have tent in the classroom. You can go in there for time out. There are cushions in there.’ Key stage 1 child
Characteristics of good practice
- Schools get to know new children in advance through discussion with parents and previous settings the child may have attended
- For children transitioning in Early Years you can find some more information in our graduated response early years web page.
- Parents know what to expect and who to speak to if they have any questions.
- Children know what to expect and who to speak to if they have any questions.
- Induction days– more than just one day for those children who would benefit from additional support.
- 'Summer school’ for children transitioning from year 6 to year 7.
- Enhanced induction offers for some pupils this might include photos of school, photos of staff, communication passport, examples of a typical day, social stories, opportunities to take part in on-site activities e.g. workshops
- Preparation is made for those leaving school or education including enhanced offers for some children (see above).
- Safe space available within the classroom or an identified area of the school for time to re-regulate
- Visual timetables are used, events are removed or ticked off when finished. Timers
- Timers are used to show children how long they have to work for, and how long they have to finish.
- Opportunities for periods of respite using withdrawal to smaller groups. This may include self-directed / individual time-out.
- Plans are made for unstructured times: safe spaces are available; there are structured alternatives such as games club, use of library for vulnerable children.
- It is essential that school staff can support and understand the additional impact of:
- puberty
- birth of a sibling
- gender/ identity
- Change in parenting arrangements e.g., change in parent’s relationship status
- loss and bereavement
- accident or injury
- critical incident affecting school community
- School staff are familiar with relevant policies to support children
- Relationships Education Policy (Primary schools)
- Relationships & Sex Education Policy (Secondary schools)
See Surrey Healthy Schools: Taking a Surrey Healthy Schools approach.
- Theme 1: Whole School Approach towards the Promotion of Positive Health and Wellbeing
- Theme 5: Emotional wellbeing and mental health
Assessment planning, implementation and review
Expectation 1
A regular cycle of Assess, Plan, Do, Review is used to ensure that children are making progress.
Characteristics of good practice
- Child’s strengths and difficulties in learning and behaviour are observed and monitored in different settings and contexts for a short period of time to inform planning.
- Staff are aware of children’s starting points so that expected progress can be measured across each key stage.
- Assessment is used to inform planning and interventions.
- Consideration is given for individual child developmental trends. Case studies are used to demonstrate holistic progress.
Expectation 2
School staff ensure that formative assessment and feedback is a feature of lessons and evident in marking and assessment policy.
Characteristics of good practice
- A wide range of assessment strategies and tools are used to ensure a thorough understanding of learning.
- Children have regular opportunities to evaluate their own performance.
- Self-assessment is routinely used to set individual targets.
- The impact of interventions is critically evaluated. Alternative approaches are explored to establish whether they may result in better outcomes for the child.
- Recommendations for screening tools can be found in Surrey Inclusion and Additional Needs Schools Service Offer.
Expectation 3
School staff have the expertise required to manage reasonable examination arrangements (access arrangements) for tests and national tests and public examinations.
Characteristics of good practice
- Schools make adaptions to assessment arrangements as part of everyday practice. This is used to establish the leaners normal way of working.
- Please refer to the relevant exam board guidelines. Arrangements may include:
- rest breaks
- Use of a reader, scribe, or laptop
- Extra time
- Adapted resources are used in class and assessments.
Ordinarily Available Provision – Section B
This section is based on the four areas of need within the Code of Practice, it is a guide on how to support children in school.
The examples of provision, strategies, approaches, adjustments and specific interventions detailed in this section are not exhaustive, but a starting point for supporting children in school. The strategies and approaches detailed may not be suitable for all children and should be utilised where appropriate for the individual child.
The links provided are intended as a helpful tool for schools to use.
The examples given may not apply to just one area of need and should be implemented with flexibility based on the need of the child, the age and stage of the child, and the resources available to the school. Similarly, children’s needs do not always sit within one area and their individual situation may benefit from the strategies across more than one area. Where a child is accessing multiple strategies across the areas of need it is reasonable and appropriate for the school to start seeking further specialist input.
Please refer to the reasonable adjustment section for further guidance
Below we will outline the whole school approach, an example of a scenario for a child and then examples of provision and strategies that can be used in that scenario.
Communication and interaction
Whole school approach
- Whole school awareness and understanding of communication and interaction needs.
- Whole school audit of skills and training needs in relation to communication and interaction.
- Whole school CPD plan around communication and interaction.
- The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) can support schools to consider how inclusion is rooted in all school practices and help maximise the impact of new approaches.
What is happening for the child:
Difficulty saying what they want to say and being understood (descriptive language), which may include children with English as an additional language.
Example of provision and/or strategies, approaches, adjustments and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children
- Work with Parents to understand the techniques and strategies being used at home.
- Encourage Parents to become actively engaged with school life. Where English is an additional language, this could include sharing the language with the child’s class, providing key words and prompts.
- Check hearing has been tested
- Check understanding by asking questions/requesting feedback.
- Provide working area with minimal distractions where possible.
- Use the child’s name to gain and engage attention. Provide waiting time before engaging to ensure they have heard and have provided attention. Waiting time may vary depending on the child’s need.
- Use screening to identify how many information carrying words a child can manage and adjust language level accordingly when giving instructions.
- Dual coding and/or provide visuals to support with routines. Include – adaptions for notification if routines are to be changed?
- List of key words accessible per lesson on the whiteboard/presentation. This can be developed/adapted depending on age/need to list of key words accessible (in books or on laptops if being used) per topic that include definitions.
- Provide visual prompts to support language including key vocabulary, now and next, visual timetables, gesture, signing.
- Allow extra time to process what has been said. Time may vary depending on the child’s need and the task.
- Use standard instructions, and images that support understanding of concepts.
- Avoid use of sarcasm and idioms. Instead, explicitly teach about sarcasm and idioms where these occur in curriculum or are featured in a book/text.
- Communication cards, or universally understood signals to ask for help and indicate needs
Resources
Surrey Inclusion and Additional Needs Schools Service Offer
Specialist Teachers for Inclusive Practice (STIP) | Surrey Education Services
The Speech, Language and Communication Framework (SLCF) from the Communication Trust
Race equality and minority achievement (REMA)
Autism Outreach for Schools is commissioned by Surrey County Council and delivered by Freemantles School. The is to support mainstream schools to meet the needs of their autistic and neuro-diverse pupils or those undiagnosed but struggling in similar areas.
What is happening for the child
Difficulty understanding what is being said to them (receptive language)
Example of provision and/or strategies, approaches, adjustments and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children
- Working in partnership with Parents to identify strategies to support language development at home and school.
- Use gestures that reinforce positivity. Example – thumbs up, smile etc
- Allow time for the child to try and find the words they want to say. Time needed will vary depending on the child needs.
- Ensure there are opportunities for practising language. Example - circle time, small group work, when working with a partner.
- Encourage talking by commenting and giving choices rather than questioning.
- Try to avoid using idioms, “I’m all ears” or metaphors, like “Life is a journey”
- Provide an environment in which children can say when they don’t understand and can seek support to help them to work out which bits are difficult.
- Board games appropriate for the child e.g., Guess Who, Battleships can support with developing sentence structures, grammar, and vocabulary.
- Use of alternative methods of communication. Example - simple signing techniques, picture exchanges etc.
- Where difficulty is with speech and/or fluency. Have key words with supporting images visible in all classrooms.
- Be honest and don’t pretend to understand. Offer reassurance that you want to understand and that together you will both find a way to work it out.
- Use assistive technology where appropriate
Resources, advice and support available
Specialist Teachers for Inclusive Practice (STIP) | Surrey Education Services
The Speech, Language and Communication Framework (SLCF) from the Communication Trust
Surrey County Council Literacy for All programme: Surrey Education Services Hub
What is happening for the child
- Child is confused and may be frustrated by social rules of communication.
- Child is not able to take turns, share, exchange greetings, take part in active listening,
- Child is confused by the feelings of others, and the demands of others to show respect or resolve conflict.
- Child may be finding it hard to make and maintain friendships.
Example of provision and/or strategies, approaches, adjustments and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children
- Ensure you are following all the advice for difficulties with receptive or expressive communication. Allow additional time for processing of information, especially verbal information.
- Simplify language as necessary; speak slowly, give instructions in order, use gestures and visual aids to support understanding. Don't assume understanding.
- Use of visual prompts and reminders for the social expectations
- Where rules are essential for safety and well-being, use a variety of scenarios to demonstrate where or when the rule applies.
- Provide opportunities to practice throughout the school day and week. This may be through a combination of formal teaching or social interactions.
- Praise all communication attempts.
- Have clear expectations and use consistent language to talk about the expectations.
- Consider the use of a ‘whoops card’ to support children when things go wrong, and/or plans are unexpectedly changed.
- Incorporate time for special interests each day/week.
- Be aware that children’s ability to process language may be reduced when they are angry or upset.
- Be aware that Adults become dysregulated too and are less likely to respond to the child’s needs appropriately when they are angry or upset. Seek support of colleagues who can step in If needed.
- Adults recognise and respond appropriately to emotional dysregulation by modelling emotional regulation strategies when they make a mistake. Consider, tone of voice, body language etc
Resources, advice and support available
Specialist Teachers for Inclusive Practice (STIP) | Surrey Education Services
What is happening for the child
Child is overwhelmed and unable to speak due to the anxiety they are experiencing
Example of provision and/or strategies, approaches, adjustments and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children
- Work with Parents and Carers to understand what is happening at home and to understand the strategies used at home to support and reassure the child.
- Concentrate on developing meaningful relationships, building and developing trust. Children should have access to a consistent key worker. Where possible 1:1 sessions of 20 minutes three times a week, can help with building a verbal relationship with someone in school.
- Acknowledge other strengths and use these to build self-esteem.
- Avoid ‘cold calling’ on individuals to answer questions in front of the whole class.
- Provide opportunities for children to talk when they are ready, or to communicate in a way that is more comfortable for them. Example: ‘show me’.
- Avoid causing embarrassment. Where this happens apologise and work with the child to develop strategies that will prevent this happening again
- Avoid rewards and sanctions, instead focus on collaborative problem solving around areas of difficulty. Consider this within school behaviour policies.
- Where practicable establish common practise throughout the school for teaching staff not to call on individual children to answer questions in front of the whole class.
- Reduce the number of questions you ask, as this puts pressure on the child to talk. Example: instead of saying ‘what’s that?’ say ‘look, a tree’. Where there is a need this provides a language model without putting pressure on them to speak.
- Where a language model is not required, reword questions into rhetorical comments that provide opportunities to speak, without pressure. Examples: ‘I wonder what would happen if we did it like this…’
- Provide clear structure. Where helpful, include time frames for tasks. Example: using a timer.
- Encourage participation in games that do not require talking. Let children know that they don’t have to talk to join in with the game.
- Encourage non-verbal communication where this is preferred, whilst developing confidence with speech. Example: eye contact, gesture, drawings, and writing.
- Where the child finds non-verbal communication anxiety provoking, through your relationship with the child develop an understanding of how they would like to communicate non-verbally whilst developing their confidence to speak.
- Where possible give autonomy over how a learning objective can be achieved based on the child’s skills and preferences. Example: option to produce a PowerPoint instead of writing an essay. Be clear that there is no requirement to ‘present’.
- Consider using choice boards alongside of visual timetables. Older children may prefer a printed copy of their timetable that can be laminated.
- Allow access to regulating activities throughout the day.
Resources, advice and support available
How to Help a Child With Selective Mutism in the Classroom (Selective Mutism Association)
Information for Professionals (Selective Mutism Information and Research Association)
Example - Selective Mutism
It is not a choice, but I may find it hard to speak at all and I might:
- Speak only in certain environments, e.g., at home. Only speak to peers but not adults.
- Only speak to my key adult.
- Find it difficult to speak to you when anxious.
- Not smile or look blankly.
- Appear awkward/uncomfortable around others.
- Find it difficult to have simple interactions such as saying hello.
- Worry more than others.
- Have good concentration skills.
- Be sensitive to noise and other environmental stimuli.
- Be very sensitive to the feelings of others.
How to respond:
- Increase your understanding of selective mutism through national support and research.
- Acknowledge the fear of speaking, with the child, but do not ask why a learner can’t speak.
- Demonstrate patience and understanding.
- Remove speaking pressure and don’t plan activities that cause anxious responses.
- Do not reward and openly praise when a learner attempts to speak.
- Avoid asking individuals to read aloud or answering questions in front of a group.
- Offer opportunities to contribute to fully include the learner
Social and emotional mental health
Whole school approach
- Partnership working with the child and their family that allow regular opportunities to reflect on and plan for child’s wellbeing and behaviour.
- A Mental Health Policy underpinned by an inclusive ethos and values with clearly communicated expectations around behaviour and engagement.
- Use of whole school approaches to promote wellbeing and resilience.
- Training on building and maintaining relational approaches in schools.
- Training on Adverse childhood Experiences (ACEs), and attachment.
- Imbed restorative approaches to build, maintain and repair relationships.
- Anti-bullying work, Keeping children safe in education - UK Government website
- Curriculum design, PSHE, and circle time provide explicit opportunities to discuss and negotiate rules and routines, that keep us safe, build self-esteem, and develop social and emotional skills for all children.
- Develop attachment aware strategies (training available from the Virtual School and Educational Psychology Service ).
- Small team of key adults identified and available for children who need them.
- Reasonable adjustments for SEMH – refer the reasonable adjustments section
What is happening for the child
Difficulties participating and presenting as withdrawn or isolated, significantly unhappy or stressed
Example of provision and/or strategies, approaches, adjustments and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children
- Work with Parents to understand what is happening at home.
- Partnership working with Parents to support children who mask their difficulties in school.
- Understand that school intervention can support wellbeing at home and vis versa.
- Take time to find out about the child’s interests, strengths, things that are important to them outside of school.
- Allocate a key person/peer/adult/teacher to that child.
- Provide regular check-in and/or reassurance opportunities. This may be a time the child can come to you, or a time when you go to find them.
- Use teaching assessments to identify areas of strength or particular interest within the curriculum. Use these to develop and build confidence.
- Complete a simple language screen to rule out any difficulties with communication that the child may be masking.
- Use ‘emotion coaching’ strategies to guide and support children to understanding their responses to tricky situations.
- Small group work opportunities with friends or social skills, nurture groups.Buddying and peer mentoring.
- Give responsibility for looking after someone else, where appropriate.
- Facilitate the development of friendships through clubs
Resources, advice and support available
Emotion Coaching Resources for Professionals
Surrey Inclusion and Additional Needs Schools Service Offer
Compassionate schools’ community of practice
Surrey Child and Family Health
Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges - UK Government website
Toolkit for schools: communicating with families to support attendance - UK Government website
What is bullying? (Anti Bullying Alliance)
What is happening for the child
Child is seeking connection by exhibiting behaviours that staff may find difficult to manage, e.g refusal to follow instructions, aggression, damage to property
Examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustment and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children.
- Work in partnership with parents to understand what is going on for the child and together, identify ways to best manage this at school and home.
- A consistent message with a flexible approach. Example – ‘I want you in class so that you are learning…’, is the consistent message, the approach to support this happening may vary depending on individual needs.
- Draw up a risk assessment.
- Seek support from other professionals where necessary.
- Have clear boundaries and expectations of all children. Where possible, provide opportunities for all children to be involved in the process of setting these.
- Support the child to understand that anger is a normal emotion like any other and provide strategies to help manage it. Example – daily exercise, walking away from a situation, taking a walk to calm down, spend time in the sensory room, provide a space to vent frustrations, someone to talk to.
- Use of choices to give the child some control. Example - would you like to talk to me now or later?
- Use of distraction techniques, provide opportunities for responsibility where appropriate.
- Where sanctions are imposed, ensure there is time for everyone involved to reconnect afterwards.
Resources, advice and support available
My Safety Plan (Mindworks Surrey)
Specialist Teachers for Inclusive Practice (STIP) | Surrey Education Services - Positive Touch Training
Support Planning - Challenging Behaviour Foundation
'Understanding links between communication and behaviour' factsheet from Speech and language therapy factsheets | Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
What is happening for the child
Behaviours that may reflect mental health concerns (anxiety, depression, self-harming, substance misuse, eating disorders)
Examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustment and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children.
- Speak with the child to understand what the problem is.
- Collaboration with parents/carers is essential to understand what is happening for the child.
- Has the behaviour changed and if so, when – is there an opportunity to revisit and restore?
- Take a relational approach and seek to understand the behaviour. Consider both positive and negative behaviour. Is there a pattern when the behaviour happens? Keep a log.
- Safeguarding/ risk assessment.
- Multi-professional approach – can also include internal school colleagues. Example - school’s mental health lead, and/or key adults who have a good relationship with the child.
Resources, advice and support available
Emotion Coaching Resources for Professionals
Compassionate schools’ community of practice
Surrey Child and Family Health
Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges - UK Government website
What is bullying? (Anti Bullying Alliance)
What is happening for the child
Physical symptoms that are medically unexplained. This may include but is not limited to; soiling, stomach pains, headaches etc
Examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustment and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children.
- Use the Parents knowledge of their child’s situation and replicate the strategies in place at home in school, where possible.
- Work with Parents to develop a (short/mid/long-term) plan.
- Provide access to activities that reduce stress. Examples include games, dance, colouring, crafts, gardening, animal care time outdoors, Lego play.
- Keep a log and analyse pattern or trends to identify triggers.
- Seek support from the school nursing team.
Resources, advice and support available
Surrey School Nursing Support for Schools | Surrey Education Services
What is bullying? (Anti Bullying Alliance)
Surrey Child and Family Health
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) Society
What is happening for the child
Attachment difficulties, including Attachment Disorder
N.B. provision or support should be provided in line with the needs of the child and not dependant on a formal diagnosis
Examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustment and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children.
- Nurturing approaches and ethos/ nurture groups.
- Work to establish a trusting relationship with parents and carers that will improve understanding of family context.
- Staff training to develop an understanding of the wide range of children that may have attachment difficulties, e.g. adopted children, forces children, previously CIN, Looked After Child (LAC), other vulnerable children.
- A fully planned for transition when the child joins the school that allows for an understanding of the child’s life story and experiences so far.
- Supportive, structured school curriculum.
- Staff to all be trained and aware of any child with attachment difficulties and how to respond to them.
Resources, advice and support available
Surrey Virtual School (SVS) - Surrey County Council
Specialist Teachers for Inclusive Practice (STIP) | Surrey Education Services - Positive Touch Training
Attachment and child development
What is happening to the child
Low level disruption e.g., talking out of turn, frequent interruptions to learning, fiddling with objects
Examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustment and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children.
- Explicit teaching and revisiting of school’s behaviour policy. Please note, behaviour policy should reflect an inclusive ethos.
- Consider a language screen e.g. ‘Language for behaviour and emotions’ to confirm that the child understands the language of expectations linked to behaviour. Explicitly teach the expectations linked to behaviour.
- Differentiated use of voice, gesture, and body language.
- Focus on reducing anxiety by providing a safe and calming environment.
- Flexible and creative use of rewards and consequences
- Positive reinforcement of expectations through verbal scripts & visual prompts.
- Offer a ‘safe space’ for self-regulation, where possible.
- Staff training in de-scalation approached to reduce anxious behaviours. Example the adult using concise and clear instructions, delivered in a calm and assertive vocal tone.
- Provide opportunities for movement breaks
Resources, advice and support available
'Understanding links between communication and behaviour' factsheet from Speech and language therapy factsheets | Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
What is happening for the child
Difficulty in making and maintaining healthy relationships
Examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustment and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children.
- Small group/nurture group activities to support personal, social, and emotional development.
- A range of differentiated opportunities for social and emotional development e.g., buddy systems, friendship strategies, circle time.
- Use restorative approaches
Resources, advice and support available
Promoting healthy relationships in schools
Understanding Masking | Kids Charity
Autistic Masking Symptoms - Signs, Traits, Effects
What is happening for the child
Difficulties following and accepting adult direction
Examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustment and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children.
- Avoid power struggles and/or becoming dysregulated yourself
- Look for patterns and triggers to identify what may be causing stress and anxiety.
- Positive scripts - Positive language to re-direct, reinforce expectations e.g., use of others as role models.
- Calming scripts to deescalate, including for example, use of sand timers for ‘thinking time’
- Limited choices to engage and motivate.
- Flexible and creative use of rewards and consequences
- Visual timetable and use of visual cues i.e., sand timers to support sharing, or ending a task
Resources, advice and support available
'What helps?' guides - PDA Society
Teacher's guide to understanding PDA from SEND Supported resources library
What is happening for the child
Presenting as significantly unhappy or stressed
Examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustment and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children.
- Feedback is used to collaborate and plan with parent or carer, to ensure consistency between the home and setting.
- Identify and build on preferred learning styles.
- Identify a safe place/quiet area in the setting, where possible.
- Talking Mats and Comic Strip Conversations may help to identify triggers. Social Scripts and Social Stories can help support children to develop self-help strategies.
Resources, advice and support available
Social stories and comic strip conversations
What is happening for the child
Patterns of non-attendance or emotionally based nonattendance
Example of provision and/or strategies, approaches, adjustments and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children
- Home-school meetings to develop a shared understanding of the factors contributing to the non-attendance (i.e., the function of the non-attendance), drawing upon best practice guidance e.g., West Sussex guidance on Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) toolkit.
- Meeting with child to understand their perspective around non-attendance, using resources on the EBSNA Padlet (see link above).
- Named key adult maintaining daily communication, to include wellbeing checks and ensuring provision of work if not in class/not attending school.
- Support plan in place, developed with the child, school and parents/carers.
Resources, advice and support available
Educational Psychology Service | Surrey Education Services
School Anxiety and Refusal | Parent Guide to Support | YoungMinds
Tips for supporting children who are experiencing school non-attendance - Psychology Associates
Cognition and Learning
Whole school approach
- Whole school staff awareness of the principles of assessment through teaching and evidence-based approaches to intervention
- Review of Behaviour Policies (including rewards and sanctions)
- Assessment for Learning formative assessment
What is happening for the child
Child finds it hard to concentrate and listen in the learning environment
Examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustment and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children.
- Talk with the child about strategies that may help them to organise themselves, ensuring they have the equipment they need, and help them to practise using these.
- Engage with Parents/carer to understand strategies in place at home.
- Be aware of times of the lessons/time of day that may be more difficult.
- Promote and encourage an uncluttered learning space.
- Consider seating position that will encourage optimum engagement.
- Reduce background noise. Example - keep classroom door closed to reduce competing noises.
- Identify the best way to obtain the child’s focus. Example – by saying their name, using a rain maker, using visual clues
- Be an engaging speaker. Example - show enthusiasm, use body language to emphasise points, vary pitch, volume, and intonation. Vary the teaching methods. Example - such as sound clips, videos, rhymes.
- Movement breaks may be helpful. Establish clear boundaries and mutually agree the how and when these can be used. It may help to have a place for children to go if they need a movement break i.e. student reception, where there is always an adult who can check-in with them. It may also be helpful to log the times that the child is using movement breaks to help identify patterns or triggers.
- Give information in short chunks, repeat, and give time for processing. Amount of time may vary depending on the child’s need and the task.
- Provide a reason for listening. Example – ‘this will help you with the next task’.
- Explicitly teach/praise good listening.
- Be a good listening mentor by demonstrating good listening skills, identifying good listening by others in the room.
- Regular breaks, appropriate to the child’s needs. This may include more than one or two breaks. This could include a whole class activity/movement break, inside the classroom, or an opportunity to leave the classroom.
- Breaking tasks down into manageable size. This will vary depending on the age and stage of the child.
- Avoid text heavy teaching resources. Example - a balance of brief sentences with supporting images in PowerPoints, handouts, or videos.
- Use backward chaining. Explanation - Once a sequence of activities has been established to complete a task, the child is supported to be independent in the last activity, so they experience the end result and the success that brings. The support can then be scaffolded to complete the penultimate activity and so on working backwards.
- Ask children to clarify understanding by repeating back the activity/task they have been set.
- Have visual prompts to remind children of the activity/task.
- Timers may help children to understand how long they need to focus for.
- Visual timetables available and clearly visible in all classrooms to demonstrate the structure and expectations of the day. Events can be marked off or removed to show passing time.
- For older children high level visual timetables may be helpful, to show what will happen at specific times of the day.
- Lesson timetables should be available for older children. These should be accessible, with replacements made easily available. Example – laminated and attached to a lanyard.
- Sitting in a chair and looking at the teacher may not be the optimal learning position for all children. There may be a need for sensory equipment to help them get ‘ready to learn’.
- Consider a flexible approach to seating. Where possible and if safe, allow children to work on the floor (if they want to), at times lying down, or working outside.
- Have concentration/focus aids, wobble cushions, weighted blankets available, with agreed boundaries in place.
- Support children to be aware of what helps and/or hinders their attention and focus. Encourage solution focused and collaborative discussions to identify positive methods to manage this.
- Look for opportunities to incorporate children’s interests and motivators into learning tasks, to support engagement.
Resources, advice and support available
Surrey Inclusion and Additional Needs Schools Service Offer
Strong foundations in the first years of school (UK Government website)
Dyslexia - British Dyslexia Association
SCC Literacy for All programme. Surrey Education Services Hub
What is happening for the child
Difficulties with learning: despite appropriate differentiation, making inadequate progress over time across the curriculum and working below age related expectations. Generalised and sustained difficulties with learning.
Examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustment and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children.
- Assessment through teaching to identify areas of need in consultation with the child.
- Adopt the Mediate Learning approach to teaching new skills.
- Visual timetables available and clearly visible in all classrooms to demonstrate the structure and expectations of the day. Events can be marked off or removed to show passing time.
- Individual timetables may be required for older children. These should be accessible, with replacements made easily available.
- Allow the child plenty of time to process the information before seeking a response. This may vary depending on the needs of the child and the task.
- Use a timer if it helps the child. Avoid causing additional /unnecessary stress and pressure.
- Adapted resources, PowerPoint, handouts with visuals, avoid heavy text handouts.
- Recognise and celebrate that success looks different.
- Liaise with parents/carers to understand what the child is involved in outside of school and celebrate achievements in non-school related areas of their life.
- Build retrieval practice into lesson planning
- For younger children, involve and connect families in pre-teaching activities such as looking at and talking about photographs together at home to introduce a topic, or sending home a word mat of key vocabulary for each topic
- For older children, involve and connect parents/carers by sharing updates on the work that is being covered in class and seek input where appropriate. This may be through online homework journals/Class Charts app/School Gateway etc
- Explicit teaching of metacognitive strategies.
- Avoid lengthy writing tasks where possible and provide writing frames or similar, where appropriate.
- Value spoken responses.
- Provide alternative means of recording information such as through typing, dictation software, talking tins or through a scribe.
- Use of manipulatives.
- Share feedback on work completed, considering the content in its entirety and avoid focusing on spelling and grammar only.
- Use dual coding deliberately. Example:
- select and attach an image to new vocabulary
- use a Venn diagram to teach about similarities and differences
- teach a sequence of historical events by placing them on a flowchart or timeline
- Adjust, modify, and adapt the curriculum, across the key stage, to enable all children to access to learning.
- Utilise active learning, concrete, pictorial, and pragmatic approach to learning.
- Emphasis on self-actualisation, provide experiential learning opportunities to develop skills which will support them to become independent. Example, child can use phonics mat and/or task board independently.
- Support to manage self-esteem, celebrations of strengths, reinforcement of success.
Resources, advice and support available
Metacognition and Self-regulated Learning | (EEF)
Five ways manipulatives can be used to develop mathematical understanding | EEF
What is happening for the child
Specific learning difficulties, acquiring literacy skills used as an example, but strategies can be applied to any learning difficulty.
Examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustment and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children.
- A direct teaching approach (precision teaching) which focuses on high quality, explicit and systematic instruction.
- Use of a structured approach using task analysis that ensures one skill is taught at a time. Example – Target the reading of a word rather than both reading and spelling, whole word reading, mixing new and old learning to reduce opportunity to forget and boost confidence (interleaved learning).
- Avoid teaching practice that involves copying from the board.
- Have visual key tips, hints, and reminders, specific to the learning activity, for children to refer to, help keep them on track during whole class teaching times.
- Consider other learning aids that can support children’s learning during class times – examples, Dictaphones, pre-printed materials, cameras, additional time to complete a task.
- Teach skills to develop fluency as well as accuracy, ensuring there are opportunities to practise skills.
- Use teaching activities that provide opportunities to practise skills. Example, children bring a book from home/choose one from the library for reading, rather than only using phonics scheme books which limit texts to decodable words only.
- Keep children informed about interventions; why they are doing it, what it is intended to support them with. Obtain feedback from children about the intervention by way of supporting them to monitor progress and achievements (to develop meta-cognitive thinking skills).
- Provide opportunities for children to apply the teaching from intervention sessions throughout the day.
- Peer-assisted learning – this may include older children supporting younger children.
Resources, advice and support available
What exactly is explicit instruction? | EEF
Sensory and physical
Whole school approach
- The school’s Accessibility Plan is in place with clear identified actions and reviewed accordingly.
- Reasonable adjustments are made according to individual needs and the environment promotes independence. For example -the provision of threshold ramps, small ramps, handrails, grab rails, evac chairs, relocation of classes / ground floor timetabling if possible.
- Bathrooms are accessible. Taps, soap, paper towels, and bins for period products, are accessible to all pupils. Other medical waste bins accessible, as appropriate.
- All staff are aware of individual students’ sensory/ physical disability and potential implications in the teaching and learning environment.
- The environment is managed so that all children can access communication, learning in all activities, which includes the sharing of information, seating, minimal distractions.
- Staff are aware that a sensory or physical disability can impact language and social interaction.
- Staff encourage children to wear sensory equipment and use physical aids and help ensure equipment is working.
- Staff check in with children to ensure instructions are understood.
- Staff receive training in sensory awareness.
- Deaf friend communication advice (National Deaf Children's Society)
What is happening for the child
Hearing impairment needsmay include temporary conductive hearing loss e.g., glue ear, unilateral loss, mild or moderate loss
Examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustment and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children.
- Take time to speak with the child to understand what they feel works well for them. Build a relationship where the child can come and speak to you, or a trusted adult, when needed.
- Establish home/school relationship to develop an understanding of what works well for the child at home.
- Where BSL is used encourage Parents/Carers to come into school to share their knowledge.
- Seat in class with clear view of teacher or communicator’s face and any visual material used (this may not be the same fixed place for all activities).
- Ensure the child is face on when you are giving instructions. Try not to move around the room whilst talking as they may use lip-reading and visual clues to support their hearing.
- Check the lesson content has been heard and understood, particularly when delivering new information, instructions, or homework; and, or using unfamiliar vocabulary.
- During class discussions encourage only one child to speak at a time and indicate where the speaker is. Example - you could pass around a classroom microphone to make class discussions more accessible for a deaf/hard of hearing child.
- Where possible, during smaller group work, arrange the seating so that the children are facing each other everyone. This can be across the desk, or where space permits by moving chairs into a circle or horseshoe shape.
- Repeating or rephrasing pertinent comments made by other children ensuring the child accesses those comments.
- Visual reinforcement (pictures and handouts), to support learning.
- Be aware that during P.E. or games lessons it will be more difficult to follow instructions.
- Words spoken on an audio/visual recording may need a person to repeat what is being said, provide written copy and, or use subtitles.
- Seat away from any source of noise e.g., window, corridor, fan heater, projector, the centre of the classroom etc.
- Encourage good listening behaviour: sitting still, looking, and listening.
- Encourage the child to ask if they are not sure what to do, and check-in with the child when setting a new task or activity.
- Seek to provide a quiet working environment, soften atmospheric sounds such as chairs scraping on the floor.
- All staff who work with a child with Hearing Impairment (HI) should be made aware how best to support in school.
- Staff to work together with other professionals to share strategies and advice to support the child.
Resources, advice and support available
Surrey Inclusion and Additional Needs Schools Service Offer
Education Psychology Team: Educational Psychology Service | Surrey Education Services
Physical and Sensory Support Service: Physical and sensory support (PSS) - Surrey County Council
SCC Speech and Language Therapy Hearing Impairment Team: Speech and Language Service for children and young people - Surrey County Council
National Deaf Children’s Society
Specialist early education service - Surrey County Council
Occupational Therapy Service: Occupational therapy (OT) - Children and Family Health Surrey
Children with Disabilities Team: Information for professionals working with children, young people and families - Surrey County Council
Physiotherapy Service: Physiotherapy - Children and Family Health Surrey
What is happening for the child
Visual impairment
Examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustment and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children.
- Develop an understanding of the child and how they use their other senses to help them manage.
- Work with the child and parents to understand what equipment/techniques/strategies could be reproduced within the school environment to support learning.
- Encourage the child to use visual aids/resources that have been prescribed. Example - glasses, magnifiers, big-print books, etc.
- Use the child’s name when seeking his/her attention.
- Work with the child to identify the best seating position for them in every classroom/learning space they use.
- Share helpful tips with the child. Example - they may need to be closer to their work than the distance between their elbow and their fingers.
- Make efforts to eliminate the risk of glare from the desk and whiteboard, laminated information/leaflets/handouts.
- Use enlarged print/magnified worksheets where appropriate.
- Worksheets/materials can be cut in strips and stapled together to reduce the amount of work shared in one go.
- Print materials need to be clear and visually accessible depending on the child’s needs.
- Have lined paper for assignments. Darker lines may be better.
- Near point work should be limited to fifteen minutes or less. The child should be encouraged to look away from their, sharpen a pencil or participate in another activity as this will allow the student to refocus their eyes so that the student is less likely to become fatigued.
- Slanted desks may be of benefit to individual children.
- Provide contrast on visual materials used. Example - black on white.
- Lower-case letters are easier to read than capital letters because they have a greater number of ascenders and descenders, making them more visually distinctive.
- Use visual materials with clear verbal explanation.
- Share pre-printed handouts and avoid the need to copy from the board.
- Use concrete material and provide opportunities for hands-on experience whenever possible.
- Allow more time to complete tasks and provide breaks to address fatigue.
- Where appropriate and/or necessary, arrange for other children to act as buddies.
Resources, advice and support available
Royal Society for Blind Children
Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey - Sight for Surrey
Physical and sensory support (PSS) - Surrey County Council
What is happening for the child
Physical disability
Examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustment and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children.
- Therapy advice is incorporated into the child’s curriculum.
- Close communication with Parents/Carer ensures that information about the pupil’s physical disability is up to date and spoken about in an agreed format
- Teaching takes account of physical and medical needs, and outcomes are differentiated.
- Differentiation, support and equipment is planned and put in place so that the child can access their learning. Additional consideration is given to practical subjects such as Physical Education (PE), technology and science.
- Learning tasks that require sustained and/or precise fine and/or gross motor skills are adapted and modified. Extra time is given for completion of tasks if required.
- Children can demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways. Written recording is reduced where necessary.
- Planning of learning tasks includes rest breaks or movement breaks, as required.
- Homework tasks take into consideration the provision and support the pupil has at home.
- Access arrangements for exams are in place and practised as the pupil’s normal way of working.
- Flexible grouping arrangements facilitate both peer and adult support to improve access to the curriculum and encourage independent learning.
- Off-site trips are planned in advance ensuring appropriate transport arrangements and access at the offsite venue. A risk assessment is carried out – all staff/volunteer helpers are aware.
- Risk Assessment to ensure safe access to curriculum activities.
- Encourage and develop independence moving around the school building.
- Nurture and environment when other children are helpful and have a keen awareness of how to help.
- Incorporate individual physio programme exercises into the whole class PE lesson.
- Access to assisted technology such as clicker/splash.
- Allow extra time to complete tasks where needed. Be aware that this will be dependent on the individual child.
- Height adjustable tables and stools with backs and footrests facilitate access in specialist classrooms.
- The classroom layout is planned to enable independent movement for all pupils around the room.
- Pupil’s seating arrangements ensure good visual access to teacher input, access to additional support, where required, and enable social interaction with peers.
- Clearly defined spaces are identified and are available for personal equipment, therapies and developmental programmes.
- Transitions into and around the school site are identified and alternative routes are put into place as required.
- A personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) is in place for pupils with physical disabilities and the child knows the plan of what to do in an emergency.
- Lockers, pegs and trays are appropriately allocated so that children can independently access them. Example - a peg at the end of the line or at a different height.
- Inclusive access arrangements are put in in place for social situations throughout the day. Example - the provision of a quiet room / space, seating in various places outside including under-cover.
- Playground/outdoor spaces allow for a variety of activities including less physical ones, e.g. table-top games, wall games, outside sensory activities.
Resources, advice and support available
Dyspraxia (DCD) - British Dyslexia Association
Physical and sensory support (PSS) - Surrey County Council
Surrey Education Services – Search for Moving and Handling for support with hoists and moving people equipment
What is happening for the child
Severe and complex medical needs including life limiting diagnosis or condition
Examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustment and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children.
- Maintain close relationships with the family to provide appropriate support.
- Utilise knowledge of Parents/Carers to support the child in school.
- Establish Reasonable adjustments in line with the Equality Act 2010.
- Mutually agree with the family, regular home school contact when/if child is not in school to maintain a ‘sense of belonging’ with peers and school community.
- Ensure appropriate equipment such as lockable medicine cabinets, first aid bags, fridges, are available.
- Liaise with specialist colleagues to ensure training is up-to-date and relevant.
- Clear bereavement training and policies.
- Rotated medication / care training.
Resources, advice and support available
Physical and sensory support (PSS) - Surrey County Council
Support for schools (Shooting Star Children’s Hospices
Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school (UK Government website)
Surrey School Nursing Support for Schools | Surrey Education Services
What is happening for the child
Sensory Sensitive children and young people may be hyper-alert to sensory input.
Sensory sensitive behaviours may look like:
- May be distracted by people walking around the classroom (staff and children)
- Strong response/reaction to loud or sudden noises
- Distressed by other people walking around/near or touching them
Examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustment and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children.
- Risk Assessment to ensure safe access to curriculum activities.
- Seat child in class facing away from seeing people coming in and out of the class.
- Reduce the amount of exposure to bright colours or lighting by positioning away from posters or lamps in class.
- Accessible ‘calm’ space. Example – sensory room, classroom tent.
- Alternative seating in lunch hall/assembly
- Individual toolkits for pupils:
- blowing bubbles
- weighted blanket
- kinetic sand
- doodle
- ear defenders, or child-suitable noise-reduction ear plugs, may help where auditory input is difficult to process
- ‘smelly’ bag to provide a positive smell for those sensitive to smell
- fidget tool or stress balls can help calm children.
- sucking on a bottle or through a straw can promote deep breathing which is calming
- chewing on something tough or chewy can be calming
Resources, advice and support available
What is happening for the child
Sensory Seeking children and young people may be under sensitive to input and use behaviour to increase sensory exposure.
Sensory seeking behaviours may look like:
- Stand too close to others
- Walk with loud, heavy steps
- Touch people and objects
- Chew on non-food items
Examples of provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustment and specific interventions that school settings can apply and adjust according to the individual needs, age and stage of the children.
- Provide frequent movement opportunities. This may include handing out resources and books or other ‘helpful’ jobs in class/school.
- Consider specific movement breaks that avoid overstimulation i.e. 10 star jumps or two laps of the field. These can be adapted and involve the whole class.
- Utilise sensory room/Exposure to bright colours and moving objects where appropriate.
- Sit cushions allow for movement while seated.
- A TheraBand, or suitable alternative, on the legs of chairs gives feedback while seated.
- Sensory circuits.
- Peanut balls/wobble cushions.
Resources, advice and support available
Sensory Circuits (Childrens Choice Therapy)
Activity ideas for a sensory circuit (ADHD Foundation)
Children may experience both sensitive and seeking behaviours, and their ability to manage their response may fluctuate throughout the day: Sensory differences - a guide for all audiences
Shared practice
Struggling to engage and failing to make progress.
They were observed in the classroom as fidgety, and restless. Zoned out, and often yawning. They would become especially anxious at the prospect of art lessons, and PE, and would appear irritable when returning to the classroom after break times.
We established a ‘quite zone’ in the classroom, where all children can go for time away from the work/desk/working partner/before and/or after transitions. Movement breaks are available, and children can ask to complete an ‘out of the classroom job/errand’ i.e. water plants, return books to the library, items to the resource base. Or to refill their drink bottle. Appropriate fidgets are always available, as are noise cancelling headphones, and sunglasses. All children have a drink available throughout the day. Whilst water is encouraged, we avoid a ‘water only’ policy, preferring a ‘neutral/opaque bottle’ policy. Children are aware that they can eat during class if they wish.
These opportunities are available throughout the school, in all classes, and available to all children. There are clear boundaries in place, for example the children know that they need to complete their learning tasks, and since providing these options, Child A is more focused and able to regulate themselves at times of transition. They happily join in with PE, after completing a ‘job’ or spending time in the quiet zone. Initially we used sand timers and monitored the regulating activities, but found that after an initial period, the children can appropriately monitor themselves.
School refusal (EBSNA)
After several conversations with the family, we were able to negotiate school attendance, with a Hamster. A reduced timetable was agreed, and the child was able to bring the Hamster into school for the reduced day, that was spent with the SEND support team. Following a 6 week review the child returned to school full time, spending increasingly more time in classes with peers, and less time with the SEND support team, and the Hamster. Regular reviews took place to support the child gradually back into the classroom full time, whilst the Hamster remained on-site in the SEND team office. The child was able to visit the Hamster throughout the day, when needed. Gradually the Hamster started to spend days at home and only came into school when needed. This agreement remains an option, and whilst it is rarely used now, Child X knows it is there if needed.
As a result of this adjustment the child was able to transition from not attending school at all, to a reduced timetable, and eventually retuned to school on a full-time basis.
Difficulty with friendships
School C observed a number of year 7 children struggling to make new friends and seemed lost during break and lunch times.
We established some adult supervised safe spaces at lunchtimes, that were available to all children wanting somewhere to go or something to do at break and lunchtime. These were: book/library/art club, football kick about (non-competitive), Houla-hooping, Games club, Trampolining, breakfast club, and The Simpson’s Club! This activity was supported by targeted in-class social skills intervention sessions, for specific children.
As a result, we saw the children developing and sustaining friendships through shared interest and growing in confidence. All children complete a daily check-in exercise, and we have seen a significant increase in the number of children reporting to feel ‘happy’ in year 7 since this initiative began. As these children transitioned into year 8 they are welcomed to continue attending, alongside the new year 7 children, but we have noticed that over time the year 8 children stop attending, or reduce their attendance, preferring to drop in occasionally, or not at all, as their confidence continues to grow.
Summer school – transition from year 6 to year 7
All children joining us in September are invited to spend a full week in school during the Summer holidays. Activities include:
- Onsite - arts and crafts, football, basketball, tennis, games, cooking
- Offsite - trips to the local park, nature walks, touring the local historic town centre, and trips into central London
As a result of this we see new friendships form, that last all the way through school. Children settle quickly when they join in September because they have met their peers, are familiar with the building, and have got to know the core pastoral/SEND support team, as well as their year 7 form tutors, and Head of Year.
Teaching Assistants (TA)
Teachers were deploying TA’s to work with the SEND children only. This led to a gap in the Teachers knowledge regarding the specific needs of these children. It also meant that the SEND children were not accessing Hight Quality Teaching, that should be delivered alongside interventions.
TA’s attended training to learn how to support children to scaffold their learning. This meant the Teacher was able to deploy the TA across the whole class effectively, and provided the Teacher with the opportunity to get develop an improved understanding of the needs of the children with SEND.
As a result, none of the children in the classroom needed 1:1 support 100% of the time. By actively encouraging and supporting the children to ‘have a go’ and see what they could do, they began to develop resilience and were observed to grow in confidence. Asking for help when they needed it, rather than being dependent and relying on the TA.
Anxiety
Child R often refused to come into the classroom. They were unable to explain their feelings, and would pull hair over face, stand in the corridor, and eventually walk away.
When teaching staff offered calming activities (verbally), Child R remained non-responsive. However, when shown pictures of the activities for calming/reducing anxiety Child R gradually began to engage verbally. Child R developed relationships with several staff members, through the provision of sensory activities and those centred around areas of interest – animals. By establishing trusted relationships Child R talked about anxieties. The school was able to put arrangement in place to enable Child R to enter the classroom first, where sensory tools were made available. A speech and language assessment established Child R’s receptive language was on the lowest centile. To support this Child R task boards, vocabulary sheets and simplified activities were provided in lessons, as was a visual timetable. This supported engagement. A key adult, was made available to Child R. This adult would check in regularly throughout, and took responsibility for sharing details of unexpected changes that would cause further anxiety.
As a result, Child R continues to build confidence. They have started to make positive connections with teaching staff and has reported feeling less anxious in school.
Break times
School staff had noticed that some children were struggling at lunch time. Children had reported that even when they sat on the ‘buddy bench’ with the intention of making new friends, it wasn’t having the desired effect.
The school provided a workshop for the lunchtime supervisors (LTS) to demonstrate how they could support and engage with all children during their lunch time play. It was agreed that one LTS would be stationed at the ‘buddy bench’. When a child approached the LTS would check-in with them and respond appropriately. When other children approached the bench, they would become engaged in conversation with the group. With the LTS demonstrating conversational skills, the children were able to engage positively with each other. This would lead to children heading off to play together, or the LTS would play games, and chat with the children.
This is now standard process at the ‘buddy bench’, and the additional support is helping children to feel less alone during playtime, knowing that there is someone there to talk to, if they need it.
Quiet space to eat lunch
Child L was finding it difficult to come into school in the mornings. They would often arrive late and would appear rude and dismissive. Child L was being increasingly disruptive in class throughout the morning, often receiving detentions and leaving the classroom. When asked what was happening for them, the child said they felt angry and uncomfortable in school throughout the day, but especially in the mornings. School staff assumed this was in part due to poor sleep hygiene and provided advice on this. This continued for a period of time, and the child’s attainment progress was affected. Eventually mum got in contact with the school, explaining the Child L was increasingly difficult to get into school and showing increasing levels of anxiety. When the school discussed sleep hygiene, mum was able to confirm that Child L was a very good sleeper, and that there were no issues at home.
It was agreed the Child L would check in with a teacher in the morning, on arrival, every lunchtime, and before going home. The morning check-in was difficult for the child who appeared especially anxious. During the lunch time check-in the child would arrive anxious and ask to sit quietly in the office for the duration of the lunch period. Over time the child would bring their lunch and eat it in the office. When given the choice to go out to break the child always wanted to remain in the office.
Over time the staff were able to identify the lunch space as the source of anxiety. Child L was clearly overwhelmed by the lunch area. The school were able to clear a space in the Learning Resource Area, where this child was able to eat. This space is now a fixed ‘quiet zone’ and can often have up to 12 students enjoying a quieter lunch time.
As a result, Child L arrives in school, on time, and remains in the classroom for the duration of lessons. Child L has reported feeling less anxious and is observed to be more engaged with staff. Detentions are no longer an issue.
Organisation
Child F was distracted and disorganised, attracting detentions on a daily basis. The school’s behaviour policy saw Child F experiencing longer term consequences, including time spend in isolation.
Child F’s form tutor noticed that the majority of the detentions were because they had misplaced equipment. The form tutor agreed to look after Child F’s equipment overnight, so Child F would not forget it. Child F had a box in the classroom that contained a list of equipment – together the teacher ad Child F would complete an equipment check. When they were happy, they had everything, they would leave it in the box overnight, returning to collect it during morning tutor. The tutor kept spare equipment in the box so it could replace any missing items.
Initially the tutor would remind Child F to collect and return their equipment, eventually leaving Child F to try to remember themselves. Child F remembers 99% of the time now and receives fewer detentions.
Uniform card
Child Y experiences anxiety and panic attacks. It is unusual for these to happen in school, but if Child Y has experienced a panic attack before arriving or during the evening, they report feeling anxious and detached from themself, or ‘uncomfortable in their skin’.
When asked what could be done to help, Child Y asked to be excused from wearing a tie, but only when needed. This was agreed and Child Y was issued with a ‘uniform card’ explaining to teaching staff that it was an approved adjustment.
The ‘uniform card’ is reviewed every two weeks, and whilst Child Y still needs the ‘uniform card’ they do wear their tie most of the time, only removing it when they really need to do so.
Reduced timetable
Child B was often late to school and was issued with warnings for lateness. Gradually Child B’s attendance started to suffer, with them failing to attend at all.
On speaking to Child B, it became apparent that Child B was late because they were taking their sibling to school whilst mum was working and choosing not to turn up because they didn’t want more warnings or to get into trouble.
Mum came to school to discuss the situation; she wasn’t aware that Child B was arriving late due to the timings of the drop off. It was agreed that Child B would not receive a punishment for arriving late on the days they were take care of their sibling. This was reviewed weekly and agreed whilst appropriate.
Once Mum had been able to secure appropriate childcare, Child B was able to return to arriving at school on time.
Transitions (task based)
Child O was struggling with transitioning between activities, which resulted in outburst of frustration, or disinterest and difficulty engaging.
Teaching staff were able to give advance verbal warnings of activity change and used a countdown timer. There was a visual timetable in the classroom, and where possible the teacher provided a predictable routine. When the predictable routine was disrupted, this was explained to the child using a ‘whoops’ sign.
Child O continues to find transitioning between activities difficult but is experiencing fewer outbursts and reports feeling calmer, often checking in with the class teacher in advance of the transition.
Attention
Child X was finding it difficult to stay in their seat for extended periods. They were distracted by noise, movement of others in the room and background sounds.
Child X is free to take movement breaks. These are walks to the library, where they speak to a member of staff who checks-in with them and asks them if they need anything. The staff member records that the child has been to see them, the time and the lesson they have left. This helps the teaching staff to understand any patterns that may arise around the subjects being taught and the child’s needs at a particular time of day. Child X returns to class when ready.
In addition, Child X can choose to work on the floor. There are also TheraBands available in the class. We have also made a small space outside the classroom door, where the children can work if they wish. The class also has access to noise-cancelling headphones.
Child X appears more settled and can regulate use of the movement breaks (now that the novelty has worn off). It took a few weeks of letting them take as long as they needed, but they now return without prompting.
Difficulties with speech – shared by a parent
Child W was due to transition to Reception and was experiencing difficulties with speech.
The school reached out to the nursery and developed a clear transition plan - home and nursery visits. Child W was assessed by speech and language therapy shortly after the transition and strategies were put in place promptly to support in Reception. Child W joined a small group of children with similar needs and was supported with strategies from SaLT.
School staff reviewed progress with Parents, sharing activities to do at home, and inviting parents to share updates on the strategies they were finding useful.
Child W has made great progress, is doing well generally, meeting goals, and doesn’t stop talking.
The SENCo and Head teacher make themselves available at both drop off and pick up, every day, and welcome children into school. This gives parents an opportunity for a quick chat and to share concerns.
Mental Health and Wellbeing – shared by a parent
Child N was struggling with their mental health at the end of year 7, refusing to attend school, because they were spending so much time ‘reflection’ due to behaviour that was managed in line with the school’s behaviour management policy. Child N reported they were struggling with the workload that felt overwhelming, and bullying.
Child N was given the opportunity to drop subjects at the start of year 8 and the school SENCo worked closely with them to provide a safe place. Child N was able to regularly spend time with the school therapy dog, and do gardening at break time, when they were struggling with other children during break times.
As a result, Child N has established some friendships with other children who are part of the Gardening group, and reports feeling less anxious because they know there are people around to support if needed.
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