Nursery and School Support

1. The system, briefly

In England, school support sits in three tiers:

1. Quality First Teaching — adjustments any class teacher should make.
2. SEN Support — a recorded, reviewed plan co-ordinated by the SENCO. No diagnosis required.
3. EHCP — a legally enforceable plan when SEN Support is not enough. See the EHCP guide.

2. Who the SENCO is and what they do

The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator is a teacher with responsibility for SEN provision across the school. Every state-funded school must have one. They are your main point of contact — ask for a meeting in writing, request a copy of any SEN support plan, and ask for it to be reviewed termly.

3. Reasonable adjustments to ask for

• Ear defenders in assembly, dining hall, PE
• Movement breaks built into the timetable
• Visual timetable, now-next board, advance warning of changes
• A consistent quiet space — not isolation, a retreat
• No insistence on eye contact, no public correction
• Alternative to whole-class reading aloud, alternative to busy playground
• Flexible uniform (seamless socks, lapel-free polo, soft trousers)
• A trusted key adult who knows your child’s signs of overload
• Communication-friendly approach — short instructions, processing time

4. Preparing for a SENCO meeting

• Bring observations from home (video helps — masking at school often hides everything)
• Bring a written list of the top three issues — overload, eating, transitions, etc.
• Ask what the school is already seeing — request the internal SEN log
• Ask: “What can we put in place this term?” — be specific, write it down
• Follow up by email to confirm agreed actions and the review date

5. After-school restraint collapse

If your child appears to manage at school but melts down within minutes of getting home, this is the most important piece of evidence you have. It demonstrates that school is demanding for your child, even when staff don’t see overt distress. Document it.

See the routines guide for after-school protocols that reduce collapse intensity.

6. When school is not listening

• Put every request in writing. Email is a legal record.
• Reference the SEND Code of Practice and the Equality Act 2010.
• Request a copy of the school’s SEN Information Report.
• Escalate: SENCO → Headteacher → Governors → Local Authority SEND team.
• Free advice: IPSEA (0330 313 9002), Contact (0808 808 3555), SOS!SEN (0300 302 3731).
• If needs are severe and SEN support is not enough, apply for an EHCP assessment — parents can apply directly, no school referral needed.

7. Common questions