Special educational needs (SEN) Support plans
What is a SEN Support plan
A SEN Support plan is a written plan made by mainstream schools, with help from you and your child or young person.
It sets out what types of SEN Support they will give your child or young person to meet their needs and help them learn.
Find out what SEN Support is and how schools deliver it.
Explore the types of SEN Support.
What you can expect from a SEN Support plan
- A clear plan that's easy to understand
- Regular updates and meetings
- A chance to share your views and your child or young person's voice
- A focus on how your child or young person is doing—not just what support they're getting
- A team approach to help your child thrive
The difference between a SEN Support plan and an education, health and care (EHC) plan
A SEN Support plan is for children and young people who need help with learning.
An EHC plan is for children and young people with complex and long term needs which cannot be met with SEN Support.
Children and young people do not need an EHCP to have a SEN Support plan or receive SEN Support.
If your child or young person does have an EHCP, the school may still use a SEN Support plan to break down bigger goals into smaller steps.
How you and your child are involved
You and your child or young person are at the centre of all decision-making. We call this person-centred planning. It can include person-centred reviews.
The school will talk to you and your child or young person to find out:
- What helps them learn
- What they find hard
- What they'd like to achieve
They might use drawings, charts or fun tools to help with this.
You can create a one-page profile with your child or young person to capture their views. You can share this with the school.
What is in a SEN Support plan
SEN Support plans include:
- What your child is good at and what they find tricky
- What help the school will give
- What goals your child is working towards
- How the school will check progress
The kinds of support included
Schools tailor the support to your child or young person's individual needs. It might include:
- Support with English and maths activities
- Help with speech and language
- Tools to help with emotions
- Quiet spaces or sensory resources
- Small group activities to support social skills
The SEN Support plan will show what support is being given and why.
Explore examples of SEN Support.
Regular reviews
SEN Support plans get updated as your child or young person grows and changes. This is so that their SEN Support plan stays up to date based on their changing needs.
How often SEN Support plans are reviewed
The school will review your child or young person's SEN Support plan once a term (three times a year). It can happen more often if needed.
Review meetings
The school will invite you to review meetings. This is to talk about the SEN Support plan, ask questions, and share what is working well at home.
