Support in education

Universal Support - Quality First Teaching (QFT) 

QFT is high quality, inclusive teaching that aims to meet the needs of all learners. It includes: 

• adapting lessons and materials 
• using visual and practical aids 
• providing clear routines 
• breaking tasks into smaller steps 
• using varied teaching approaches 
• creating supportive, structured classrooms 

Most children’s needs are met successfully through QFT. 

If you are worried about your child’s learning 

Your first step is to speak with your child’s class teacher. 

It may help to: 

• book time for a proper discussion 
• share what you have noticed at home 
• bring notes or examples 

Questions to ask 

• Is my child making expected progress? 
• Are there areas they find difficult? 
• How do they manage socially? 
• What support is already in place? 
• How can I help from home? 

You should feel listened to and involved. 

The role of the SENCO 

The Special Educational Needs Coordinator (commonly known as the SENCO) is the person in school who makes sure children with special educational needs get the help they need. They work with teachers, parents, and other professionals to understand what each child finds hard and what support will help them learn. The SENCO helps to plan the right support, checks how well it is working, and makes changes if needed. They are there to listen to your concerns and to make sure your child feels safe, included, and able to do their best in school. The SENCO will: 

• advise teachers on strategies 
• coordinate support and interventions 
• work with families 
• liaise with external professionals 
• monitor progress of children with SEND 
• support assessment and review processes 

SEND policies and information reports 

SEND Policy 

Every school must have a SEND Policy. This is a simple document that explains how the school supports children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. It sets out the school’s values and what they do to help pupils who may need extra support. 

It should tell you how the school identifies needs, how they put support in place, and how they work with parents. 

Things to look out for: 

• Clear information about how your child’s needs will be spotted 
• How the school decides what help to put in place 
• How staff are trained to support SEND 
• How you as a parent will be listened to and involved 

SEND Information Report 

Every school must also publish a SEND Information Report on its website. This is more detailed than the SEND Policy. It explains what support the school offers right now, in real life, and how this support is delivered day‑to‑day. 

It should give real examples of what the school does to help children learn, take part, and feel included. 

Things to look out for: 

Clear descriptions of the types of support the school provides 

• How the school checks if support is working 
• How the school works with outside agencies, like therapists or educational psychologists 
• Who you can contact if you have questions or worries 
• How the school makes sure children move successfully between classes or to new schools 

You should be able to find both documents on the school’s website.