Education
what is SEND?
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) can affect the way your child learns.
It may affect their:
ability to understand things
behaviour or ability to socialise (for example they struggle to make friends)
reading and writing (for example they may be dyslexic)
concentration levels (for example they may have ADHD)
physical ability
Talk to the teacher or the SEN Co-ordinator (SENCo) at your school, early years setting or college if you think your child needs:
a special learning programme
extra help from a teacher or assistant
to work in a smaller group
observation in class or at break
help taking part in class activities
extra encouragement in their learning, for example to ask questions or to try something they find difficult
help communicating with other children
support with physical or personal care difficulties, for example eating, getting around school safely
The Plymouth Online Directory (POD) is a directory of services that includes information for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities, families and professionals.
Education, Health and Care Plan
If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (see below) or statement of special educational needs, we can provide advice and information about:
Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP)
Arrangements for school admissions
Special schools or specialist educational provision
Email Joe for more information.
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An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document that supports the child or young person’s special educational, health, and social care needs. It will outline the extra help that will be given to them and how it will support them.
It is co-produced by the school, parent’s, professionals and the child and provides the school with funding to fulfil the plan.
If you want your child to attend a specialist education provision, they will need an EHCP in place.
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EHC plans are for children and young people whose special educational needs require more help than would normally be provided in a mainstream education setting (a college, school, nursery). Although the plan can include health or social care needs, your child will not get a plan if they only have health or social care needs that do not affect their education.
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EHC plans are drawn up by the local authority after an EHC needs assessment.
You, your child’s education setting or your child, if over 16, can ask your local authority to carry out an assessment.
This can be requested here.
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There is no standard format however it must have the following sections:
The views, interests and aspirations of you and your child.
Special Educational Needs (SEN).
Health needs related to SEN.
Social care needs related to SEN.
Outcomes- how will it benefit the child.
Special educational provision (support).
Health provision.
Social care provision.
Placement (type and name of school).
Personal budget arrangements.
Advice and information- a list of information gathered in the EHC assessment.
This is reviewed on an annual basis by the school, you, professionals, and the child.
If you have any questions about the Statutory Assessment process or Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), please email SENAdmin@plymouth.gov.uk or call 01752 307409.
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The plan must be reviewed at least once a year. This is a chance for everyone involved in supporting your child to check how well they are progressing and whether anything needs to be changed. At the end of the review the local authority may make changes to the plan, end it or leave it unchanged.
The plan will remain in place until your child leaves education or the local authority decides that your child no longer needs the plan to help them in their education. If you move to another local authority the plan will be transferred.
If your child already has a statement of special educational needs (or learning disability assessment) this will be transferred to an education, health and care plan by 1 April 2018. We’re transferring children and young people as quickly as possible whilst maintaining arrangements for those who still have a statement of special educational needs.
You can find out more about the transfer in our Local Plan
The charity Contact provide lots of advice and resources about Education on their website
Special Schools in Plymouth
Complaints
Schools in Plymouth are independently managed and governed so you’ll need to ask your child’s school about their own complaints procedure or find it on their website. This procedure will tell you how to make a complaint and how your complaint will be handled. Most complaints are resolved by talking to the class teacher or headteacher but your child’s school should also be able to tell you about the other stages you can follow if this doesn’t work.
We don’t have a role in general complaints about schools unless a school’s complaints procedure says so. If the school’s procedure does say that we’ve a role and you’ve completed all the stages of this procedure we can check the school is following it.
We won’t re-investigate your complaint or direct the school to take a particular course of action but we can provide advice. However if the school has acted within the law, they don’t have to accept this advice.
Email schoolorganisation@plymouth.gov.uk or call 01752 307355 for further advice.