Your first port of call should really be the class teacher or tutor to discuss your child’s needs and how best they can be met. Additional support/advice can also be requested from the SENCo.

Look at the school’s website to read the SEND policy and SEND information report as this will outline what is available at the school.

The Ordinarily Available Provision document on Portsmouth’s Local Offer is also a valuable tool.

The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator is the member of staff responsible for coordinating support for all children needing additional support to access learning. The school’s SEN Information Report (available on the school’s website) will outline the specific role for the school’s SENCo, but generally they will: 

• Give advice to parents and staff on issues related to Special Educational Needs, Social and Emotional difficulties, pupils with English as an additional language.  
• Meet with parents to discuss any concerns they may have about their child’s development or learning difficulties. 
• Facilitate assessments of individual pupils to identify need and strategies to support the child. 
• Arrange referrals to other professionals such as: Educational Psychologist (EP), Speech and Language Therapists (SALT), Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) or Specialist Teacher Advisors in the city.

It is important that schools work with parents to both identify need and agree strategies to support the child. Schools are expected to make reasonable adjustments to ensure no child is disadvantaged so all can participate in learning. Any provision or support should be provided in line with the needs of the child or young person and is not dependant on any formal diagnosis.  The Ordinarily Available Provision document, which can be found on the local offer website, details the provision that the local authority expects to be made available for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

It is important that you discuss your concerns with the present school. Be very specific when outlining your concerns and present the strategies you feel would best meet the needs of your child. Remember that all schools are expected to make reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of any child. 

If your child has been assessed by an Educational Psychologist (EP) or a Speech and Language Therapist (SALT), their reports will outline the child’s needs and include strategies to support your child. Discuss these with the school to explore how this advice has been used to support your child to access learning.  

If your child has an Educational Health Care Plan (EHC Plan) there are specific targets and interventions that should be in place. Ensure that your child is receiving this support. 

It is important that schools work with parents to both identify need and agree strategies to support children. Schools are expected to make reasonable adjustments to ensure no child is disadvantaged and all can participate in learning. 

There is also more information on this in our Ordinarily Available Provision document.

All schools have a responsibility to accept all children, regardless of need. However, it is always best to visit schools. The school’s website will also provide you with useful information about what is offered. The school’s SEND Information Report is a useful document as it should outline all of the support available. Ensure you arrange a meeting with the SENCo to discuss needs and how best these can be met. 

There are a number of reasons why children may need to move to an alternative educational setting. It is always best to ensure you have discussed all moves with your child’s present school. If a move is agreed then ensure you visit the next placement. 

Only a small percentage of children with Special Educational Needs will need an EHC Plan. An ECH Plan outlines additional support a child needs to enable them to access learning.

Normally this will mean your child is receiving a higher level of provision at SEN Support and the school will be already trying to meet their needs using the SEND notional budget. There needs to be some good supporting evidence to show that your child may need the support of an EHC plan – your child/young person’s education setting can help with this.

You can also speak to any health or social care professionals who are working with your child and they will be able to advise if the level  of health or social care support is likely to be needed through an EHCP.