a) Class Teacher input via excellent targeted classroom teaching (Quality First Teaching).
For your child this would mean:
- That the Teacher has the highest possible expectations for your child and all pupils in their class.
- That all teaching is built on what your child already knows, can do and can understand.
- Different approaches to teaching are in place, such as practical learning, so that your child is fully involved in learning.
- Specific strategies (which may be suggested by the Inclusion Manager or outside agencies) are in place to support your child to learn.
- Your child’s teacher will have carefully checked on your child’s progress and will have decided that your child has a gap or gaps in their understanding/learning and needs some extra support to help them make the best possible progress.
b) Specific individual and group work
Intervention which may be:
- Run in the classroom or in an alternative area of the school.
- Run by a Teacher or a Teaching Assistant (TA).
Types of interventions that the school offers are:
- Early Talk Boost and Talk Boost which is a targeted and evidence-based intervention programme, which supports language delayed children in Reception and Key Stage One (KS1) to make progress with their language and communication skills.
- This intervention is delivered by a trained Teaching Assistant/Curriculum Support Assistant three times a week in a small group.
- Narrative Pack (Black Sheep Press) which is a targeted intervention to support the development of children’s speech, language and social skills.
- This intervention is delivered by a trained Teaching Assistant.
- Blast which is a targeted intervention to boost language and listening skills within Early Years.
- This intervention is delivered by a trained Teaching Assistant.
- Precision Teaching which is a targeted and evidence-based intervention programme programme to meet the needs of an individual child or young person who is experiencing difficulty with acquiring or maintaining some skills.
- This intervention is delivered by a trained Teaching Assistant three to four times a week 1:1.
c) Specialist groups run by outside agencies e.g .Speech and Language Therapy
This means they have been identified by the SENDCo/Class Teacher as needing some extra specialist support in school from a professional outside the school. This may be from:
- Local Authority central services such as the ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) Outreach Team or Sensory Service ( for students with a hearing or visual need)
- Outside agencies such as the Education Psychology Service (EPS).
- South Tyneside Foundation Trust Community Child and Adolescent MentalHealth (CAMHS) Services.
What could happen?
You will be asked to give your permission for the school to refer your child to a specialist professional e.g. a Speech and Language Therapist, Educational Psychologist and CAHMS. This will help the school and yourself understand your child’s particular needs better and be able to support them better in school.
The specialist professional will work with your child to understand their needs and make recommendations as to the ways your child is given support:
d) Specified Individual support
This type of support is available for children whose learning needs are, severe, complex and lifelong.
This is usually provided via a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This means your child will have been identified by professionals as needing a particularly high level of individual or small group teaching.
This type of support is available for children with specific barriers to learning that cannot be overcome through Quality First Teaching and intervention groups (“Including All Children” documentation from LA).
Your child will also need specialist support in school from a professional outside the school. This may be from:
Local Authority central services such as the ASD Outreach Team or Sensory Service ( for students with a hearing or visual need)
Outside agencies such as the Speech and Language therapy (SALT) Service
For your child this would mean:
- The school (or you) can request that Local Authority Services carry out a statutory assessment of your child’s needs. This is a legal process which sets out the amount of support that will be provided for your child.
- After the request has been made to the ‘Panel of Professionals’ (with a lot of information about your child, including some from you), they will decide whether they think your child’s needs (as described in the paperwork provided), seem complex enough to need a statutory assessment. If this is the case they will ask you and all professionals involved with your child to write a report outlining your child’s needs. If they do not think your child needs this, they will ask the school to continue with the current support.
- After the reports have all been sent in, the ‘Panel of Professionals’ will decide if your child’s needs are severe, complex and lifelong. If this is the case they will write an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP). If this is not the case, they will ask the school to continue with the current level of support and also set up a meeting in school to ensure a plan is in place to ensure your child makes as much progress as possible.
- Education Health Care Plan will outline the support your child will receive from the LA and how the support should be used and what strategies must be put in place. It will also have long and short term goals for your child.
- An additional adult may be used to support your child with whole class learning, run individual programmes or run small groups that include your child.
