If I feel my child has Special Educational Needs, how do I arrange for him/her to get an EHCP in place?
First contact needs to be the school – specifically the Learning Support / SEND Department. Outline your concerns.

• Has a Graduated Response Tool (GRT) been completed, which identifies the areas of need?
• Have school level provisions been put in place?
• Have other agencies engaged and is there evidence of failed interventions?

At this point, it may be appropriate to consider applying for an EHCP. If the school has sufficient evidence of a history of failed interventions then they may be willing to make the application.

However, parents are able to submit an application themselves at any point. Again, DIAS can support and advise you in this process.

What should I do if I feel more information needs to be added to my child’s EHCP, after it has been finalised?
If information has come to light after the EHCP has been finalised then you can ask the school to call an Interim Annual Review and ask for the plan to be amended to include the information you wish.

How will my child be supported generally in the classroom/larger class sizes?
For the vast majority of children, their needs can be met in the classroom by the teacher delivering Quality First Teaching. However, they may have additional support from Learning Mentors in some subjects (mainly core – English, Maths and Science).

Will my child ever have support in smaller groups or 1:1 sessions?
Yes – we do set up provisions to support students, such as Social Skills or Literacy Groups. These will be led by Learning Mentors and will be much smaller groups of approximately 6-10 students. You will always have advance warning of these, and can opt out if you feel that you do not want your child to attend them. 1:1 sessions are less frequent, but it does depend on the student needs and what is in their EHCP.

Who will be supporting my child and what training has been given to them, to help support my child’s needs?
Your child will be supported in some classes by a Learning Mentor. We have regular training days, and encourage additional learning for all staff so that they can better understand SEND and how to support their pupils.

What should I do if I feel my child is not getting enough support?
You can contact the Learning Support Department to discuss the support being provided to your child and we can then look at this for you and discuss what changes need to be made.

Will it be obvious to other students that my child has Special Educational Needs/an EHCP?
No. We do not make other students aware of any children having an EHCP. All information is confidential.

How is it decided what type of support my child should receive?
The support provided will be based on their EHCP. Information comes to us from their Primary School and we can also discuss any concerns or worries you have, to decide on the best support required for your child.

Will I be involved in discussions on deciding what support my child needs?
Yes. We respect and encourage parent opinions on what support is needed for each child. We would do this at the Annual Review.

Is it possible that teaching methods can be adapted to suit my child?
The EHCP will explain your child’s needs and all teachers will know from that if they need to adapt any materials to suit your child. Also, if your child needs to be seated in a particular area in the classroom for example, the teachers will be aware of this.

Will all teachers and support staff have full access to my child’s EHCP?
Yes. All staff working with your child will have access to information about your child and their EHCP.

How often will my child have review meetings? 
Annual Review meetings are formally held annually but informal meetings / conversations can be held at any time if you require them. Support plans are reviewed both implicitly and explicitly as a result of meetings and Parents' Meetings as necessary, but usually two to three times a year