Support in mainstream education

Most children with additional needs and disabilities (AND) are educated within a mainstream school. Schools are given funding to support learners with additional needs and must do everything they can to make sure children with AND get the support they need to fulfil their potential.

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Support in mainstream schools (Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) in school)

All children have access to Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) in their educational setting. This includes 'High Quality Teaching' and additional provision known as Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support.

Schools must do everything they can to make sure all children get the support they need to make progress, regardless of diagnosis. They do this by delivering a range of support specific to each child's additional needs. This is provided in different ways such as, assistive technology, individual or small group teaching, or in-class support.

We have detailed guidance for schools on Ordinarily Available Provision.

A diagnosis or formal assessment is not required for this level of provision.

Watch to find out more about OAP:

Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) includes support with learning and to make progress. This includes all teaching, resources, use of the curriculum, support from staff, enrichment activities and resources, and support to access the environment. All children and young people have access to this. It is provided through mainstream funding and resource arrangements.

OAP is everything mainstream schools can provide through their ordinary funding. There is no additional funding or plan required for them to deliver this.

Under the Children and Families Act 2014, children and young people with SEND have a right to be educated within a mainstream school if they or their parents want.

Mainstream schools cannot refuse a child a place on the grounds that their needs or disabilities are too great or complex.

The Local Authority (Surrey County Council) can only refuse, if they can prove that a mainstream placement would not be compatible with the efficient education of others, and that there are no reasonable steps the Local Authority can take to avoid this.

Even when professionals support the Local Authority's view, parents and young people still have the right to education within a mainstream setting if this is what they want.

However, although parents and young people have a right to request mainstream education, they do not automatically have the right to a placement at a specific mainstream school or setting.

Children without Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans

Children without Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans must be educated in a mainstream school.

The only exception would be in cases where children are electively home educated (homeschooled), or where parents or carers choose to pay for their child to be educated in an independent school. Very rarely, a child without an EHC plan might be offered a placement at a special school with the prior consent of their parents, or the young person themselves if over the age of 16.

Children with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans

Most children with an EHC plan are educated in a mainstream school or setting. For a child to be educated in a special school, or a specialist centre within a mainstream school, the Local Authority (Surrey County Council) has to agree that this is the most appropriate type of provision for your child's needs.

Section F of your child's EHC plan sets out the provision that they should be receiving to meet their educational needs. This can also include therapies provided by health authorities or social care (for example, speech and language therapy).

Whether your child is being educated within a mainstream setting or a special school, your child's EHC plan is a legal document. The Local Authority (Surrey County Council) has a legal responsibility to make sure that your child is receiving the support set out in their EHC plan.

If you have questions or concerns about your child's EHC plan, you can speak to their SEND case officer. You can also speak to your child's Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO).

SEND support in mainstream schools

Your child does not need an Education Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment to access support through their school.

However an EHC assessment might be the next step to getting your child the right level support. This could be when your child is making limited progress under their existing SEND support arrangements. Or if you, or the professionals working with your child, feel that their needs are more complex.

The 'Graduated Response'

Visual representation of graduated response from OAP to Special Education Provision

For most children, using High Quality Teaching strategies will remove barriers to learning and enable them to progress.

When it is decided that additional support is needed, the school uses the four-part model outlined in the SEND Code of Practice (assess, plan, do, review).

This approach is often referred to as a graduated response to needs, and follows the assess, plan, do, review cycle:

Words displayed to illustrate the asses, plan, do review, cycle. In a clockwise direction it reads: Assess, at 12 o clock, Plan, at 3 o clock, Do at 6 o clock, Review at 9 o clock.

Assess

The first step is to collect information and look at what the difficulties are. To gather views and consider what professionals have been involved.

Plan

Teachers, the SENCO, the child or young person and their family agree on what interventions are needed. Then how these will be put in place, what and support is needed to support reaching expected outcomes.

Do

The plan agreed in the previous step is put in place. Teaching staff are responsible for checking if the plan is working. Where the plan is not working or new needs emerge, they will move to the review stage before the planned review date.

Review

Look at the effect of the interventions put in place on the child/ young person's progress. This should include the views of the child/ young person and their parents/ carers.

This process should help to ensure a more focused and informed provision and that pupils make good progress and can better access the school curriculum.

Individual Support Plans

As part of the first level of support, an Individual Support Plan (ISP) records and monitors the provision for a child with additional needs. It is sometimes also known as an 'Individual Education Plan'.

ISPs assess and record the child's needs, decide ways to support them, and monitor their progress. The plan is shared by the education setting with teaching staff who work with the student, so they know what support is needed.

The plan is then regularly reviewed with the parent or carer and student. The decision is then made whether to make changes, continue the existing support, or to close the plan if it is no longer needed.

If the student is not making progress with the support in place and a higher level of support is needed, a school might move to using a SEND Support Arrangements document. Or request an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment.

SEND Support Arrangements

SEND Support Arrangements (previously known as Pathway Plans) monitor and support children with Additional Needs and Disabilities (AND), who use SEND support in school.

It is more in detailed document and process than an Individual Support Plan and still follows the "Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle". In many cases a child will progress from an Individual Support Plan to a SEND Support Arrangement.

The setting works with the student, parent or carer and professionals to identify desired outcomes and decide what additional support is needed. The student and parent or carer will be involved in all planning and the support must be focussed on the individual and their needs.

Children and young people who require a higher level of support than SEND Support Arrangements can facilitate, may require an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan.

Support above Ordinarily Available Provision

Most children and young people have their needs met and make progress with support from what is ordinarily available (Ordinarily Available Provision), but some children will need additional support.

This is called special education provision and is provided through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, sometimes referred to as an 'EHCP'. It is a legal document that describes a child or young person's educational, health and social care needs, their aims for the future and how professionals will work together to support the child or young person.

The 'Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle' can show that a child may require additional provision. The school, parent or carer, or young person may then request an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) needs assessment. This is a full investigation of the child's educational needs and might lead to the child receiving an EHC plan.

Schools and educational settings do not need to spend a specific amount before initiating an EHC needs assessment.

If the EHC assessment does not result in a child receiving an EHC plan, the Local Authority will write to the parent or carer or young person, to inform them of the decision and explain how their needs will be met without an EHC plan.

You can find out more about the process on our What is an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment web page.

Terminology explained

Provision

Provision is the activities planned for children's education. It is the support mainstream schools or settings can provide for a child or young person through their agreed funding and resource arrangements (Ordinarily Available Provision). The terms 'Universal offer' and 'SEN Support' are also part of ordinarily available provision. Provision may include adaptations including reasonable changes to the physical environment, changes to teaching styles as well as levels of adult support.

High Quality Teaching

High Quality Teaching, also known as 'Quality First Teaching (QFT)' considers the needs of learners which then informs planning and delivery to make learning accessible. This may involve teachers using a range of strategies to meet the individual child's needs.

Special Educational Provision

Special Educational Provision is provision that is different or additional to what is normally available to students of the same age. It is designed to help children and young people with additional needs and disabilities to access the National Curriculum at school or to study at college. For children under two years old it is educational provision of any kind.

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