School meetings
If you're concerned that your child has difficulty learning and are unsure of the level and type of support that they are getting, you can arrange a meeting with the SENCO and your child's teacher to discuss your concerns.
Having a simple list of questions prepared will be useful to help decide if support needs to be provided or changed.
Useful questions to ask include:
- What are their academic levels? Are they working at an age appropriate level?
- Social and emotional well-being, do they have friends and are they happy?
- Support given in school – when, what and by who?
- How is progress measured, targets, tracker system? Can you show me this and explain it to me?
- What plans do the school have to support my child in the future?
- Are there any plans to get specialist input? (specialist teacher, educational psychologist)
- What can we do to help school support my child?
These questions can be changed to suit your child. It is a good idea to show your questions to the SENCO a few days before the meeting so the correct information can be gathered for the discussion.
If you think of any other questions you would like to ask after this write them down and take them to the meeting.
If the SENCo and your child’s teacher agree that your child has SEN, the school should take a ‘graduated approach’ - this means ‘step-by-step’. They will offer your child extra support, with the possibility of further support if needed.
At the meeting try to keep focused on your questions and take notes of the answers and the actions that are agreed.
Our making meetings matter page has more advice and a booklet you can print to help you keep your meeting notes in one place.
It can be useful to arrange a follow up meeting there and then while everyone is together to discuss if the agreed actions have worked or different strategies are needed.
Support
If you have any questions on any of the above or require information and support on any aspect of your child’s special educational needs and disabilities, contact us, we may be able to help.