What is School Action?
Your child would usually start receiving help on School Action if there are concerns that they are making little or no progress, even when the teacher has adapted their teaching methods and materials to suit the child’s style and rate of learning.
On School Action, your child will receive more help, or a different kind of help according to their needs and depending on the support available in the school. Help could include individual or small group support from the class teacher and/ or teaching assistant, special equipment, or a particular teaching programme.
Your child may need additional support with reading, writing, maths or other academic subjects, may have sensory or physical needs, or difficulties in other areas of learning, such as emotion and behaviour, sensory/physical needs and communication and interaction.
The Individual Education Plan (IEP)
Your child’s progress should be recorded in an Individual Education Plan (IEP). This is a document which lists three or four short term targets, the help which will be given to achieve these and how success will be measured. The IEP must be reviewed at least every 6 months and should be reviewed once a term. You, and your child if possible, should be involved in this review and in setting new targets. The school does not have to use IEP’s, but they must have something similar in place. Some schools use other systems such as “provision mapping” to monitor pupils’progress.
What is School Action Plus?
If your child needs more help than they can receive on School Action, the school may increase the level of support and call in professionals from outside the school, such as an educational psychologist, specialist teacher, or speech and language therapist. These professionals may observe your child in the classroom, do some tests with your child if appropriate, and talk to teachers and to yourself to build up a complete picture of your child’s difficulties. They can provide ongoing advice and training to teaching staff to help them to support your child, and they may also work directly with your child.
Can my child move between School Action and School Action Plus?
Yes: your child’s needs can change over time and they may need more or less support. A child who needs additional support would normally begin on School Action and move to School Action Plus if necessary, but this is not essential. A child or may move from School Action Plus to School Action and even off these stages altogether if they have made enough progress and no longer need the extra help. A child with more complex needs may move straight to School Action Plus, or may need a Statutory Assessment which is the first step to getting a Statement of Special Educational Needs.
I think my child is still struggling at school: what should I do?
If you are worried about your child’s progress and wellbeing at school, first of all make an appointment to see the class teacher/form tutor. It’s a good idea to write a list of the problems, including your child’s behaviour at home, if this worries you. Ask whether the teacher shares your concerns and what the school can do to help. Agree on a date for a future meeting to discuss whether things have changed.
If you are still concerned, or you think your child may need more help quickly , make an appointment to speak to the SENCO at the school. Along with your own list of concerns, take any evidence you have of your child’s lack of progress, such as schoolwork, reports, IEP’s. If you need more information, about your child’s progress in school you can write to the school to ask to see a copy of your child’s full record. If other professionals, such as a paediatrician or speech therapist have assessed and /or diagnosed your child, e.g. a paediatrician, occupational therapist, psychologist, take the reports to school with you. If you do not already know this, ask the SENCO to confirm if your child is on School Action or School Action Plus. Ask what support your child is getting, and what the next stage will be if they need more help.
How should I handle the meeting?
Teachers may not have time to discuss your child in detail at the beginning or end of the day, or at parents’ evenings so try to arrange a longer meeting at a time which is convenient for everybody.
Prepare for the meeting by gathering as much information as possible from your child’s school records, the school’s own policy on special educational needs and any other information you have.
If you are nervous about the meeting, ask if someone can go along to support you and to take notes. This could be a friend or relative or someone from a local support group or the Parent Partnership service.
Ensure that at the end of the meeting you and the school staff members involved have a clear idea of the action that has been agreed, and that you have set a date for a follow up meeting.
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