This guidance sets out some examples of presenting needs and possible enhanced adaptations, provisions and targeted interventions for supporting Children and young people that may help inform practice. This is not an exhaustive list, but it will offer prompts as to what may already be happening in the school or setting as well as a range of further advice and strategies.

Schools may not have knowledge or experience of all the strategies, interventions and resources set out in this document. In addition, space available within schools can vary and this will have an impact on the sensory environment and how provision is delivered. Support, guidance and training is readily available in the Local Area so that schools/ settings are able to develop their practice to meet the expectations set out here. Camden Learning, working in partnership with Camden local SEND services, has set out SEND Contacts, Resources and CPD which is available locally and nationally to support the delivery of excellent provision for SEND pupils: SEND CPD — Camden Learning.

High quality teaching should reduce the need for extra support, but it is likely that some pupils will require high quality, structured, targeted interventions to make progress. Interventions should be carefully targeted through identification and assessment of need. For guidance on the principles of effective implementation see EEF’s guidance report Putting Evidence to Work: A School’s Guide to Implementation.

For further detailed, specialist advice, please see the NASEN SEND Toolkit and EEF Toolkit.

Assess:

• Gather information from a range of sources: observations, assessments, pupils voice, parents/carers input, and previous records.
• Use both informal (e.g. standardised tests) and informal (e.g. classroom work, behaviour logs) assessments.
• Collaborate with the SENCO and other professionals if needed (e.g. educational psychologists, speech and language therapists).
  
  

Plan:

• Set SMART targets (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
• Agree on the support strategies and who will deliver them.
• Share the plan with the pupil (where appropriate), parents/carers, and relevant staff.
• Ensure the plan is inclusive and promotes independence.
  
  

Do:

• Deliver the interventions and support as planned.
• Differentiate teaching and use scaffolding techniques.
• Monitor the pupil’s engagement and progress.
• Work closely with teaching assistants and support staff.
  
  

Review:

• Review progress against the SMART targets.
• Involve the pupil and parents in the review process.
• Decide whether to continue, adjust, or end the support.
• Update the pupil’s SEN support plan accordingly.

Students who continue to experience difficulties with their learning, despite receiving high-quality teaching, are likely to require support that is additional to and different from that provided to most of their peers. To meet these needs, teachers should identify and remove barriers to learning by implementing targeted and effective support strategies. This process typically follows a structured cycle of assess – plan – do – review, which should be repeated regularly. The aim is to evaluate the impact of interventions and ensure that the student receives more of what is helping them make progress

As teachers, you are likely navigating multiple ‘assess, plan, do, review’ cycles simultaneously — across different children, lessons, and timeframes. These cycles may be long-term or short-term, formal or informal, and can occur at various stages throughout your day. Schools also have autonomy to decide which interventions/provisions they deliver. While it’s important to work in partnership with parents and value their input, the specific support provided to a student will be based on the school’s available provision, as outlined in its SEN Information Report. This means that while parents can share their views, the school is responsible for deciding which interventions are appropriate and feasible within its offer.