SEND Review & Action Plan for Parents
Understand Your Child’s Needs, Review Their Current School Support and Know What to Ask for Next
When your child is struggling at school, it can be difficult to work out whether the support already in place is appropriate, whether something has been missed, or what you should ask the school to do next.
You may have:
- a SEN Support plan;
- school reports;
- assessment reports;
- emails from the SENCO;
- intervention records;
- an ADHD or autism assessment;
- professional recommendations;
- or simply a growing collection of information without a clear understanding of what it all means.
Our SEND Review & Action Plan brings that information together.
We review the agreed evidence, identify the key issues affecting your child’s education and provide you with a structured written plan showing what to raise with school and what the next steps should be.
SEND Review & Action Plan — £195
Is This Service Right for You?
The SEND Review & Action Plan is designed for parents who feel that their child is struggling but need greater clarity before deciding what to do next.
It may be particularly useful if:
- your child is already receiving SEN Support but you are unsure whether it is sufficient;
- you have a SENCO meeting coming up;
- school says support is in place but you are not seeing meaningful progress;
- your child has recently received an ADHD, autism, dyslexia or other assessment;
- professional recommendations have been made but you are unsure whether school has implemented them;
- your child’s needs appear different at home and school;
- your child is becoming increasingly anxious about school;
- attendance is beginning to deteriorate;
- the same interventions have been used repeatedly without clear improvement;
- targets in a SEN Support plan are vague or difficult to measure;
- you do not know what reasonable adjustments to ask for;
- you feel meetings are taking place without producing clear actions;
- or you are beginning to wonder whether SEN Support remains sufficient.
You do not need to know what the solution is before contacting us.
That is the purpose of the review.
What We Review
The exact documents will depend on your child’s circumstances.
We agree with you what information is relevant before beginning the review.
This may include:
School Information
- SEN Support or SEND support plans;
- Assess, Plan, Do, Review records;
- pupil passports;
- individual learning plans;
- school reports;
- progress information;
- intervention records;
- provision maps;
- behaviour or pastoral plans;
- attendance records;
- school correspondence;
- meeting notes;
- current reasonable adjustments.
Professional Evidence
Where relevant, this might include:
- ADHD assessments;
- autism assessments;
- educational psychology reports;
- speech and language therapy reports;
- occupational therapy reports;
- learning-support reports;
- dyslexia or dyscalculia assessments;
- CAMHS or other professional correspondence;
- specialist teacher recommendations.
Parent Information
Your observations are also important.
You may see difficulties that are not immediately obvious within the classroom, including:
- exhaustion after school;
- emotional dysregulation;
- masking;
- difficulties completing homework;
- anxiety before school;
- sensory overload;
- sleep disruption related to school;
- difficulty getting ready;
- school avoidance;
- or a significant difference between supported and unsupported performance.
The review looks at the whole picture, rather than considering one document in isolation.
What We Look For
Our review is structured around a number of important questions.
1. Have Your Child’s Needs Been Clearly Identified?
Before support can be effective, there needs to be a reasonably clear understanding of the barriers affecting your child.
These might involve:
- cognition and learning;
- attention and concentration;
- executive functioning;
- communication;
- social interaction;
- sensory processing;
- emotional regulation;
- independence;
- literacy;
- mathematics;
- working memory;
- processing speed;
- organisation;
- transitions;
- attendance;
- or other areas affecting access to education.
We look at whether the available evidence reflects the difficulties you and school are seeing.
2. Does the Support Match the Identified Needs?
A list of interventions does not automatically establish that a child’s needs are being appropriately supported.
We consider whether there is a clear relationship between:
Need → Provision → Intended Outcome
For example:
If a child struggles to retain verbal instructions, does the support actually address that difficulty?
If a child experiences sensory overload, are environmental adjustments being considered?
If executive-function difficulties prevent independent task completion, is organisational scaffolding being provided?
If anxiety is affecting attendance, has the underlying barrier been explored?
This helps distinguish between support that is merely available and support that is actually relevant to the identified need.
3. Is the Provision Clear Enough?
Parents are sometimes given descriptions such as:
“Adult support when required.”
“Regular check-ins.”
“Small-group work.”
“Access to a quiet area.”
Those measures may be helpful, but they can also be difficult to evaluate if nobody knows:
- how often they happen;
- when they happen;
- who delivers them;
- what they are intended to achieve;
- or how their impact will be measured.
Where appropriate, our review identifies questions that may need clarification with school.
4. Are the Outcomes Measurable?
A useful SEND plan should make it possible to tell whether support has helped.
We therefore look at whether outcomes are:
- relevant;
- realistic;
- sufficiently specific;
- linked to identified needs;
- measurable;
- and capable of being reviewed.
For example, there is a significant difference between:
“Improve concentration.”
and an outcome which defines:
- what successful engagement looks like;
- the circumstances in which it should happen;
- the support provided;
- and how progress will be measured.
5. Has the Assess, Plan, Do, Review Process Been Effective?
Schools commonly use the graduated approach:
Assess
Understand the child’s needs, strengths, attainment and barriers.
Plan
Agree outcomes and the support required.
Do
Deliver the planned provision.
Review
Evaluate its impact and make changes where necessary.
The difficulty for many parents is not necessarily that APDR has never been mentioned.
It is that the cycle can become repetitive:
same concerns → same interventions → same review → same concerns
without substantially changing the approach.
Where this appears to be happening, we identify the questions that should be explored with school.
6. Are Reasonable Adjustments Being Considered?
Interventions are only one part of SEND support.
Sometimes the barrier lies in the way the normal school environment or curriculum is accessed.
Depending on the child, relevant adjustments might include:
- breaking instructions into smaller steps;
- written or visual reinforcement;
- additional processing time;
- visual timetables;
- advance warning of changes;
- adjusted seating;
- reduced sensory load;
- movement or regulation breaks;
- alternative methods of recording work;
- support with planning and organisation;
- discreet adult check-ins;
- support during transitions;
- adapted homework expectations;
- or access to a trusted adult.
Our review can identify areas that may warrant discussion with school.
7. Is Further Assessment Needed?
Sometimes the existing evidence does not adequately explain why a child is struggling.
Where appropriate, we may recommend discussing further assessment with school or another professional.
That might involve areas such as:
- educational psychology;
- speech and language;
- occupational therapy;
- literacy;
- mathematics;
- sensory processing;
- communication;
- ADHD;
- autism;
- or another relevant area of need.
This does not mean every child requires multiple assessments.
The question is whether additional information is needed in order to understand the educational barrier and determine appropriate provision.
What You Receive
Following the review, you receive a written SEND Review & Action Plan.
Depending on your child’s circumstances, this can include:
Summary of Current Concerns
A structured overview of the principal difficulties affecting your child’s education.
Areas of Identified or Possible Need
The areas that appear particularly important based on the information reviewed.
Review of Current Support
An examination of the interventions, adjustments and provision currently identified.
Possible Gaps or Areas Requiring Clarification
Questions or discrepancies that should be explored further with school.
Reasonable Adjustment Recommendations
Potential adjustments relevant to the barriers identified.
Evidence Priorities
Any additional evidence or records that may be helpful.
Questions for the SENCO or School
Clear questions you can use during your next meeting.
Recommended Next Steps
A practical action plan setting out what you should consider doing next.
Your Action Plan
The most important part of the service is turning information into action.
Your recommendations might include actions such as:
Ask School to Clarify Current Provision
Establish exactly what is being delivered, how frequently and by whom.
Request Changes to the SEN Support Plan
Where needs, provision or outcomes need strengthening.
Request Particular Reasonable Adjustments
Where specific barriers have been identified.
Request Further Assessment
Where more information is required to understand an area of need.
Strengthen the APDR Process
Where support needs clearer baselines, outcomes or review arrangements.
Prepare for a SENCO Meeting
Where the next step should be a structured discussion with school.
Gather Additional Evidence
Where documentation will help establish needs or demonstrate impact.
Consider Whether SEN Support Remains Sufficient
Where the child’s needs appear to require a greater level of provision.
Preparing for a SENCO Meeting
A SEND Review & Action Plan can be particularly valuable before a SENCO meeting.
Instead of going into the meeting with a long list of concerns, you can approach it with a structured set of issues and questions.
These could include:
- Is my child formally recorded as receiving SEN Support?
- What needs has the school identified?
- What provision is currently being delivered?
- How often is it delivered?
- Who delivers it?
- What are the intended outcomes?
- What baseline is being used?
- What progress has been made?
- Which interventions have been tried?
- Which have not worked?
- Which professional recommendations have been implemented?
- What additional reasonable adjustments can be considered?
- Is further specialist assessment required?
- When will the plan next be reviewed?
- What happens if the revised support does not work?
What Happens After the Review?
Some parents want the review and recommendations so that they can take matters forward themselves.
Others want continued support.
You can choose the level that suits you.
Take the Action Plan Forward Yourself
You receive the review and use the recommendations when communicating with school.
SEND Review & Action Plan — £195
Continue With Supported SEND Casework
f you would like help through the next school stage, you can discuss our:
Supported SEND Casework — From £425
This can include the review plus:
- meeting preparation;
- preparation of priorities and questions;
- online attendance at one agreed school meeting;
- support presenting key concerns;
- review of what has been agreed;
- and an agreed follow-up communication.
When SEN Support Is Not Working
Sometimes a review identifies a wider issue.
The child’s needs may have changed.
Support may not have been delivered consistently.
Professional recommendations may not have been implemented.
Or the level of support required may now exceed what the current SEN Support arrangements are achieving.
Where appropriate, the next stage may be to look at:
- strengthening SEN Support;
- obtaining specialist evidence;
- increasing reasonable adjustments;
- addressing attendance or placement difficulties;
- or considering whether an EHC needs assessment is appropriate.
Could My Child Need an EHCP?
A SEND Review does not automatically lead to an EHCP.
Many children can and should have their needs met through appropriately structured school-based SEN Support.
However, where needs are significant and appropriate provision cannot be adequately secured through ordinary SEN Support, an EHC needs assessment may need to be considered.
Possible indicators include:
- limited progress despite sustained support;
- increasingly complex needs;
- substantial specialist provision;
- high levels of adult assistance;
- significant attendance difficulties associated with SEND;
- placement instability;
- multiple professional recommendations;
- or provision that needs greater specification and coordination.
If the evidence suggests that this needs exploring, we will identify it within the recommended next steps.
Our SEND Review Process
Step 1 — Tell Us What Is Happening
You provide the initial information about your child’s circumstances and current difficulties.
Step 2 — Agree the Relevant Evidence
We identify which documents are relevant to the agreed review.
Step 3 — Evidence Review
We consider the school information, professional reports and parent evidence provided.
Step 4 — Identify the Key Issues
We look at needs, provision, adjustments, outcomes, evidence gaps and next-step questions.
Step 5 — Prepare Your SEND Review & Action Plan
You receive a structured written document setting out the findings and recommended actions.
Step 6 — Decide What Happens Next
You can take the recommendations forward yourself or discuss continued SEND casework support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a SEN Support plan before using this service?
No.
The service can also be used where a parent is trying to establish whether their child should be receiving SEN Support or where school support is currently informal.
Can you review an existing SEN Support plan?
Yes.
An existing SEN Support or SEND plan can form an important part of the review.
We can consider how clearly it identifies needs, outcomes, provision and review arrangements.
Can you review an ADHD or autism assessment?
Relevant diagnostic or assessment reports can be considered as part of the agreed evidence where they help explain your child’s educational needs.
The purpose is not to reassess or diagnose your child, but to consider what the evidence may mean for their education and school support.
Can you tell the school exactly what support it must provide?
We can identify relevant needs, evidence, potential adjustments and questions about provision.
The school remains responsible for decisions about the support it provides, subject to its statutory responsibilities.
Can you attend the SENCO meeting after completing the review?
Yes, where this is agreed through our Supported SEND Casework service and subject to availability.
What if the review suggests my child may need an EHCP?
We will explain why that issue may need exploring and what evidence appears relevant.
If you want further help, you can then access our dedicated EHCP support services.
Is this suitable if my child does not have a diagnosis?
Yes.
SEND support should be concerned with the child’s educational needs and barriers rather than requiring a particular diagnostic label.
Get Clear About What Should Happen Next
If you have reports, school paperwork and concerns but still do not have a clear answer to:
What does my child need?
Is their current support appropriate?
What should I ask school for?
What should happen next?
our SEND Review & Action Plan is designed to give you that clarity.
SEND Review & Action Plan — £195
Need Broader SEND Support?
If you are at an earlier stage and want to understand the different ways we can help, visit our main: