Specialist SEND Support
Practical support focused specifically on SEND, EHCPs and education.
Evidence-Led
We look at what the evidence actually establishes — and what may still be missing.
Neurodiversity-Informed
Experienced in autism, ADHD, sensory needs, masking, anxiety and complex educational profiles.
Support Across England
Document review, consultation and case preparation can be provided remotely.
SENCO Meeting Support for Parents
Prepare for Your School Meeting With Clear Questions, Priorities and Next Steps
A SENCO meeting can be one of the most important opportunities to clarify what support your child is receiving and what needs to happen next.
But many parents leave meetings still unsure:
- what the school has actually agreed;
- whether their child is formally receiving SEN Support;
- what provision is being delivered;
- how often support is taking place;
- how progress is being measured;
- whether professional recommendations are being followed;
- what reasonable adjustments can be requested;
- or what should happen if the current support is not working.
Our SENCO Meeting Support helps you prepare for the meeting in a structured way so that the discussion focuses on your child’s needs, current provision, evidence and next steps.
Is This Service Right for You?
This service may be useful if:
- you have a SENCO meeting coming up;
- you have already attended several meetings but little has changed;
- your child is struggling despite existing SEN Support;
- you are unsure what support the school is currently providing;
- school says your child is making progress but you remain concerned;
- you want to ask for reasonable adjustments;
- a recent ADHD, autism, dyslexia or other assessment has made recommendations;
- you want school to review your child’s SEND support plan;
- attendance, anxiety or school avoidance is becoming an issue;
- you are unsure whether further professional assessment is needed;
- you want help deciding whether to continue with SEN Support or consider an EHCP;
- or you simply want to feel more prepared and confident before the meeting.
You do not need to know exactly what to ask for before contacting us.
That is what the preparation process is designed to help with.
What We Help You Prepare
Depending on the service selected, we can help you prepare:
The Main Concerns
We identify the most important issues affecting your child's education so that the meeting does not become overwhelmed by too many separate points. These may include: learning; attention and concentration; executive functioning; communication; sensory processing; emotional regulation; social interaction; attendance; behaviour; independence; literacy; numeracy; transitions; anxiety; masking; or support following diagnosis or assessment.
The Evidence
We help you identify which evidence is most relevant to the meeting. This may include: SEN Support plans; APDR records; school reports; intervention records; progress data; attendance information; professional assessments; parent observations; previous meeting notes; emails; and recommendations already made.
The Questions
We help you prepare targeted questions so that you leave the meeting knowing what has actually been agreed. The Outcomes You Want A good meeting should not end with vague statements such as: “We will keep an eye on things.” or “We will see how they get on.” Where possible, you should leave knowing: what action has been agreed; who is responsible; when it will happen; what the intended outcome is; how progress will be measured; and when the next review will take place.
Key Questions to Ask at a SENCO Meeting
Depending on your child’s circumstances, useful questions may include:
Is my child formally recorded as receiving SEN Support?
What needs has the school identified?
What support is currently being provided?
How often is each intervention delivered?
Who is responsible for delivering it?
What is the intended outcome?
What baseline is being used?
How is progress being measured?
What support has already been tried?
Which strategies have worked?
Which strategies have not worked?
Which recommendations from professional reports have been implemented?
Are there recommendations that have not yet been put in place?
What reasonable adjustments are currently being used?
What additional adjustments could be considered?
Is further assessment required?
Is specialist advice needed?
How is my child’s emotional wellbeing being monitored?
How is attendance being considered in relation to SEND?
What will happen if the current support does not improve the situation?
When will the plan next be reviewed?
The exact questions should be tailored to your child’s needs rather than taken from a generic checklist.
Before the Meeting — Evidence Review
If required, we can review relevant documents before the meeting so that you understand:
- what the school has already recorded;
- whether needs appear to be clearly identified;
- whether provision matches those needs;
- whether targets are measurable;
- whether interventions are being reviewed properly;
- and whether important issues may have been overlooked.
This can be particularly helpful where a parent has several reports or a large amount of paperwork but is unsure how to use it in the meeting.
SEN Support Plans and APDR
A SENCO meeting is often the right place to review the current SEN Support plan.
We can help you consider whether the plan clearly sets out:
Assess
What are the child’s needs, strengths, current attainment and barriers?
Plan
What outcomes and provision have been agreed?
Do
Has the planned support actually been delivered?
Review
What impact has the support had and what changes are now required?
A strong APDR process should create a clear record of what has been tried, what happened and what should happen next.
Reasonable Adjustments
SENCO meetings are also a useful opportunity to discuss reasonable adjustments.
Depending on your child’s needs, this might include:
- written instructions;
- visual support;
- extra processing time;
- movement breaks;
- sensory adjustments;
- reduced copying;
- alternative ways of recording work;
- support with organisation;
- predictable routines;
- advance warning of changes;
- access to a quieter area;
- discreet check-ins;
- a named adult;
- adjusted homework;
- support during transitions;
- or other changes to reduce barriers.
The most useful adjustments are those linked directly to the difficulties your child is experiencing.
What If School Says Your Child Is Doing Fine?
This is a common concern.
A child can appear to be coping in school while still experiencing significant difficulty.
It may be important to consider:
- how much adult support they require;
- how independent they really are;
- how much prompting is needed;
- whether they mask difficulties;
- whether they become dysregulated at home;
- whether anxiety is increasing;
- whether attendance is deteriorating;
- or whether school performance is being maintained at an unsustainable cost.
The discussion should therefore look beyond whether a child is simply:
quiet, compliant or achieving expected grades.
What If the Meeting Has Happened Before and Nothing Changes?
If you have already attended several meetings without meaningful progress, the next discussion should focus more heavily on:
- what was previously agreed;
- whether it was delivered;
- whether it worked;
- what evidence demonstrates impact;
- what has changed since the previous review;
- and what escalation may now be necessary.
This is where written records become particularly important.
Meeting Preparation Support
We can help you prepare for the meeting by providing:
- a review of your main concerns;
- a list of priorities;
- suggested questions;
- evidence points to raise;
- reasonable adjustments to discuss;
- areas requiring clarification;
- suggested outcomes;
- and a meeting action sheet.
This gives you a structured document to work from during the meeting.
Supported SEND Casework
If you want more than meeting preparation, our Supported SEND Casework can include support through the next agreed school stage.
Depending on the agreed package, this may include:
- SEND review;
- preparation for the SENCO meeting;
- review of relevant documents;
- meeting priorities;
- questions and requested outcomes;
- online attendance at one agreed meeting;
- support presenting key concerns;
- review of what was agreed;
- and a follow-up communication.
Supported SEND Casework — From £425
What Should You Leave the Meeting With?
Ideally, you should leave the meeting knowing:
What Needs Have Been Identified
Not just that your child is “struggling”.
What Support Will Be Provided
And what that support actually means.
Who Is Responsible
So provision is not left vague.
How Often Support Will Happen
Where frequency is relevant.
What Outcomes Are Expected
So progress can be measured.
What Evidence Will Be Collected
To establish whether support is working.
When the Plan Will Be Reviewed
With an agreed review date.
What Happens If Support Does Not Work
So there is a clear escalation pathway.
When Should an EHCP Be Discussed?
A SENCO meeting does not automatically mean that an EHCP should be requested.
Many children can be supported appropriately through well-structured SEN Support.
However, an EHC needs assessment may need to be considered where:
- needs are significant or complex;
- progress remains limited despite sustained support;
- specialist provision is required;
- substantial adult support is needed;
- school is struggling to meet needs through existing resources;
- attendance is deteriorating;
- placement is becoming unstable;
- or provision needs greater specification and coordination.
If this appears relevant, we can help you consider the evidence.
Our SENCO Meeting Support Process
Step 1 — Tell Us About the Meeting
You provide the date, purpose of the meeting and your main concerns.
Step 2 — Provide Relevant Information
Where included, you send the agreed school or professional documents.
Step 3 — We Identify the Priorities
We determine the most important issues that should be raised.
Step 4 — We Prepare the Questions and Outcomes
You receive a structured meeting plan or action sheet.
Step 5 — Attend the Meeting
You use the preparation yourself, or where agreed, we can attend online as part of Supported SEND Casework.
Step 6 — Record What Was Agreed
After the meeting, the agreed actions should be confirmed in writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you help me prepare questions for the SENCO?
Yes.
We can prepare questions based on your child’s current needs, school support and available evidence.
Can you attend the meeting?
Yes, where this is included within an agreed Supported SEND Casework package and subject to availability.
Do I need to send all of my child’s records?
No.
We agree which documents are relevant to the purpose of the meeting.
Can you help if my child does not have a diagnosis?
Yes.
The meeting should focus on educational needs and barriers, not solely on diagnosis.
Can you help me ask for reasonable adjustments?
Yes.
We can help identify relevant adjustments to raise with school based on the barriers described.
What if the school does not agree with me?
We can help you prepare the evidence and questions so that your concerns are presented clearly.
The school remains responsible for its decisions, subject to its legal duties.
Can you help me after the meeting?
Yes.
Depending on the service selected, we can help review what was agreed and identify the next steps.
Prepare for Your SENCO Meeting With a Clear Plan
If you have a school meeting coming up and want to make sure the discussion focuses on the right issues, we can help you prepare.
The aim is to leave the meeting knowing:
what your child needs, what support is being provided, what needs to change and what happens next.