Understanding Your Rights

According to the law, all schools and colleges must provide access to education and learning for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). SEND refers to a disability or condition that makes learning more challenging, requiring additional support beyond what is provided to other students of the same age. You can learn more about your legal rights on our 'Your Rights' page.

​

The Graduated Approach to Support

If you have SEND, your school or college should collaborate with you to identify your needs and determine how best to support you. This is known as the "graduated response," which involves four key steps:

​

Assess – Identifying your specific needs.

Plan – Developing a plan for the support you will receive, including who will provide it and how often.

Do – Implementing the agreed-upon plan and providing the necessary support.

Review – Evaluating the effectiveness of the support by assessing your progress (at least three times per year) and seeking your feedback.

This is a continuous process, and schools should repeat these steps as needed. If the support you are receiving is not enough, please contact us.

​

Types of Support Available

There are various ways schools and colleges can provide support, such as:

• Additional help from a teacher or learning support assistant

• Modifying or providing special materials and equipment

• Small group work

• Classroom or break-time observations

• Assistance with participating in class activities

• Support with social interaction

• Help with physical or personal care needs

• One-to-one assistance with tasks such as reading, writing, math, or speech and language

If you want to know what specific support is available at your school or college, consider requesting a meeting to discuss your options. Our decision-making toolkit might be useful for this purpose. For those thinking about changing schools or settings, visit our education information and advice page.

Steps You Can Take

If you believe you need more SEND support than what you are currently receiving, you can:

• Speak with a teacher or trusted staff member to explore how they can help you with your learning and overall well-being.

• Discuss your concerns with a parent or trusted adult who can support you in these conversations and attend meetings with you.

• If you do not have an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP), consider requesting an EHC needs assessment.

• If you already have an EHCP, you can request a review to see if additional support can be provided.

• For more information and advice, you can contact us through our advice line.

​

How We Can Help

We are here to work with you and provide support tailored to your needs. This could include phone conversations, emails, or helping you arrange a school or college visit or meeting. With your consent, we can also work with your parent, carer, or support worker.

​

Appeals and Mediation for EHCP in Torbay