In this document we explain the terms and some of the language you may hear when discussing your child’s needs in school or college.

An Education, Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment

If your child’s educational and health care needs are not being met within the school or college’s SEND budget, an EHC Needs Assessment can be requested. A parent, school/college or health professional (i.e. GP) can request this assessment.

The Local Authority will consider the request, and decide within 6 weeks, whether an assessment will be undertaken. It is the first step to getting an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan). An EHC plan can result in additional support and funding for a child or young person with special educational needs (SEN).

Annual Review

An Annual Review is a statutory requirement to review the needs and provision written in an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC plan or sometimes known as an EHCP). It ensures a child/young person is making progress toward their outcomes, which is the change you are trying to achieve, and receiving the provision (tools and support) in order to meet these. In the Annual Review teachers, education professionals and parents will review these to see if they need to change.

The first review of the EHC plan must be held within 12 months of the EHC being finalised. The date will be on the original EHC plan. Subsequent reviews should be held within 12 months from the previous review.

Educational Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan Or EHCP)

An education, health and care Plan (EHCP/EHC plan) is for children/young people aged 0 to 25 years who need more support than is available through special educational needs support (SEND), usually provided by the school/college SEND budget through One Planning. EHC plans identify educational, health and social needs of the child/young person and set out the additional support to meet those needs.

An EHC plan is a legally binding document between the child and the Local Authority and a school/college has a duty of care to fulfil the support written within the document. The plan will detail long-term targets (outcomes) for the child and young person, and how they must be supported. Plans are reviewed annually, at an Annual Review meeting and termly at One Planning meetings which discuss shorter-term targets.

Educational Psychologist (EP)

Educational psychologists (EP) work within local authorities, in partnership with families and other professionals, they help children and young people achieve their full potential. EP’s support schools and the local authority to improve all children’s experiences of learning. They are often the key professional commissioned as part of an EHC needs assessment.

Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA)

Educational psychologists (EP) work within local authorities, in partnership with families and other professionals, they help children and young people achieve their full potential. EP’s support schools and the local authority to improve all children’s experiences of learning. They are often the key professional commissioned as part of an EHC needs assessment.

Learning Mentor

A person responsible for supporting children to help overcome their “barriers” to learning. There are many barriers to learning that children with SEN experience: Fatigue, Anxiety, not being able to record work accurately, low ability to understand and social communication problems.

A Learning Mentor will help the child navigate these barriers and the support offered might include 1:1 support or small group work (called interventions), such as anger management, emotional resilience or social skills training. This intervention work is often outside the classroom. Learning Mentors will work with students to develop coping strategies, to be able to access their learning more consistently. Learning Mentors should have undergone additional training and assessment to fulfil this role.

Learning Support Assistant (LSA) / Teaching Assistant (TA)

A Person responsible for delivering 1:1, small group or whole class support, under supervision of the class teacher. This may include interventions such as handwriting, social and emotional skills, maths boosters, reading support, behaviour management, depending on their skills/training and qualifications.

One Page Profile

A single-page document summarising a child’s needs, interests, strengths and how they are best supported in their school/college.

This may be the starting point for further support, via One Planning. A parent or school can draw up a one page profile for teachers to use. These are particularly useful when a child is starting a new school (transitioning to secondary school) or moving up a new year group. It provides a useful snapshot to the child.

Outcomes Meeting

A Person who is responsible for co-ordinating all SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) support for children in their educational setting (schools/colleges).

Part of their role is to identify children with SEND, ensuring their needs are appropriately supported, through staff and resources and outside agency support.

Team Around The Child/Team Around The Family (TAC/TAF)

A TAC or TAF meeting involves key educational and health practitioners and the child/young person, along with their parents or carers. The purpose of a TAC/TAF meeting is for practitioners and family members to share information and to create a solution-based action plan of ongoing support.