Choosing an education provider

When considering an education provider, it is best to prepare a list of questions that are appropriate for your child or young person and their needs.

You may like to keep notes about the education providers you are interested in using a table, like this table designed by Devon Information, Advice and Support Service.

1. Approximately how many students will be in your child or young person’s class?
2. How much time does the SENCO have to devote to SEND work?

1. What will the education provider do to make sure that all the staff know about your child or young person’s individual needs?
2. Are there any other students at the education provider with similar special educational needs and what provision is made for them?
3. Does the education provider have experience in supporting students with similar needs to your child or young person? If not, what will they do to prepare?
4. How will support be provided for your child or young person e.g. in or out of class, whole class, small groups or one to one?
5. What specialist training do education provider staff have and is this being kept up to date?
6. How does the education provider access specialist advice?

1. How will you be kept up to date about how your child or young person is getting on at the education provider?
2. How will you be involved in planning for your child or young person’s needs?
   1. You should expect to meet with the education provider at least 3 times a year to discuss your child or young person and review their progress. A record of the outcomes, action and support agreed through each discussion should be kept and shared with all the appropriate staff. This record should be given to you.
3. What should you do if you have concerns about your child or young person?

1. How will other students be helped to understand your child or young person’s needs?
2. How does the education provider make sure that all students are welcome and that differences are respected?
3. How will your child or young person be helped to settle in and to make friends?
4. How does the education provider celebrate students' success?
5. How will the education provider make sure your child or young person has the chance to take part in all areas of the curriculum, including outings and trips?
6. Do students at the education provider appear happy, friendly, and helpful? Could your child or young person fit in here?

1. How does the education provider help students learn how to behave appropriately?
2. Some with SEND benefit from a structured, predictable environment. How closely does the education provider stick to a timetable?
3. Are rules made clear or is there an ‘unwritten code of conduct’ that a child or young person with SEND may not pick up easily?
4. What support is there for students in the playground and at break times?
5. Statistically, children with SEND are more likely to be involved in bullying compared to children without SEND, often as victims, sometimes as perpetrators. How does the education provider deal with bullying?

1. What help will the education provider give your child or young person to increase their independence?
2. How will your child or young person be helped to move on successfully to the next phase in their life, including school, college, and adulthood?

1. How well supported do they think their children are?
2. How helpful do they find the education provider when issues arise?

1. Who will have overall care of your child or young person?
   1. Meet them and be sure to see where your child or young person will sleep, wash and eat.
2. Who should your child or young person go to if they are worried or have a problem?
3. What happens if your child or young person needs help or attention in the night?
4. What privacy will your child or young person have?
5. How and when will you be contacted about your child or young person?
6. How can you keep in touch with your child or young person?
7. Will your child or young person be able to join organised out of setting activities such as scouts, dance clubs, football teams?
8. What will your child or young person do if they stay there over the weekend? Will they have opportunities to shop, cook, clean and play as they would at home?