The Graduated Approach: Assess, Plan, Do, Review Explained

The graduated approach is the foundation of effective SEN Support in UK schools. It’s a four-stage cyclical process—Assess, Plan, Do, Review—that ensures children’s needs are identified, interventions are implemented, and impact is measured. When done well, it’s a powerful framework for supporting children with SEN. When done poorly, it’s a box-ticking exercise that leads nowhere.

This guide will help you understand how the graduated approach should work in practice, recognize when it’s being implemented effectively, and know what questions to ask when it’s not delivering results for your child.

Understanding the Graduated Approach

The SEND Code of Practice (2015) requires schools to adopt a graduated approach to identifying and supporting pupils with SEN. This approach recognizes that intervention is a cycle, not a one-time event. Each stage informs the next, creating a continuous improvement loop.

The Four Stages:

1. ASSESS

Identify and analyze the child’s needs through data gathering and professional judgment

2. PLAN

Design targeted interventions and set clear, measurable outcomes in partnership with parents

3. DO

Implement the plan with quality teaching and additional support as outlined

4. REVIEW

Evaluate the impact and effectiveness of interventions, then return to Assess with new insights

Stage 1: ASSESS - Identifying and Analyzing Needs

Effective assessment goes beyond “this child is struggling.” It requires detailed analysis of what specific barriers exist and why.

What Good Assessment Looks Like

Comprehensive Assessment Includes:

• Teacher observations: Specific examples of where the child struggles and succeeds
• Assessment data: Reading ages, phonics screening, maths assessments, cognitive ability tests
• Prior attainment: Understanding the child’s starting point and rate of progress
• Comparison to peers: Not to label, but to understand the gap and what’s needed to close it
• Parent input: Your knowledge of your child’s strengths, difficulties, and what works at home
• External specialist advice: Where appropriate—EP, SALT, OT, medical professionals
• The child’s own views: What do they find hard? What helps them learn?

Red Flags in the Assess Stage

• Assessment is based solely on “teacher says they’re struggling” without data
• Parents aren’t consulted about their child’s needs
• No baseline data exists to measure progress against
• Needs are described vaguely (“lacks confidence,” “finds learning difficult”) without specificity
• No attempt to understand the root cause of difficulties (e.g., is poor reading due to phonics gaps, working memory issues, vision problems?)

Stage 2: PLAN - Designing Effective Interventions

Once needs are clearly identified, the school should create a plan in consultation with you. This plan must be specific, evidence-based, and targeted to the assessed needs.

What Should Be in the Plan

A Quality SEN Support Plan Contains:

• Clear outcomes: SMART targets that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound
• Specific interventions: Named programs or strategies (e.g., “Precision Teaching for high-frequency words,” not just “extra reading support”)
• Frequency and duration: How often and for how long interventions will run (e.g., “3 x 20-minute sessions per week for 6 weeks”)
• Who’s responsible: Which staff member will deliver the intervention
• Resources needed: Materials, technology, or specialist equipment
• Success criteria: How you’ll know if the target has been met
• Review date: When progress will be formally reviewed (typically end of term)
• Parent role: What, if anything, parents should do at home to reinforce learning

Questions to Ask During Planning

• Is this intervention evidence-based for this type of need?
• How will we measure progress toward these targets?
• What baseline data exists so we can track improvement?
• Who will deliver the intervention and what training have they had?
• When during the school day will this happen? Will my child miss other lessons?
• What happens if the intervention isn’t working after the first few weeks—will you adjust it?

Stage 3: DO - Implementing the Plan

This is where theory meets practice. The plan must be implemented with fidelity—meaning it’s delivered as intended, consistently, by appropriately trained staff.

Good Implementation Practice

Effective Implementation Means:

• Consistency: Interventions happen as scheduled, not when convenient
• Quality delivery: Staff are trained in the intervention and deliver it correctly
• Record keeping: Sessions are logged, and data is collected on progress
• Whole-school approach: All staff teaching your child know about their plan and implement strategies
• Ongoing monitoring: Teacher/SENCO check in regularly to see if it’s working, making minor adjustments as needed
• Communication: Parents are kept informed of how implementation is going

Red Flags in Implementation

• Interventions frequently cancelled due to staff absence or timetable clashes
• No records exist of when sessions actually happened
• Your child reports not doing the intervention mentioned in their plan
• Different staff deliver sessions each time with no handover
• Classroom teachers don’t know what’s in the SEN Support Plan
• No progress data is being collected during the intervention period

Stage 4: REVIEW - Measuring Impact and Adjusting

Review is where you evaluate whether the interventions worked. This should happen at least termly, though some schools review more frequently.

What Good Reviews Look Like

Effective Review Meetings Include:

• Data presentation: Concrete evidence of progress (or lack thereof) toward targets
• Analysis of impact: Did the intervention work? If so, why? If not, why not?
• Parent contribution: Your observations of changes (or lack of change) at home
• Child’s voice: Where age-appropriate, the child’s perspective on what’s helping
• Decision making: Clear decisions about next steps—continue, modify, stop, or escalate to EHCP assessment
• Updated plan: New targets set based on progress made
• Documentation: Written record of the review shared with parents

The Critical Question: Is It Working?

The purpose of the Review stage is to honestly evaluate impact. Three possible outcomes exist:

✓ Intervention is working - child is making progress

Continue the intervention or transition to lighter-touch support. Set new targets for next cycle.

~ Some progress but not enough

Adjust the intervention—increase frequency, change approach, address implementation issues. Continue for another cycle.

✗ Little to no progress despite good implementation

After two cycles with minimal progress, consider whether SEN Support is sufficient or if an EHCP assessment should be requested.

Common Failures in the Graduated Approach

While the graduated approach is sound in theory, implementation failures are common. Recognizing these helps you advocate for better practice:

Typical Implementation Failures:

• Static cycling: Same interventions repeated term after term despite lack of progress, with no escalation
• Missing stages: Jumping straight to Plan without proper assessment, or implementing without reviewing impact
• Parent exclusion: Plans created and reviewed without meaningful parental involvement
• No data collection: Reviews based on feelings and opinions rather than measurable outcomes
• One-size-fits-all interventions: Every child gets the same intervention regardless of their specific needs
• Inadequate implementation: Plans written but not actually delivered consistently
• Failure to escalate: Continuing SEN Support indefinitely even when it’s clearly insufficient

Holding Schools Accountable

If the graduated approach isn’t being implemented properly, you have the right to challenge this:

Steps to Take When the Approach Isn’t Working:

• Document the failures: Keep records of missing reviews, unimplemented interventions, lack of progress data
• Request a meeting: Speak to the SENCO and explain your concerns specifically
• Reference the Code of Practice: Schools must follow the graduated approach—it’s not optional (SEND Code 6.44-6.56)
• Involve governors: If SENCO doesn’t respond, raise concerns with the SEN governor
• Formal complaint: Use the school’s complaints procedure if informal routes fail
• Request EHCP assessment: If SEN Support isn’t working after two good-faith cycles, you may need to bypass the school and request assessment directly from the LA

Final Thoughts: The Cycle Should Drive Progress

The graduated approach is designed to be dynamic and responsive. Each cycle should lead to better understanding of your child’s needs and more effective support. If you’re seeing the same concerns raised term after term with no meaningful change, the cycle has become stuck.

As a parent, understanding how the graduated approach should work gives you the language and framework to advocate effectively. You can ask informed questions, recognize good practice, and spot when the system isn’t serving your child.

Don’t be afraid to challenge a cycle that’s going nowhere. Your child deserves support that makes a real difference—not just a process that ticks boxes.

Related Resources

• SEN Register: What It Means and How It Helps
• SEN Support Plans: Understanding the Graduated Approach
• EHCP Application Guide: Complete UK Process
• Building Your Child’s SEN Support Team