SEN Support Plans: Maximizing School-Based Interventions

Your child has been identified as needing SEN Support. The SENCO has mentioned creating a support plan, targets have been set, and interventions are supposedly in place. But how do you know if what’s happening is actually effective? How can you ensure your child’s SEN Support Plan is more than just a document gathering dust in a filing cabinet?

This guide will help you understand what good SEN Support looks like, how to work with schools to create meaningful plans, and how to recognize when interventions aren’t working—so you know when to push for more.

What is a SEN Support Plan?

A SEN Support Plan (sometimes called an Individual Education Plan or IEP, though the terminology varies by school) is a working document that outlines:

Core Components of a SEN Support Plan:

• Your child’s needs: A description of their special educational needs and how these impact learning
• Outcomes/targets: Specific, measurable goals your child is working toward
• Provision/interventions: What additional or different support will be provided
• Review dates: When progress will be formally reviewed (typically termly)
• Success criteria: How you’ll know if targets have been met
• Strategies: Approaches that help your child learn effectively (e.g., visual aids, movement breaks, modified instructions)

Unlike an EHCP, a SEN Support Plan is not legally binding and is managed entirely by the school. However, it should still be taken seriously, implemented consistently, and reviewed regularly.

The Graduated Approach: Assess, Plan, Do, Review

The SEND Code of Practice requires schools to use a cyclical approach to SEN Support. Understanding this cycle helps you hold schools accountable:

The Four-Stage Cycle:

1. ASSESS

Analyze your child’s needs through observation, assessment, and consultation with you and external specialists if involved. This should draw on teacher assessments, prior progress, behavior logs, and your knowledge as parents.

2. PLAN

Design targeted interventions in consultation with parents and the SENCO. Set clear outcomes, decide what additional support is needed, and agree on a review date. The plan should be shared with all staff teaching your child.

3. DO

Implement the interventions. Class teachers remain responsible for working with your child even when TAs deliver support. The approach should be monitored and adjusted if it’s not working.

4. REVIEW

Evaluate the impact of interventions against the targets set. Involve parents in reviewing progress. If adequate progress has been made, continue or adjust. If not, consider what needs to change—more intensive support, different strategies, or potentially an EHCP assessment.

This cycle should repeat every term (or more frequently if needed). If the cycle isn’t happening—if plans aren’t reviewed, if you’re not consulted, if there’s no assessment of impact—the school is not implementing SEN Support properly.

Setting Effective Targets

Targets are the heart of a SEN Support Plan. Good targets are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Bad targets are vague and unmeasurable.

Examples of Good vs Poor Targets

Poor Target (Vague)	Good Target (SMART)
“Improve reading"	"Move from Book Band 4 to Book Band 6 within one term, as measured by benchmark assessments"
"Better behavior"	"Reduce classroom refusal incidents from 5 per week to 2 per week by end of term, tracked via behavior log"
"Develop social skills"	"Initiate positive interaction with peers at least 3 times per playtime, observed and recorded by staff"
"Increase confidence"	"Volunteer to answer questions in class at least twice per lesson in familiar subjects, recorded by teacher”

If your child’s targets are vague, ask the SENCO to make them more specific. You can’t measure progress toward “better handwriting”—but you can measure “form letters correctly 80% of the time on lined paper.”

Understanding Different Types of Interventions

SEN Support can include a wide range of interventions. Understanding what’s available helps you advocate for appropriate support:

Common SEN Interventions:

Literacy Interventions:

• Phonics boosters (e.g., Beat Dyslexia, Fresh Start)
• Reading comprehension programs (e.g., Inference Training, Reading Plus)
• Precision teaching for sight words
• 1:1 or small group reading sessions

Numeracy Interventions:

• Number concepts programs (e.g., Numicon, 1st Class @ Number)
• Times tables interventions
• Pre-teaching upcoming concepts

Social/Emotional/Behavioral:

• Social skills groups (e.g., Lego Therapy, SULP)
• Emotional regulation programs (e.g., Zones of Regulation, Incredible 5 Point Scale)
• Nurture groups
• Mentoring or check-ins with key adult

Motor Skills:

• Fine motor programs (e.g., Teodorescu, Write Dance)
• Gross motor/coordination (e.g., Fizzy)
• Handwriting interventions

Speech and Language:

• Language groups (vocabulary, narrative skills, inference)
• Speech sound programs
• Communication-friendly strategies

Quality Over Quantity

More interventions don’t necessarily mean better outcomes. A child being pulled out of class constantly for multiple interventions may miss core teaching and feel stigmatized. Good SEN Support is targeted, well-delivered, and balanced with inclusion in mainstream learning.

In-Class Support vs Withdrawal Interventions

SEN Support can be delivered in different ways:

In-Class Support (Quality First Teaching Plus):

• Differentiated work and modified instructions
• Use of visual aids, manipulatives, assistive technology
• Preferential seating, movement breaks, reduced sensory load
• TA support for specific activities
• Pre-teaching of vocabulary or concepts

Benefits: Child stays with peers, doesn’t miss core teaching, less stigmatizing

Withdrawal Interventions:

• Small group or 1:1 work outside the classroom
• Intensive, focused teaching on specific skills
• Usually time-limited programs (e.g., 6-week blocks)

Benefits: Intensive, distraction-free, targeted. Risks: Missing curriculum content, potential isolation from peers

The best SEN Support usually combines both: in-class strategies that enable access to learning, plus targeted withdrawal interventions for specific skill development—carefully timetabled so core subjects aren’t missed.

How to Review Progress Effectively

SEN Support Plan reviews should happen at least termly. Here’s how to make these reviews meaningful:

Effective Review Meetings:

• Request data, not just opinions: Ask for specific evidence of progress (test scores, intervention data, work samples, behavior logs)
• Compare to targets: Have targets been met? If not, why not?
• Assess impact: Has the support made a measurable difference to your child’s learning and wellbeing?
• Share your observations: Bring examples from home—what’s better, what’s still challenging
• Question what isn’t working: If interventions aren’t effective, don’t just repeat them—change approach
• Set new targets: Build on progress or address persistent difficulties
• Document everything: Take notes or request written minutes of the meeting

Red Flags in Reviews

Warning Signs of Ineffective SEN Support:

• No concrete evidence of progress—just general statements like “doing their best”
• Targets haven’t been met repeatedly without changes to provision
• You’re told “they’re making progress for them” without quantifiable measures
• Interventions mentioned in the plan aren’t actually happening consistently
• The gap between your child and peers is widening despite support
• School suggests your child “isn’t trying hard enough” or blames behavior without addressing underlying needs
• No one can tell you specifically what interventions have been delivered and when

When to Push for More: Recognizing Inadequate Progress

The purpose of SEN Support is to enable your child to make progress. If, after two cycles of well-implemented SEN Support, your child is still not making adequate progress, it may be time to consider requesting an EHCP assessment.

Indicators That SEN Support May Not Be Sufficient:

• After two full terms of intervention, targets are consistently not being met
• The gap between your child and their peers is widening despite support
• Your child’s emotional wellbeing is deteriorating (school anxiety, low self-esteem, school refusal)
• The school cannot provide the specialist support your child needs (e.g., SALT, OT) from their resources
• Behavior incidents are increasing or becoming more serious
• Your child needs more intensive support than the school can offer through SEN Support

For detailed guidance on when and how to request an EHCP, read our article: SEN Support vs EHCP: Which Does Your Child Need?.

Working in Partnership with School

The most effective SEN Support happens when parents and schools work collaboratively. Here’s how to build that partnership:

Building Productive School Relationships:

• Communicate regularly: Don’t wait for formal reviews—touch base with the class teacher and SENCO regularly
• Share what works at home: Strategies you use successfully can inform school approaches
• Be solution-focused: When raising concerns, suggest potential approaches rather than just listing problems
• Recognize constraints: Schools face budget and staffing pressures—acknowledge these while still advocating for your child
• Document politely but thoroughly: Follow up conversations with emails summarizing what was discussed and agreed
• Celebrate progress: Acknowledge when things are going well and interventions are working

Your Rights as Parents

Under the SEND Code of Practice, parents have specific rights regarding SEN Support:

Parent Rights in SEN Support:

• Right to be consulted when your child is identified as needing SEN Support
• Right to be involved in setting targets and planning provision
• Right to regular reviews of progress
• Right to request an EHC needs assessment if you believe SEN Support is insufficient
• Right to access the school’s SEN Information Report (published on their website)
• Right to raise concerns through the school’s complaints procedure if SEN Support is inadequate

Final Thoughts: Making SEN Support Work

When implemented well, SEN Support can be transformative. The right interventions, delivered consistently by well-trained staff, can help children overcome barriers and make excellent progress without needing an EHCP.

But SEN Support only works when it’s genuinely implemented, regularly reviewed, and adapted based on impact. As a parent, staying informed, asking the right questions, and monitoring progress gives you the power to ensure your child’s SEN Support Plan is a living document that drives real progress—not just a tick-box exercise.

Trust the process when it’s working. Challenge it when it’s not. And always remember: you are your child’s best advocate.

Related Resources

• The Graduated Approach: Assess, Plan, Do, Review Explained
• SEN Register: What It Means and How It Helps
• EHCP Application Guide: Complete UK Process
• Building Your Child’s SEN Support Team