Supporting a Struggling Student (England & Wales) by Mary O'Sullivan

⒈ Initial Concern

marydonne — 2025-10-01 15:25:17 UTC

🚩 Teacher observes signs that student is struggling (behavioural, social, or academic).

⒉ Collect Evidence

marydonne — 2025-10-01 15:27:35 UTC

✅ Teacher should gather classwork, assessment results, observation notes, and compare with peers, check attendance, and any other possible wellbeing factors.

⒊ Consider the Learner's Language Needs

marydonne — 2025-10-01 15:29:27 UTC

Ask: is English an Additional Language (EAL)?
⬇️ Use language screening, consult EAL/ESL specialist.
➡️ If yes: provide targeted English support, monitor progress.
➡️ If no improvement after support: continue down SEND route.

⒋ Implement QFT (Quality First Teaching)

marydonne — 2025-10-01 15:32:06 UTC

✅ Create and deliver inclusive lessons with built-in differentiation options e.g. scaffolding tasks, providing visuals, using sentence starters, modelling, and flexible grouping.

✅ Record strategies and outcomes.

⒌ Parent/Carer Involvement

marydonne — 2025-10-01 15:33:56 UTC

✅ Meet with parents/carers to share concerns.
✅ Provide home strategies and request background info (development, medical history, languages spoken at home).

⒍ Monitor & Review (Wave 1 → Wave 2 support)

marydonne — 2025-10-01 15:37:31 UTC

⬇️ Monitor and review progress as part of the Assess–Plan–Do–Review (APDR) cycle - track the impact of Wave 1 over 6–8 weeks.

➡️ If progress is limited, introduce Wave 2 targeted small-group interventions (e.g. phonics boosters, guided reading, maths catch-up) and record outcomes.

⬇️ Prepare to escalate to Wave 3 with SENCO input.

⒎ Escalation to SENCO (Wave 3)

marydonne — 2025-10-01 15:41:19 UTC

⬇️ If progress remains limited after Wave 2 interventions, consult the SENCO.
➡️ SENCO coordinates personalised support (Wave 3), which may include one-to-one interventions, specialist assessments, or referrals to external professionals (e.g. educational psychologist, speech and language therapist).
➡️ Continue to involve parents/carers at every stage.

8. Formal Referral

marydonne — 2025-10-01 15:45:42 UTC

⬇️ If persistent difficulties despite interventions, SENCO/teacher + parents agree referral.
⬇️ School begins Special Educational Needs (SEN) support plan or applies for EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) assessment.

9. Outcomes

marydonne — 2025-10-01 15:47:20 UTC

✅ If needs met in class ➡ continue differentiated strategies & monitoring.
✅ If identified SEND ➡ implement SEN Support or EHCP with tailored provision.

References

marydonne — 2025-10-01 15:50:52 UTC

Department for Education, & Department of Health. (2015). Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years. Department for Education. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25

Department for Education. (2020). Guidance on teaching pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. Department for Education. (This is linked in Step 8.)

National Association for Special Educational Needs. (2023). Teacher resources and guidance. NASEN. https://nasen.org.uk

The Bell Foundation. (2021). EAL assessment framework for schools. The Bell Educational Trust Limited. https://www.bell-foundation.org.uk

SEND Gateway. (2016). The graduated approach: SEND support and the assess, plan, do, review cycle. Whole School SEND. https://www.wholeschoolsend.org.uk/