The number of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is increasing across the UK. More than 1.7 million children are now identified as having SEND, and the number of Education, Health and Care Plans continues to grow. This rise puts added pressure on mainstream schools to strengthen their SEND provision, and meet a wide variety of needs, often without the additional resources or time required.
SEND provision in schools is about much more than meeting statutory requirements. It is about ensuring that every child has access to learning, can take part fully in school life, and has the opportunity to thrive. With demand growing, many schools are asking how they can provide the right support in a realistic and sustainable way.
In this blog, we explore how schools can strengthen their approach to SEND. We look at practical whole-school strategies, ways teachers can support pupils day to day, and how tools like school planners can help staff monitor progress, share information and keep every pupil on track.
Table of Contents
What is SEND provision in a mainstream school?
SEND provision in a mainstream school is the support put in place to help pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) take part in lessons and make progress. This can include things like extra help from a teaching assistant, changes to how lessons are taught, specialist equipment, or small group work. The aim is to make sure all pupils can access learning, take part in school life, and reach their full potential.
According to Mencap, SEND provision is:
“…what schools and similar settings use to find and meet the needs of children with special educational needs (SEN).”
SEND provision will look different in each school, and depends on a few factors such as:
- the type of diagnosis that the pupils have
- the number of staff available to deliver tailored learning
- the resources which are available.
The ultimate goal, is of course, to allow each pupil full access to the curriculum and to be able to flourish and learn in school. The quality of SEN provision will vary from school to school, with some being better equipped than others. It is the legal duty of all schools to provide SEN support.
We looked at SEN schools in our comprehensive guide. These are schools where children whose needs cannot be met in mainstream education can receive more specialised teaching
Mainstream schools in the UK follow the SEN code of practice which requires that schools should do their best to ensure parents and pupils are actively supported. It is also important that both students and parents are involved in the process of providing support.
The guide provides guidance on the legal requirements that all childcare providers must follow, as well as statutory guidelines. It is important that schools are aware of the code and follow it to ensure adequate care is provided for pupils, and that safeguarding standards are adhered to.
The code states: ‘The quality of teaching for pupils with SEN, and the progress made by pupils, should be a core part of the school’s performance management arrangements and its approach to professional development for all teaching and support staff.’
The current SEN crisis in UK schools
According to the latest government figures, over 1.7 million children have SEN needs in UK schools. This figure has increased by 5.6% since 2024. The number of children with EHC plans has increased by 11.1% since 2024.
These figures give an insight into the pressure that is being put on schools, and the additional resources – in terms of planning, staff and knowledge – that are needed.
Using various strategies, we can help schools strengthen their SEND provision and manage the high numbers of SEN that are being identified. We know that SEN is an area of high-demand and that children and parents often encounter a frustrating and difficult process in getting the support that they need.
Due to long waiting times and lack of appropriate or timely diagnosis, intervention in schools is crucial.
What are whole-school strategies for SEN?
SEND provision in a mainstream school is the support provided to help pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) take part in lessons and school activities. This might include things like one-to-one support, small group work, adapted resources, or changes to how lessons are taught.
Effective SEN provision in a mainstream school comes down to a variety of factors:
- There needs to be a positive, inclusive environment as well as interventions and adaptations to allow access to the curriculum.
- There also needs to be a variety of resources, both physical and pedagogical, to facilitate this.
As with any school or indeed any organisation, a smooth system which is understood and accessible to all is of utmost importance. The culture and morale of a school comes from above, the leadership team are absolutely intrinsic to how well the school is running.
Therefore SEND provision in a school has to be understood and useful to all those who need to use it. Staff need to be aware of how the systems work and be able to deal with issues when SLT are not present, or even indeed when the SENDco is not present.
SEND Matters have written a very interesting article about how schools should be running a whole school approach to SEN. They ask – ‘can decisions about SEN be made while the SENDco isn’t there?’ They see this as an indication that the school has a water-tight system running.
How can teachers support high numbers of SEND pupils?
Teachers can support high numbers of SEND pupils by using a range of strategies, resources, and training to meet different needs in the classroom. This includes adapting lessons, offering additional support where needed, creating inclusive learning environments, and working closely with teaching assistants and support staff.
Although schools have seen an increase in pupils with SEN and/or an EHCP, this does not mean that the education system has been able to keep up or adequately provide for all of these children. Waiting lists are long and valuable professionals such as speech therapists are not readily available.
There are various resources that can be used in the meantime. There are many online teaching programmes that are being used in schools, especially for speech therapy. Training for staff can also be given this way, with many online institutions offering staff development courses designed to improve SEND provision and staff confidence in supporting pupils with SEN.
Can school planners help with SEN support?
Yes, school planners can play a valuable role in supporting pupils with special educational needs (SEN) by improving organisation, communication, and tracking of support.
A large part of delivering an effective and water-tight SEN approach in a school lies in how organised and how effective communication is in the school. This is absolutely key to the running of a school anyway.
Each pupil will have specific needs and targets, and it can be very difficult for each member of staff to know what these are. Of course, those with an EHCP will have targets written down, but progress needs to be monitored and each person in the school who contributes to the children’s education must be able to access this information.
We developed the pages in our school planners to help record and monitor the specific needs for each child and the kind of support being provided. Part of the SEND journey will be holistic, and allow the pupil to be a part of the ethos of the school. As stated in the code:
‘All pupils have a right to effective teaching and full participation in a school’s community. It is set out in international agreements’
(the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989) and education law in England (the Equality Act, 2010 and the Children and Families Act, 2014)
Our planners help support SEND students by keeping everything they need in one place. Schools can include pages that show each pupil’s needs, targets and the support they are getting. This makes it easier for staff to understand how to help each student.
You can also add things like visual timetables, behaviour charts or check-in pages to help pupils feel calm and stay on track. The planner can be used at school and taken home, so parents can see how their child is doing and what support is in place. For SEND students, having clear information and routines written down helps them feel more confident and better supported every day.
If you’d like to see how this could work in your school, just ask us for a free sample pack, we’ll send you examples of the pages and layouts other schools are using to support their SEND provision strategy.