Parent/Carer questions to ask schools with children at SEN support or with an EHC plan
This guide offers suggested questions you may wish to ask when visiting a school. They cover a range of topics so please select the most relevant for your child or may be a prompt for other questions you want to ask.
Questions highlighted in BOLD are key questions which when asked, parents feel are important
General Questions:
- How many children in the school have SEND?
- How many children are there in each class? How many staff, teachers, teaching assistants?
- Does the school offer a transition package for children with SEND? What does it look like?
- How do you involve parents in the monitoring and planning for children with SEND?
- What support do you offer families?
- What experience do you have working with and supporting children with language difficulties?
- Have you got a child in school with similar needs?
- Does your school specialise in helping children with…?
- What support do you usually offer for children with…?
- How will the ‘hours’ in the EHCP be used once my child moves on to secondary school?
- Is the whole school wheelchair friendly?
- For children with large equipment e.g. where will their standing frame be kept?
Pastoral Support Questions:
- Will there be a key person involved with my child?
- Will I be able to contact them?
- How do you liaise between home and school?
- How can I be reassured that all staff involved with my child understands his or her needs?
- Who would my child go to if they had a problem?
- Are there any social or support activities/opportunities for children with SEND?
- Are there any safe places/havens for children to visit during break, lunch or unstructured times?
- What support is provided for children with SEMH, especially to help manage change – a supply teacher or a different classroom?
- What out of school clubs are there for my child?
- What happens at lunchtimes?
- How do they pay for their dinner?
- Can they have their dinner in a quiet place?
- Will they be with pupils they already know?
- What personal care facilities do you have?
- How close are the toilets to the classrooms?
- What evacuation procedures are in place for children with SEND?
- How will my child access ICT, assistive technology and other equipment?
Classroom Support Questions:
- How much time is spent in the classroom versus removal for group or one-to-one sessions?
- Who provides extra support for children with SEND?
- When are the interventions delivered?
- How would you ensure that my child has access to the national curriculum and also appropriate differentiation?
- What visual strategies do you use in school?
- What support do you get from outside agencies?
- How do you deliver or follow advice or programmes from these professionals?
- What ‘reasonable adjustments’ would be made for my child?
- How is my child's progress tracked and monitored?
- How is support allocated, by year group, subject or personal?