Statementing of SEN
A statement of SEN (often just called a statement) is the end result of a statutory assessment. A statement describes all your child’s special educational needs and the additional help that your child should receive. The local authority will usually make a statement if your child’s needs meet the agreed SEN criteria and his/her needs cannot be met without additional support to the school.
You will have been asked twice about your views; during the statutory assessment and when the proposed statement was sent to you. You will also have seen how the statement is set out. Once any discussions about the proposed statement have been finished a final statement will be sent to you and to all the professionals working with your child.
Once the final statement is issued the statement is active and the provision described should start to be put in place. Your child will continue to receive support from school but this support will be supplemented by the local authority so that all the provision written into the statement can happen.
If you are not happy with what is written in the final statement you have the right to appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST). You will also be offered the services of the Parent Partnership Officer and the Disagreement Resolution Service.
Once the statement is in force it must be reviewed at least once a year by the school to make sure that it is still appropriate. You will be part of this meeting - it is called the annual review.
Related pages:
- Statutory Assessment
- Statutory Assessment and Advisory Group (STAG)
- Supporting SEN
- Support in School for SEN
- Special Educational Needs
- Parent Partnership Service
Leaflets and publications:
- Parent Partnership leaflets
- SEN Guide for Parents
- SEN Code of Practice
- Removing Barriers to Achievement (government guidance)
Information for practitioners:
- Implementation Review Unit statement on SEN and disability – minimising bureaucracy
- TeacherNet - SEN Toolkit
- Inclusive Schooling – Children with Special Educational Needs
- Every Child Matters
- TeacherNet – SEN and Disability
- TeacherNet – whole school issues
External websites:
Contact us:
The Pupil Assessment Support Team
School Improvement and Inclusion
3rd Floor, New Town House
Buttermarket Street
Warrington, WA1 2NJ
Tel: 01925 442935
Email: esvpast@warrington.gov.uk
