SEND Assessment

by Judith Carter

Published 24 June 2021

Part of The Essential SENCO Toolkit series, this invaluable resource offers practical ideas and materials to allow SENCOs and SEN practitioners to capture learning, demonstrate the impact of SEN support, and analyse whether provision is effectively tackling barriers to learning.

Chapters introduce a shared language of learning and move through seven key components: cognition, communication, creativity, control, compassion, co-ordination and the curriculum.

Key features include:

  • A framework for the holistic assessment of skills and attributes that contribute to accessing the curriculum, and a framework for intervention that is additional to, or different from, the differentiated curriculum
  • A unique strengths-based progress tracker that establishes a baseline to inform intervention and determine progress over time
  • A photocopiable and downloadable programme of materials, trialled and tested in both primary and secondary settings, that can be shared with teachers, senior leaders and support staff, as well as with parents/carers and pupils

Providing a framework to create a holistic profile of the child and their needs, SEND Assessment empowers professionals to confidently demonstrate progress for barriers to learning that are otherwise difficult to measure. It will support SENCOs in their day-to-day roles and become a vital tool for those interested in providing effective SEN provision in educational settings.


SEND Intervention

by Judith Carter

Published 27 February 2022

The second in The Essential SENCO Toolkit series, this resource clarifies and explores the key distinctions between quality first teaching adjustments, resources/support and interventions. It allows practitioners to develop their practice effectively and strategically to capture the true impact of SEND provision, by shifting the focus from the 'who and when' to the 'what and why'.

Chapters also include original frameworks - the 4 Functions of Learning Support - to help with the deployment of teaching assistants and to provide a shared language of support, as well as resources that support the application of the 7 Cs Learning Portfolio (introduced in the first book in the series, SEND Assessment) and an intervention index to fully understand the purpose and effectiveness of interventions.

Key features offered:

  • An introduction to the 4 Functions of Learning Support, providing a measurable language of learning support to help practitioners to organise and deploy teaching assistants as part of their SEND provision
  • An intervention index to enable individual or MAT-based SENCOs to capture their own evidence base regarding the purpose and impact of interventions
  • Intervention action cards and targeted outcomes for all 49 themes within the 7 Cs Learning Portfolio
  • A photocopiable and downloadable programme of materials that can be used by readers to gain a better understanding of interventions.

SEND Intervention will promote confidence and clarity regarding the rationale for SEND provision. This essential resource provides a practical toolkit to support both new and experienced SENCOs and SEN practitioners.