Ordinarily available provision refers to the support that every school and college provides to help all children and young people learn. This should include high-quality, inclusive teaching, ensuring every child feels welcome and can succeed, no matter their background or abilities. Schools and colleges provide a wide range of support to help all children and young people succeed.
Ordinarily Available Provision and SEND Support
Welcome to the section of the Local Offer website that provides information on how schools support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND). This includes support available via Hampshire’s Ordinarily Available Provision and SEND Support.
Every child and young person deserves an education that meets their needs, promotes high standards, and enables them to reach their full potential. Their education should help them:
- Achieve their highest potential
- Become confident individuals leading fulfilling lives
- Successfully transition into adulthood, whether through employment, further education, higher education, or training, and
- Thrive in their education setting.
The information, advice, and resources in the Hampshire Local Offer will help support children and young people in their educational setting.
Hampshire SENDIASS run regular workshops for parents who would like to learn more about SEN support.
What is Ordinarily Available Provision and SEND support?
Ordinarily available provision refers to the support that every school and college provides to help all children and young people learn. This should include high-quality, inclusive teaching, ensuring every child feels welcome and can succeed, no matter their background or abilities. Schools and colleges provide a wide range of support to help all children and young people succeed.
Sometimes the support offered to all children in school is not enough. If parents and carers are worried about their child's progress, they should talk to the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO), or the staff member leading on SEND, at their child’s school or college. They will guide parents and carers on getting extra support.
If extra help is needed, this is called SEND support, and the school or college will work closely with parents and carers to put a plan in place. This may be called a ‘SEND support plan’ or an ‘Individual Education Plan’. The plan will outline the child's needs and the support they will receive. All schools and colleges should provide this as part of their regular support.
Sometimes the support offered to all children in school is not enough. If parents and carers are worried about their child's progress, they should talk to the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO), or the staff member leading on SEND, at their child’s school or college. They will guide parents and carers on getting extra support.
If extra help is needed, this is called SEND support, and the school or college will work closely with parents and carers to put a plan in place. This may be called a ‘SEND support plan’ or an ‘Individual Education Plan’. The plan will outline the child's needs and the support they will receive. All schools and colleges should provide this as part of their regular support.
There are different types of SEND support available which don’t necessarily need an Education, Health and Care Plan.
Support is available for:
- Understanding information and remembering what has been learned,
- Communicating information and being able to interact with others,
- Emotional, social and mental health (which may include anxiety),
- Physical needs or needs linked to sensory areas.
There are different types of SEND support available which don’t necessarily need an Education, Health and Care Plan.
Support is available for:
- Understanding information and remembering what has been learned,
- Communicating information and being able to interact with others,
- Emotional, social and mental health (which may include anxiety),
- Physical needs or needs linked to sensory areas.
The Graduated Approach refers to the system of SEN support within mainstream settings. It starts with assessing the needs of children and young people and then providing appropriate support.
SEN support should arise from a four part cycle, known as the graduated approach, through which earlier decisions and actions are revisited, refined and revised, leading to a growing understanding of the pupil’s needs and of what supports the pupil in making good progress and securing good outcomes. The four stages of the cycle are:
- Assess
- Plan
- Do
- Review.
The Graduated Approach refers to the system of SEN support within mainstream settings. It starts with assessing the needs of children and young people and then providing appropriate support.
SEN support should arise from a four part cycle, known as the graduated approach, through which earlier decisions and actions are revisited, refined and revised, leading to a growing understanding of the pupil’s needs and of what supports the pupil in making good progress and securing good outcomes. The four stages of the cycle are:
- Assess
- Plan
- Do
- Review.
The majority of children and young people will have their needs met through ordinarily available provision or additional help that is put in place by the school, known as SEND support. Sometimes this will be put in place with advice from specialist services. Some children or young people who have high or complex needs may need an Education Health and Care (EHC) Plan.
If your child has Special Educational Needs, the nursery, school or college should record what:
- SEN they have identified your child, or you as a young person, as having
- outcomes they expect to be achieved by your child and when, and
- provision is being put in place to reach those outcomes.
This should be written down in an SEN Support record. This helps settings see what progress your child is making.
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice places great importance on involving parents and young people in identifying, understanding and taking decisions about special educational needs. For parents to be at the heart of decision making about their child or young person it is helpful for them to know how their Child or Young Person’s school or setting will make decisions about any extra support and what form that support should take. They are often concerned whether their Child or Young Person will be given as much support as they need, and how they can help.
As part of this information gathering the school or setting will ask for your views, and those of your child or young person. If there are other professionals working with your family this is a helpful point to share that information. The school or setting can then work with you to agree the additional support that will be put in place to help your child or young person to make better progress and what everyone will do to make that happen. You will also agree how and when you will keep track of how things are going and when you will meet together to review progress.
Once your child or young person is receiving support the school should offer to meet with you regularly to look at your child or young person’s progress, set new goals and discuss the activities and support that will help your child or young person achieve them. Sometimes the school or setting will want to ask for additional specialist advice. In this case they will discuss this with you.
The majority of children and young people will have their needs met through ordinarily available provision or additional help that is put in place by the school, known as SEND support. Sometimes this will be put in place with advice from specialist services. Some children or young people who have high or complex needs may need an Education Health and Care (EHC) Plan.
If your child has Special Educational Needs, the nursery, school or college should record what:
- SEN they have identified your child, or you as a young person, as having
- outcomes they expect to be achieved by your child and when, and
- provision is being put in place to reach those outcomes.
This should be written down in an SEN Support record. This helps settings see what progress your child is making.
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice places great importance on involving parents and young people in identifying, understanding and taking decisions about special educational needs. For parents to be at the heart of decision making about their child or young person it is helpful for them to know how their Child or Young Person’s school or setting will make decisions about any extra support and what form that support should take. They are often concerned whether their Child or Young Person will be given as much support as they need, and how they can help.
As part of this information gathering the school or setting will ask for your views, and those of your child or young person. If there are other professionals working with your family this is a helpful point to share that information. The school or setting can then work with you to agree the additional support that will be put in place to help your child or young person to make better progress and what everyone will do to make that happen. You will also agree how and when you will keep track of how things are going and when you will meet together to review progress.
Once your child or young person is receiving support the school should offer to meet with you regularly to look at your child or young person’s progress, set new goals and discuss the activities and support that will help your child or young person achieve them. Sometimes the school or setting will want to ask for additional specialist advice. In this case they will discuss this with you.
The education setting should follow a process known as ‘assess, plan, do, review’ to evaluate and assess the impact of interventions in meeting the child or young person’s needs.
Settings must have 'regard' for statutory guidance set out in the SEND Code of Practice 2015. In law, to have 'regard' means that they should follow this guidance unless they have a very good reason not to, such as they already have something better in place.
Key principles of the SEND Code of Practice:
- Education settings must work with parents and carers to establish the support the child or young person needs.
- The support should be tailored to the child or young person’s needs.
- The SEND support should be checked every term, and progress should be monitored closely.
- There should be regular updates and discussions with parents and carers about progress and any changes that may be needed, with the SENCO or staff member leading on SEND.
The education setting should follow a process known as ‘assess, plan, do, review’ to evaluate and assess the impact of interventions in meeting the child or young person’s needs.
Settings must have 'regard' for statutory guidance set out in the SEND Code of Practice 2015. In law, to have 'regard' means that they should follow this guidance unless they have a very good reason not to, such as they already have something better in place.
Key principles of the SEND Code of Practice:
- Education settings must work with parents and carers to establish the support the child or young person needs.
- The support should be tailored to the child or young person’s needs.
- The SEND support should be checked every term, and progress should be monitored closely.
- There should be regular updates and discussions with parents and carers about progress and any changes that may be needed, with the SENCO or staff member leading on SEND.
Nursery and Early Years
Nurseries are expected to publish how they support children and young people who need extra support. This is usually published in the Local Offer directory or you can contact the provider directly.
Schools
Every school must publish a SEN Information Report on their website and keep the report up to date. The report includes information such as:
- the type of support the school provides
- their approach to teaching children and young people with SEND
- how they will involve parents in their child’s education and engage with young people
Schools need to explain what they can offer in terms of:
- arrangements they have for admitting children with disabilities
- steps they are taking to make sure disabled children receive fair treatment
- facilities they provide for disabled children
- plans they have for improving access in the future
Colleges
Colleges are also expected to publish how they support young people who need extra support. Start with reading the post-16 and college options information.
Additional Information
If you need help finding more information about the support available via ordinarily available provision and SEND support in nursery, school or college, please visit their website or contact the education setting directly. You can do this by visiting get Information about Schools - GOV.UK.
Nursery and Early Years
Nurseries are expected to publish how they support children and young people who need extra support. This is usually published in the Local Offer directory or you can contact the provider directly.
Schools
Every school must publish a SEN Information Report on their website and keep the report up to date. The report includes information such as:
- the type of support the school provides
- their approach to teaching children and young people with SEND
- how they will involve parents in their child’s education and engage with young people
Schools need to explain what they can offer in terms of:
- arrangements they have for admitting children with disabilities
- steps they are taking to make sure disabled children receive fair treatment
- facilities they provide for disabled children
- plans they have for improving access in the future
Colleges
Colleges are also expected to publish how they support young people who need extra support. Start with reading the post-16 and college options information.
Additional Information
If you need help finding more information about the support available via ordinarily available provision and SEND support in nursery, school or college, please visit their website or contact the education setting directly. You can do this by visiting get Information about Schools - GOV.UK.
If parents and carers are concerned that these steps are not being taken, they should have a discussion with the SENCO, or staff member leading on SEND in the first instance. If there are further concerns, they may wish to speak to other senior leaders in the education setting.
See further information at Resolving Difficulties at School.
Hampshire SENDIASS have further information and advice, including online workshops on their website.
If parents and carers are concerned that these steps are not being taken, they should have a discussion with the SENCO, or staff member leading on SEND in the first instance. If there are further concerns, they may wish to speak to other senior leaders in the education setting.
See further information at Resolving Difficulties at School.
Hampshire SENDIASS have further information and advice, including online workshops on their website.
The Ordinarily Available Provision and SEND Support guidance sets out the aspects of provision which should be available to all children, and the support that can be put in place to support additional needs where an Education, Health and Care Plan is not required.
The guidance provides a toolkit that can be used to ensure needs are met without more specialised support, wherever possible.
You can explore further guidance on Ordinarily Available Provision and special educational needs and disabilities support.
The Ordinarily Available Provision and SEND Support guidance sets out the aspects of provision which should be available to all children, and the support that can be put in place to support additional needs where an Education, Health and Care Plan is not required.
The guidance provides a toolkit that can be used to ensure needs are met without more specialised support, wherever possible.
You can explore further guidance on Ordinarily Available Provision and special educational needs and disabilities support.
I think my child might have special educational needs, what should I do?
Speak to the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) or staff member in school who leads on special educational needs.
What is a SENCO?
Staff member who leads on special educational needs and who is usually known as the special educational needs coordinator.
My child is not getting the help they need in their school, what should I do?
Speak to the class teacher and SENCo. If you are still experiencing problems then it would be worth trying to meet with someone from the senior leadership team. If you want to express a concern formally, this should always be done through the complaints policy and process. You should be able to find the school's complaints policy on their website but if you can't they must give it to you if you ask for it.
For further information on complaining about a school please see Types of complaints - GOV.UK.
What is a school expected to do if they think my child has SEN?
The school should be looking into the adjustments and support that your child needs in order to be successful. Once they have identified they should then be implementing a cycle of plan, do, review to see how the support is helping and any adjustments that need to be made. All schools are expected to do this from their core funding.
I think my child might have special educational needs, what should I do?
Speak to the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) or staff member in school who leads on special educational needs.
What is a SENCO?
Staff member who leads on special educational needs and who is usually known as the special educational needs coordinator.
My child is not getting the help they need in their school, what should I do?
Speak to the class teacher and SENCo. If you are still experiencing problems then it would be worth trying to meet with someone from the senior leadership team. If you want to express a concern formally, this should always be done through the complaints policy and process. You should be able to find the school's complaints policy on their website but if you can't they must give it to you if you ask for it.
For further information on complaining about a school please see Types of complaints - GOV.UK.
What is a school expected to do if they think my child has SEN?
The school should be looking into the adjustments and support that your child needs in order to be successful. Once they have identified they should then be implementing a cycle of plan, do, review to see how the support is helping and any adjustments that need to be made. All schools are expected to do this from their core funding.
Who is protected by the Equality Act 2010?
You’re disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.
What do ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ mean?
- ‘substantial’ is more than minor or trivial, for example a condition that makes it harder to do every days tasks such as getting dressed, eating or walking.
- ‘long-term’ means 12 months or more, for example a condition that is life long, or expected to last years.
If a person is disabled under the Equality Act 2010, how must education settings support them?
It’s against the law for a school or other education provider to treat disabled students unfavourably because of their disability. This includes:
- direct discrimination, for example refusing admission to a student or excluding them because of disability
- indirect discrimination, for example only providing application forms in one format that may not be accessible
- discrimination arising from a disability, for example a disabled pupil is prevented from going outside at break time because it takes too long to get there due to a problem walking
- harassment, for example a teacher shouts at a disabled student for not paying attention when the student’s disability stops them from easily concentrating
- victimisation, for example suspending a disabled student because they have complained about harassment
Reasonable adjustments
An education provider has a duty to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to make sure disabled students are not discriminated against. These changes could include providing extra support and aids (like specialist teachers or equipment).
Schools are not subject to the reasonable adjustment duty to make alterations to physical features, like adding ramps, but when new schools are built, buildings will be made accessible for disabled pupils as part of the overall planning duties.
More information on discrimination and what to do if it happens.
Who is protected by the Equality Act 2010?
You’re disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.
What do ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ mean?
- ‘substantial’ is more than minor or trivial, for example a condition that makes it harder to do every days tasks such as getting dressed, eating or walking.
- ‘long-term’ means 12 months or more, for example a condition that is life long, or expected to last years.
If a person is disabled under the Equality Act 2010, how must education settings support them?
It’s against the law for a school or other education provider to treat disabled students unfavourably because of their disability. This includes:
- direct discrimination, for example refusing admission to a student or excluding them because of disability
- indirect discrimination, for example only providing application forms in one format that may not be accessible
- discrimination arising from a disability, for example a disabled pupil is prevented from going outside at break time because it takes too long to get there due to a problem walking
- harassment, for example a teacher shouts at a disabled student for not paying attention when the student’s disability stops them from easily concentrating
- victimisation, for example suspending a disabled student because they have complained about harassment
Reasonable adjustments
An education provider has a duty to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to make sure disabled students are not discriminated against. These changes could include providing extra support and aids (like specialist teachers or equipment).
Schools are not subject to the reasonable adjustment duty to make alterations to physical features, like adding ramps, but when new schools are built, buildings will be made accessible for disabled pupils as part of the overall planning duties.
More information on discrimination and what to do if it happens.
Transitioning to the next phase of education can be an exciting, but also daunting time for many children. For children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) receiving SEN Support, the change may be particularly challenging.
We have a wealth of information and ideas to make transitions successful here.
Transitioning to the next phase of education can be an exciting, but also daunting time for many children. For children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) receiving SEN Support, the change may be particularly challenging.
We have a wealth of information and ideas to make transitions successful here.
Hampshire SENDIASS offer accurate, up-to-date, and impartial resources and information about the law on special educational needs and disability.
This covers:
- Education, health, and social care
- National and local policy
- The Local Offer
- Your rights and choices
- Your opportunities to participate
- Where you can find help and advice
- How you can access support
This video explains how SENDIASS works and what they offer.
Visit SENDIASS resources and explore publications, or join their workshops on a range of topics such as;
- Applying for an EHCP
- Checking draft EHC Plans
- Ordinarily Available Provision and SEND support
- Alternative Provision
- Appeals to the SEND Tribunal
SENDIASS has joined with the HPCN to provide face to face information and advice in venues around Hampshire. Find out more about HPCN/SENDIASS Get Togethers.
Hampshire SENDIASS offer accurate, up-to-date, and impartial resources and information about the law on special educational needs and disability.
This covers:
- Education, health, and social care
- National and local policy
- The Local Offer
- Your rights and choices
- Your opportunities to participate
- Where you can find help and advice
- How you can access support
This video explains how SENDIASS works and what they offer.
Visit SENDIASS resources and explore publications, or join their workshops on a range of topics such as;
- Applying for an EHCP
- Checking draft EHC Plans
- Ordinarily Available Provision and SEND support
- Alternative Provision
- Appeals to the SEND Tribunal
SENDIASS has joined with the HPCN to provide face to face information and advice in venues around Hampshire. Find out more about HPCN/SENDIASS Get Togethers.
Hampshire Parent Carer Network (HPCN) supports parents and carers of children and young people (0-25) with additional needs or disabilities, including mental health issues. The HPCN provides a platform for you to share your experiences with the Local Authority, Health, and other services.
As a friendly group of parent carer Representatives with children and young people who have a range of SEND, we are invited to a number of board meetings with professionals, where we represent the voice of the parent carers of Hampshire. The more feedback we receive, the better we can serve the parents across the county and ensure your views are heard to help shape the services available.
What We Offer:
- Get Togethers : Connect with other parent carers, share experiences, and discuss local issues. We will collect anonymous feedback on key topics and ongoing conversations to present to relevant services. Our Get Togethers are a drop-in service – no need to book, just come along!
- Workshops & Guest Speakers: All of our sessions are FREE to parent carers in Hampshire!
- Supportive Community: Join our online platforms, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, including 8 Facebook subgroups tailored for parents in different areas. Share guidance, ask questions, and build a support network within your local community.
- Book your tickets for our workshops via Ticket Tailor and access everything you need through our Linktree!
For more information:
- Visit our website
- Or email us at participation@hpcn.org.uk
Hampshire Parent Carer Network (HPCN) supports parents and carers of children and young people (0-25) with additional needs or disabilities, including mental health issues. The HPCN provides a platform for you to share your experiences with the Local Authority, Health, and other services.
As a friendly group of parent carer Representatives with children and young people who have a range of SEND, we are invited to a number of board meetings with professionals, where we represent the voice of the parent carers of Hampshire. The more feedback we receive, the better we can serve the parents across the county and ensure your views are heard to help shape the services available.
What We Offer:
- Get Togethers : Connect with other parent carers, share experiences, and discuss local issues. We will collect anonymous feedback on key topics and ongoing conversations to present to relevant services. Our Get Togethers are a drop-in service – no need to book, just come along!
- Workshops & Guest Speakers: All of our sessions are FREE to parent carers in Hampshire!
- Supportive Community: Join our online platforms, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, including 8 Facebook subgroups tailored for parents in different areas. Share guidance, ask questions, and build a support network within your local community.
- Book your tickets for our workshops via Ticket Tailor and access everything you need through our Linktree!
For more information:
- Visit our website
- Or email us at participation@hpcn.org.uk
