Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO)

A SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) is a teacher who is responsible for coordinating support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in their school or setting. This includes pupils at SEN Support and those with an Education, Health and Care Plan.

The SENCO will provide professional guidance to colleagues and will work closely with staff, parents, and other professionals. By being aware of the Local Offer and working with others, they will ensure that learners with SEN receive appropriate support and high quality teaching.

The key responsibilities of a SENCO include:

• Identifying pupils with SEND: through a graduated approach, SENCOs work with teachers and other professionals to identify pupils who may have SEND. This may involve conducting assessments and reviewing pupil progress.
• Assessing pupil needs: Once a pupil has been identified with SEND, the SENCO will assess their individual needs. This will involve gathering information from teachers, parents, and the pupils themselves.
• Developing and implementing support plans: The SENCO will work with the pupil, their parents, and their teachers to develop an appropriate plan that meets the pupil's individual needs. The plan will outline the specific support that the pupil will receive and how their progress will be monitored.
• Working with parents, teachers, and other professionals: SENCOs work closely with parents, teachers, and other professionals to ensure that pupils with SEND receive the support they need to succeed, including at key transition points. This may involve providing training and support to teachers, liaising with other professionals such as speech and language therapists and educational psychologists, and advocating for the pupil's needs.

How can I contact my child's SENCO?

You can contact your child's SENCO by speaking to their teacher or by contacting the school office. The school office will be able to provide you with the SENCO's contact details. Details are also available on the school's SEN information report, available on the school's website.
 

What are my rights as the parent of a child with SEND?

You have several rights as a parent of a child with SEND, including:

• The right to be involved in your child's education: You have the right to be involved in all aspects of your child's education, including any support that is put in place.
• The right to appeal decisions about your child's education: You have the right to appeal decisions about your child's education, such as decisions about their placement and support.

Parents and carers must be notified of any additional or different help that their child receives, and this should be reviewed regularly to ensure that they are making good progress and to set new targets. If the child's school plans to make any changes to the level of support the child receives, they should discuss this with the parents or carers.

The importance of the SENCO role

Every mainstream school must have a qualified teacher with training and/or experience in Special Educational Needs (SEN) to be the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO). However, every teacher is a teacher of SEN. All teachers are responsible for providing SEN support and adhering to the Code of Practice.

SENCOs should work closely with parents to improve outcomes for children and young people. Parents have valuable expertise and knowledge about their child to share. Home and school should work in partnership to agree on the support.

All early years providers also need to have an identified member of staff to act as a SENCO.

As a parent, you may want to speak to someone outside of the school or  setting about your concerns and ask for some information or advice. The Plymouth Information and Advice for SEND Support Service is a specialist support service for all families in the Plymouth area. The service can provide you with impartial and confidential information and support about additional or special educational needs.

Frequently asked questions

What is a SENCO?

A SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) is a teacher who is responsible for coordinating support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

What does a SENCO do?

A SENCO's responsibilities include identifying pupils with SEND, assessing their needs, developing and implementing an appropriate plan and working with parents, teachers, and other professionals to ensure that pupils with SEND receive the support they need to succeed.

How can I contact my child's SENCO?

You can contact your child's SENCO by speaking to their teacher or by contacting the school office.

What are my rights as the parent of a child with SEND?

You have several rights as a parent of a child with SEND, including the right to be involved in your child's education and to have a say in their support plan.

Continue reading 

• What are schools expected to provide?
• School SEN information reports
• The School Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) Guide

Plymouth's Local Offer is organised into four main categories covering the following age ranges:

• Early years (0 to 5 years old)
• Primary (5 to 11 years old)
• Secondary (11 to 18 years old)
• Preparing for adulthood

 Plymouth Local Offer homepage

Is the information correct?

Let us know if the information on this page is wrong and needs to be updated.