Why do some SEND strategies work for one pupil but not another? We explore why condition-specific knowledge matters and how it can help staff make more informed, purposeful decisions in the classroom.

I don’t know about you, but when I first trained as a teacher – far too long ago to remember clearly – I cannot recall having much training around SEND conditions that I might need to support in my classroom.

Over the years, I learned ‘on the job’ the best ways to help different pupils to focus, learn and succeed. It wasn’t until I started to shadow the SENCo and show an interest in the role that I got a clearer understanding of the ‘how’ and ‘why’ different strategies worked for different learners.

Today, we expect all staff to put reasonable adjustments in place for a whole host of special educational needs and disabilities as part of quality first teaching and our universal offer.  But have we ever taken the time to explain what these needs are and why certain techniques or adjustments are more effective than others?

Or, more importantly, why certain things don’t work? Do staff really understand what a ‘reasonable adjustment’ is and why it is so important for that pupil – or do we see the suggested reasonable adjustments tried and then discarded without thought for how that may affect the pupil?

Why Does Effective SEND Support Go Beyond Generic Strategies?

A useful starting point is that SEND support is not just about knowing a list of generic strategies. All pupils are different and have different challenges. Small changes to everyday routines can also make a difference, as explored in our blog on practical ways to support SEND pupils through an inclusive morning routine

We cannot assume that what works for one pupil with autism will work for all, so having a range of strategies to hand better prepares us to offer support suitable to the individual pupil.  Staff also need to understand how a need may affect attention, communication, memory, processing, emotional regulation, sensory access or independence.

Staff need to understand that some pupils with SEND require support that is additional to or different from quality first teaching. Reasonable adjustments are intended to remove or reduce disadvantages for individual pupils, rather than simply providing the same good classroom practice for everyone. When that understanding is missing, asking staff to employ reasonable adjustments can become a checklist rather than a thoughtful response to the learner in front of us.

As a busy SENCo, I would write Individual Education Plans and EHCPs for pupils with SEND needs and share these with staff. I then expected colleagues to put the recommended support in place, while sometimes missing an important step: they may have had very little understanding of the pupil’s condition, what it meant for them as a learner, and why a particular adjustment was being suggested.

This lack of understanding can mean that, despite a SENCo’s planning, the provision needed just doesn’t work for the pupil. This may be because someone does not understand what the provision is meant to look like, or because of staff attitudes such as a distorted idea of what is ‘fair’ or unconscious bias.

Let me paint a picture for you:

 I know a boy who was excluded for a fight at hometime with another lad. TAs were present and provided written statements saying that he had started it, but the boy’s mum asked them to check CCTV as he was adamant the other boy began things. When the CCTV was checked, it was clear the other boy had in fact thrown the first punch.

The TAs had their own bias and had presumed the boy had started it.  They clearly had not been paying any attention to what actually happened. This bias had carried through to the SLT member who dealt with it and hadn’t felt the need to check the CCTV to see who started it. In this case the SLT member had to apologise to the boy and his mum.

But this anecdote shows that we need to consider staff training on issues such as bias if we want fair treatment for all pupils. Thoughts such as “it’s that child”, “it’s a LAC child”, “he’s just angry and aggressive” can reflect bias and mean that pupils who have trauma, ADHD, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder or other needs may not be treated fairly. 

If this interests you, we are running a course on ‘The Fine Line between SEND need and behaviour choice’ online on Thursday 28th January.

How Can SEND Training Support School Staff?

SEND training can help school staff understand different SEND needs, how they may affect learning and why particular strategies or adjustments can support individual pupils. This knowledge can give staff greater confidence to make informed decisions and provide more purposeful support in the classroom.

One of the great things about working for SFE is that we can create resources in response to the gaps we see in schools and classrooms. I therefore set about creating a suite of short, accessible online courses that:

• Introduce different SEND needs.
• Explain how each condition may affect learning.
• Share practical starting points for support.

The aim is that staff can complete a self-paced course and return to the classroom with a clearer understanding of the learners they support, as well as a raft of new condition-specific strategies to try and a greater understanding of how to put support in place that really works.

Who Are Our SEND Training Courses For?

Our SEND training courses are suitable for a range of school staff.

• A teaching assistant may use one to build confidence when supporting a pupil with a specific need that they have not come across before.
• ECTs may find the content useful as a focused follow-up to their initial teacher training, particularly when they want practical advice linked to pupils in their own classes.
• Courses on specific, less common conditions such as Down’s syndrome and acquired brain injury may also be helpful for a whole year group team as part of transition, so they are well prepared for pupils entering their classes the following year. 
• Courses on ADHD, dyslexia and SEMH provide support for needs that staff may encounter more frequently.

What Are the 4 Areas of SEND?

The 4 areas of SEND are Communication and Interaction, Cognition and Learning, Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH), and Sensory and/or Physical Needs, which provide a framework for understanding different types of SEND and the support individual pupils may require. In designing these courses, I thought carefully about how best to group conditions together. I decided it made sense to bring together conditions that commonly coexist or share similar features, so staff can see useful links between needs while still gaining condition-specific information and practical support.

Access SEND Support

If you are planning CPD, preparing for transition, or supporting staff who want a clearer understanding of a particular SEND need, these short self-paced SEND CPD courses are designed to offer a practical starting point. They will not replace individualised planning for a pupil, but they can help staff ask better questions, understand recommendations more confidently, and make more purposeful adjustments in the classroom.

At only £20 per course, complete with a certificate of completion, they offer real value for money. Follow this link to take a look and get started today.

If you found this blog useful, you may also be interested in reading the following blogs:

The SENCO: The Most Undervalued Member of Staff?

By Claire Steele

11
Jun

Neurodiversity and Safeguarding: Understanding Additional Vulnerabilities and Strengthening Practice

By Claire Steele

29
Apr

8 Practical Ways to Support Pupils with SEND by Providing an Inclusive Morning Routine

By Claire Steele

16
Dec

  About the Author

Claire Steele - Adviser, Services For Education

With over 20 years of experience in primary education, Claire Steele is a respected and committed school leader who has worked across a diverse range of schools and multi-academy trusts.

Her previous roles include Assistant Principal, Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), SENCo, and Senior Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead. She has also worked extensively with partners to support the delivery of a wide range of National Professional Qualifications (NPQs). Claire also holds the NPQSL, NPQLTD and NPQSENCO.

Claire is deeply passionate about creating safe, inclusive, and nurturing school environments, where the well-being of pupils is at the heart of practice. She brings her extensive knowledge, dedication, and enthusiasm to Services For Education, supporting schools in embedding effective and compassionate safeguarding and SEND practices at every level.

As part of the team of advisers at Services For Education, Claire champions SEND and equality, ensuring these values remain central to all aspects of her work. Most recently, she has developed the newly launched SEND offer from Services For Education. She also delivers high-quality safeguarding training and conducts comprehensive safeguarding audits in schools.