Schools support children in many ways as part of everyday practice. Simple strategies and adjustments can make a real difference to how children learn and feel in the classroom — full details are in the Mainstream Core Standards.

This leaflet covers four areas of support, with practical talking points to help you work with your child's school:

• Communication and interaction
• Cognition and learning
• Sensory and physical needs
• Social, emotional and mental health

This leaflet will help you:

• Talk confidently with school about your child's needs.
• Understand how your child is supported day-to-day.
• Recognise what's already working well.
• Explore whether additional strategies could help.

Working together

Parents, schools and professionals all play an important role. Open communication helps make sure children get the right support at the right time. Speak to your child’s class teacher, the school SENCo and other professionals involved in your child’s care. Ask what strategies are already in place, what is working well for your child and whether any additional support may be helpful.

Schools offer support at three levels:

• Universal: Strategies used with all children as part of good classroom practice.
• Targeted: Used when a concern has been identified or a child needs a little more support.
• Specialist: For children with more complex needs.

Communication and interaction

Everyone involved with children and young people has a role to play in supporting their speech, language and communication. Mainstream schools use a range of strategies to support your child. Targeted support is used when there is a concern about speech, language and communication or a need has been identified. Specialist or individualised support is used where a child has more complicated speech, language and communication needs.

Children can access all levels of support as appropriate and may benefit from support at more than one level at a given time. For most children with SLCN, universal and targeted provision will be enough to meet their needs.

The strategies below are examples you can discuss with your child’s school.

Universal support for all children

• Visual timetables to show the structure of the school day.
• Visual task boards to break learning into clear steps.
• Clear, simple instructions, often supported with visuals.
• ‘Now and next’ prompts to support transitions.
• Extra thinking or processing time.
• Consistent routines and expectations.
• Support during unstructured times such as playtime and lunchtime.

Targeted support: For children who need a little more

• Social skills groups such as Lego Therapy.
• Turn-taking and interaction games.
• Support with understanding and following instructions.
• Social Stories to explain situations or expectations.
• Comic Strip Conversations to explore social situations.
• Communication aids, such as PECS or communication boards.
• Additional adult support during key parts of the day.

Kent schools follow The Balanced System a shared approach between Kent County Council (KCC) and the NHS. This framework means children and young people with speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN) get the right support at the right time, helping them achieve the outcomes that matter to them. Find out more about the Balanced System on the KCC website.

Resources

• Using visual support at home
• Now and next boards
• Autism and communication: Comic strip conversations

Cognition and learning

Cognition and learning support focuses on how children understand, process, remember, and apply information. Schools may use assessments and classroom observations to understand how a child learns and which strategies are most helpful. This helps teaching staff to identify strengths, plan support and review progress over time. Universal supports help all children feel more confident and successful in their learning. Targeted support is usually planned, monitored, and adjusted based on the child’s progress.

Universal support for all children

• Adaptive teaching — lessons adjusted to meet different learning needs.
• Clear, structured instructions broken into small steps.
• Pre-teaching key vocabulary before new topics.
• Additional thinking or processing time.
• Chunking instructions into manageable parts.
• Learning scaffolds, such as writing frames or prompts.
• Multi-sensory approaches: visual, auditory, and hands-on learning.
• Dyslexia-friendly classroom strategies, such as clear fonts and layouts.

Targeted support: For children who need a little more

• Small group or individual support for specific skills.
• Tangible learning resources, such as number lines or maths equipment.
• Targeted spelling programmes, for example the SOS spelling system.
• Literacy support tools, such as Nessy or Clicker.
• Reinforcement of learning through additional practice or repetition.

Resources

• Pre-teaching vocabulary
• Using the S.O.S spelling strategy
• Kent's approach to supporting children with literacy challenges

Sensory and physical needs

Sensory and physical support helps children access learning comfortably and safely, supporting movement, coordination, sensory processing and physical skills. Universal support is often part of everyday classroom practice and helps children stay comfortable, focused and ready to learn. Some children may benefit from additional or more personalised sensory or physical targeted support.

Universal support for all children

• Accessible classroom environments with clear layouts and safe movement spaces.
• Flexible seating options to support posture and attention.
• Movement opportunities built into the school day.
• Calm, organised learning spaces.
• Sensory play opportunities, particularly in early years settings.

Targeted support: For children who need a little more

• Advice or programmes from Occupational Therapy (OT)
• Handwriting interventions to support fine motor skills.
• Sensory Circuits to help with regulation and readiness to learn.
• Adaptive equipment, such as pen grips, wobble cushions, or alternative seating.
• Breakout or quiet spaces for regulation or movement breaks.
• Adapted learning environments to meet specific accessibility needs.

Specialist advice

Some children may receive guidance from Occupational Therapists, who can recommend strategies and equipment, support staff with training and help review progress over time.

Resources

• Sensory processing
• Movement breaks
• Co-ordination and motor control

Social, emotional and mental health

Social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) support helps children manage their emotions, build positive relationships and engage with learning. Universal support helps all children feel safe, included, and ready to learn. Some children may benefit from more personalised SEMH support. Targeted support is tailored to each child’s needs and reviewed regularly. Talk to your child’s teacher, SENCo or other professional about what SEMH strategies are already in place, what helps your child manage emotions and stay engaged and whether additional or personalised support may be needed.

Universal support for all children

• Clear routines and expectations to provide consistency.
• Movement or learning breaks to help focus and regulate emotions.
• Safe spaces in classrooms or school for calm and reflection.
• Positive reward systems to encourage effort and achievement.
• A key adult or trusted staff member for guidance and support.

Targeted support: For children who need a little more

• Emotional regulation tools, for example the five-point scale.
• Exit cards to allow children to step away from overwhelming situations.
• Restorative approaches to resolve conflicts and build relationships.
• Pastoral support plans to identify needs and track progress.
• Risk assessments for safety and wellbeing.
• Regular parental liaison to share progress and strategies.

Specialist advice and support

Some children may receive additional guidance from professionals such as school counsellors or Emotional Wellbeing Teams. Not all schools have access to all services. Schools work alongside families to make sure strategies are consistent both in school and at home.

Resources

• Supporting behaviours
• Movement breaks
• Educational Psychology in Kent: Parent consultation line

General resources

You can find out more about support available to you and your child at the Kent County Council's Local Offer website.

Information Advice and Support Kent (IASK) offers free, impartial and confidential information, advice and support about special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) for children, young people up to age 25, parents and carers.

Independent Parental Special Education Advice (IPSEA) are Independent Provider of Special Education Advice is a registered charity operating in England. IPSEA offers free and independent legally based information, advice and support to help get the right education for children and young people with all kinds of SEND