Wirral’s Graduated Approach
What is the Graduated Approach?
Every child and young person has the right to learn and do their best in education. The Graduated Approach helps schools, colleges and other education settings give the right support at the right time. This makes sure children and young people get the help they need to learn and make progress.
The Graduated Approach has four levels of support. At each level, there are different ways to help children and young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Universal Support
All children and young people receive inclusive, quality first teaching in the classroom. Reasonable adjustments are made where needed, such as using a time out card to go to a quiet space, using a tablet for writing or wearing noise-cancelling headphones.
Tier 1
All pupils
Targeted Support
Some children and young people may need extra short-term support. This might include phonics catch-up groups, guided reading, small maths groups, activities to support communication skills or help for things like anxiety.
Tier 2
+
Universal Support
Some pupils
Tier 3
Targeted Plus Support
A smaller number of children and young people may need more individual support. This can include personalised plans and support from specialists like speech and language therapists or educational psychologists.
+
Universal Support
+
Targeted Support
+
Universal Support
A very few pupils
A few pupils
Specialist Support
Children and young people with complex and more long-term needs may need an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Only a small number of children will require this level of specialist support.
Tier 4
+
Targeted Support
+
Targeted Plus Support
The Graduated Approach and Ordinarily Available Provision
Ordinarily Available Provision and the Graduated Approach are used together by schools and colleges. They help them provide inclusive education that ensures every child receives the support they need. Ordinarily Available Provision sets the expectations of universal support. Staff can use strategies when they are needed for any child who needs that support. It is the school’s and college’s own everyday cycle of assessment that tells them when pupils need help.
The Graduated Approach explains the assessment cycle and how education staff should use it to decide when pupils need more personal, targeted, or specialist support.
The assessment cycle
Assess
Identify needs by observing the pupil, looking at their work and marks, and talking to their family.
Agree what you would like the pupil to achieve and the strategies and people that will help them to do it.
Plan
Do
Use the strategies and do the things you have identified
Review
See how the pupil is doing and decide if different support is needed.
You can find more information about the Graduated Approach and Ordinarily Available Provision by clicking on the documents below. They will open as pdf files that you can download. If you need any help with information on this page, you can go to a SENDLO Drop In and our SENDLO team will be able to help you. Details of all the Drop Ins are in ‘What’s On’.
