Why school can be hard
School often expects children to learn through listening, reading, writing, remembering, sitting still, following instructions and working at a certain speed.
A child with learning needs may struggle with reading, writing, maths, understanding instructions, copying from the board, working independently, completing tasks, tests, homework, friendships and confidence.
Behaviour at school may show up as refusing work, becoming silly, shutting down, asking to go to the toilet often, complaining of feeling sick or saying "I'm stupid". These are usually signs the work is too hard, they don't understand, they feel embarrassed or they are overwhelmed.
SEN Support — the first step
Most children with learning needs are supported through SEN Support in school. This may include:
- Differentiated work and smaller learning steps
- Visual supports and pre-teaching of vocabulary
- Extra processing time and repetition
- Small group or 1:1 adult support
- Practical learning and overlearning
- Assistive technology
- Alternative ways to show understanding
- Printed notes and reduced copying
- Emotional and friendship support
- A clear individual support plan, reviewed with parents
Ask to speak with the class teacher and the SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator). Every school has one.
Classroom adjustments that help
- One instruction at a time
- Visual timetable and now/next board
- Word banks, number lines, concrete resources
- Task checklists and chunked worksheets
- Larger print, clear layout, coloured overlays if helpful
- Writing frames and sentence starters
- Peer buddy
- Quiet space and movement breaks
- Repeated teaching and lots of praise
Teacher do's and don'ts
Do: check understanding, use visuals, break tasks down, give extra time, praise effort, offer help privately, adapt work to the child's level, work with parents and SENCO, focus on progress, protect confidence.
Don't: shame mistakes, put the child on the spot, compare with peers, make them read aloud unexpectedly, say "this is easy", assume refusal means laziness, remove support too quickly.
Homework
A task that takes another child 20 minutes may take a child with learning needs over an hour. Homework after a long day of coping at school is exhausting.
- Set a time limit and stop before meltdown
- Break work into small steps
- Read instructions aloud; use assistive technology
- Ask school to adjust the amount
- Focus on quality over quantity
- Communicate with school if homework damages wellbeing every night
When SEN Support is not enough — EHCP
An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document for children and young people (0–25) whose needs cannot be met by SEN Support alone. It sets out the child's needs and the support the local authority must provide.
You may want to request an EHCP needs assessment if:
- Your child is falling significantly behind despite school support
- They need substantially more help than peers
- Their needs affect communication, independence or daily life
- School support is not enough to make progress
You — or the school — can request an assessment from the local authority. You do not need a diagnosis to apply.
Evidence that helps
- School reports and SEN support plans
- Teacher comments and work samples
- Reading and maths assessments
- Educational psychologist, SaLT or OT reports
- Paediatrician letters
- Attendance and behaviour logs
- A parent diary showing daily support needed at home
Where to get help
- Class teacher and SENCO
- GP and health visitor
- Educational psychologist and specialist teacher
- Speech and language therapist; occupational therapist
- Paediatrician; learning disability team
- SENDIASS — free, impartial SEND advice in your local area
- Local authority SEND team
Key message
You are not asking for too much. You are asking for what your child needs to learn. Every meeting, email and diary entry is part of building the support that will help them thrive.