Our Graduated Response
Somerset’s Graduated Response Tool sets out the barriers to learning that children and young people may have and the strategies and provision that could be in place to support them.
Somerset’s Graduated Response Tool has been created to support all users to understand the Graduated Response to Special Educational Needs in the context of current legislation. The document makes it clear ‘what to expect’ in terms of what is provided and is written for parent carers, children and young people, school staff and those who provide services to families.
The tool sets out the provision that is ordinarily available in Somerset schools at both the Universal and Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support levels.
The tool sets out the provision that is ordinarily available in Somerset schools at both the Universal and Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support levels.
Supporting documents
You can find documents to support your use of the tool below. The templates are available in a version that can be edited and most templates have a read only PDF version.
Graduated Response Flowchart
an example of what a Graduated Response might look like
Quick Checker
supports identification and conversations at the initial concern
An extract from ‘Somerset’s Graduated Response Tool’ to support initial identification of barriers under the four broad areas of SEN.
The Quick Checker can be used to support conversations between class teachers and parent carers at the initial concern or Universal stage of the Graduated Response.
Publisher version for download and edit
Word version for download and edit
Read only PDF version
Universal Barriers and Strategies Record
identify, record and review barriers and strategies
A table containing an extract of the Universal section of the ‘Broad Areas of Need’ in ‘Somerset’s Graduated Response Tool’. This could be used to identify, record and review barriers and strategies at a Universal level for individual children and young people.
Pupil Passport Template
record interests, strengths, barriers and suggested support strategies
A child-centred template for recording interests, strengths, barriers and suggested support strategies. This could be introduced at the Universal level of the Graduated Response and remain in place at SEN Support alongside the Assess, Plan, Do, Review record.
Teacher SEN Referral Process and Form Template
template for raising an initial concern
A template for raising an initial concern where SEN Support may be needed. The template guides users through the actions required at a Universal level before a request for SEN Support is made.
Assess, Plan, Do, Review (APDR) Template
A template that could be used to record the Assess, Plan, Do, Review process for children and young people at SEN Support.
Somerset Service Offer as a Graduated Response
The diagram guides users through Somerset’s Service Teams’ Graduated Response to supporting schools. In addition, there are Service Teams links for the Support Service for Education (SSE) website to signpost users to more information.
What we are working on
We are also working on the following areas and will add them to the Local Offer as soon as they are ready:
- Parent carer video
- Early Years Version – until this is ready Core Standards – Early Years applies
- Post-16 version – until this is ready Core Standards Post-16 applies
Information videos
We asked children and young people ‘If I need help with my learning, what can I expect?’ This animation features all of the fantastic ideas and opinions that children and young people suggested. This animation was created with a huge amount of help from our Young People’s Champion Nicole.
Kennedy introduces parent carers to the new co-produced Somerset Graduated Response Tool during October 2022 Local Offer Live sessions.
Other Local Authority Graduated Response or Approach
Education settings in Somerset are expected to follow Somerset’s Graduated Response.
For children and young people with SEND living in Somerset but attending school or education settings over the border you can find the approach those schools will be following in North Somerset’s Graduated Response, (go to the Graduated Response and Top up funding downloads), Bath and North East Somerset’s Graduated Approach , Wiltshire’s ordinarily available provision, Dorset’s Graduated Approach and Devon’s graduated response.