Best Practice

Assess, plan, do review: The graduated approach to SEN

SEND SENCOs Inclusion Quality First Teaching Lesson planning Pedagogy
The graduated response helps teachers to meet the needs of SEN students through the assess, plan, do, review cycle. Sara Alston looks at how schools, the SEND team, and teaching staff can deliver this approach effectively
The APDR cycle: The foundation of the graduated response to SEN is the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle. This is the responsibility of all teachers and it is essential that teachers understand this process - Adobe Stock

The SEND Code of Practice is clear that the teaching of children with SEN is the responsibility of all teachers, including when those children are also supported by the SENCO and/or teaching assistants.

This support should be part of a graduated response. This graduated response should be based in a continuous cycle of action and review reflecting and responding to children’s changing needs. It is a planned response when children are not making progress despite receiving quality first teaching and ordinarily available provision.

The foundation of the graduated response is the Assess, Plan, Do, Review (APDR) cycle. As this is the responsibility of all teachers, it is essential that all teachers understand and engage with this process and support.

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