Glossary
What is a SENCO?
Also called: SENDCo, SENCo, special educational needs coordinator, SEN coordinator, inclusion lead
Definition
A SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) is the teacher in a school who is responsible for organising support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities and working with their parents.
What it means
In England, every mainstream state school, including academies, must have a SENCO, and they must be a qualified teacher. Some schools call the role SENDCo, or inclusion lead. In a small primary the SENCO may also teach a class; in a big secondary there may be a team.
The SENCO’s work is set out in the SEND Code of Practice. They help identify children who may have special educational needs, coordinate SEN Support using a cycle of assess, plan, do and review, liaise with outside professionals such as educational psychologists and speech and language therapists, and lead on EHCP requests and annual reviews within school. You don’t need a diagnosis for your child to get SEN Support.
What it can look like for your child
If you are worried, the SENCO is usually the right person to ask for a meeting with, alongside the class teacher. They might arrange a quiet place to go at break, a reduced timetable for a while, movement breaks, visual timetables, extra adult support or a referral to another service. A one page profile or “pupil passport” that tells staff what helps your child is common.
How counselling can help
When Gitta works in schools, the SENCO or pastoral lead is usually our main contact. They arrange the room and timetable, and we agree what will and won’t be shared. With your consent, we can give the SENCO general advice on what helps your child cope in class, without passing on the private details of sessions. A good working link between home, school and counselling makes it far more likely that what helps in sessions carries on through the week.