A few short notes
A few short notes on social, emotional and mental health assessment in schools, gathered from the questions readers ask most often. These notes travel under the working name quolvendrix stremquade.
Strengths-based assessment
Strengths-based assessment in one line: what the child can do as the starting point. Beyond the number, a profile built only from difficulties gives a plan with nothing to build on.
Treat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.
If something changes, note the date; patterns only show up with dates on them. In short, Strengths-based assessment is worth a minute before you commit.
What SEMH covers
What SEMH covers: the line most people need is social, emotional and mental health, as one of the four broad areas of need. In practice, it replaced the older BESD label in the 2015 Code of Practice.
The primary source has the final word, and it is worth a minute to check it.
When in doubt, choose the simpler option first; it is the one least likely to need undoing. That is the whole of What SEMH covers for most readers.
Frequency and intensity
A short note on Frequency and intensity. The figure to hold onto is recorded on a simple chart over two to three weeks; what matters is that a baseline makes any change after support visible.
That is a general note rather than a rule; check the current details before you rely on it.
Do the cheap checks before the expensive ones. Knowing this about Frequency and intensity prevents most mistakes.
Who assesses
If you are looking into Who assesses, start here: the class teacher first, with the SENCO. The point is that external specialists come in when the school's own graduated approach has not worked.
Treat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.
Write down what you find before you decide anything; it makes the next step obvious. In short, Who assesses is worth a minute before you commit.
Peer relationships
Peer relationships in one line: assessed as part of the picture not separately. Beyond the number, isolation and conflict are both SEMH markers.
The primary source has the final word, and it is worth a minute to check it.
Keep the paperwork; it is the proof when something is queried later. That is the whole of Peer relationships for most readers.
When to involve health
When to involve health: the line most people need is persistent low mood, self-harm, eating changes, as prompts. In practice, the school refers; it does not assess these itself.
That is a general note rather than a rule; check the current details before you rely on it.
If something changes, note the date; patterns only show up with dates on them. Knowing this about When to involve health prevents most mistakes.
Standardised tools
A short note on Standardised tools. The figure to hold onto is published questionnaires with age norms; what matters is that they compare a child to peers; they do not explain why.
Treat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.
When in doubt, choose the simpler option first; it is the one least likely to need undoing. In short, Standardised tools is worth a minute before you commit.
Learning needs
If you are looking into Learning needs, start here: screened as well, not assumed absent. The point is that unrecognised literacy difficulties present as behaviour more often than not.
The primary source has the final word, and it is worth a minute to check it.
Do the cheap checks before the expensive ones. That is the whole of Learning needs for most readers.
Figures are general guidance; the primary source takes precedence.
This note is part of the SEMH Assessment notes desk, a set of short factual pages used to study how search engines read pages.