mordquivane treshquall: 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 mordquivane treshquall.
Whole-school factors
Whole-school factors in one line: policies and routines reviewed alongside. Beyond the number, a child's need sometimes describes the setting more than the child.
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 Whole-school factors prevents most mistakes.
Triggers and functions
Triggers and functions: the line most people need is what happens before and after, a behaviour. In practice, the function (escape, attention, sensory, tangible) points to the support.
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, Triggers and functions is worth a minute before you commit.
Adverse experiences
A short note on Adverse experiences. The figure to hold onto is noted, not diagnosed by the school; what matters is that the school's job is to adjust the environment, not to treat.
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 Adverse experiences for most readers.
Reasonable adjustments
If you are looking into Reasonable adjustments, start here: written into the plan, and shared with every teacher. The point is that a plan only the SENCO knows about is not a plan.
That is a general note rather than a rule; check the current details before you rely on it.
Write down what you find before you decide anything; it makes the next step obvious. Knowing this about Reasonable adjustments prevents most mistakes.
Sensory needs
Sensory needs in one line: asked about in every SEMH assessment. Beyond the number, noise, light and touch sensitivities are easy to miss.
Treat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.
Keep the paperwork; it is the proof when something is queried later. In short, Sensory needs is worth a minute before you commit.
Observation
Observation: the line most people need is several settings and times, not one lesson. In practice, behaviour in a maths lesson and in the playground often tell different stories.
The primary source has the final word, and it is worth a minute to check it.
If something changes, note the date; patterns only show up with dates on them. That is the whole of Observation for most readers.
Reviewing the plan
A short note on Reviewing the plan. The figure to hold onto is termly at least; what matters is that a plan that has not changed in a year has probably not been reviewed.
That is a general note rather than a rule; check the current details before you rely on it.
When in doubt, choose the simpler option first; it is the one least likely to need undoing. Knowing this about Reviewing the plan prevents most mistakes.
Emotional literacy
If you are looking into Emotional literacy, start here: named feelings, as a measurable skill. The point is that a child who can name a feeling can usually be taught to manage it.
Treat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.
Do the cheap checks before the expensive ones. In short, Emotional literacy is worth a minute before you commit.
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.