Notes: the lines that matter

A few short notes on social, emotional and mental health assessment in schools, gathered from the questions readers ask most often.

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Record keeping

A short note on Record keeping. The figure to hold onto is dated, factual, brief as the standard; what matters is that a good record can be read by a stranger and understood.

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 Record keeping 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.

If something changes, note the date; patterns only show up with dates on them. Knowing this about Reasonable adjustments prevents most mistakes.

Who assesses

Who assesses in one line: the class teacher first with the SENCO. Beyond the number, 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.

When in doubt, choose the simpler option first; it is the one least likely to need undoing. In short, Who assesses is worth a minute before you commit.

Whole-school factors

Whole-school factors: the line most people need is policies and routines, reviewed alongside. In practice, a child's need sometimes describes the setting more than the child.

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 Whole-school factors for most readers.

The child's own view

A short note on The child's own view. The figure to hold onto is asked directly in an age-appropriate way; what matters is that a drawing or a scaling question works where an interview does not.

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 The child's own view prevents most mistakes.

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.

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, Learning needs is worth a minute before you commit.

Reviewing the plan

Reviewing the plan in one line: termly at least. Beyond the number, a plan that has not changed in a year has probably not been reviewed.

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 Reviewing the plan for most readers.

Strengths-based assessment

Strengths-based assessment: the line most people need is what the child can do, as the starting point. In practice, a profile built only from difficulties gives a plan with nothing to build on.

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 Strengths-based assessment prevents most mistakes.

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.

See also: another short note.