Notes worth a minuteReliable answers: quick notes

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

The full set is listed on the Confidentialityindex of notes .Confidentiality: the line most people need is shared on a need-to-know basis, within the staff team. In practice, written records follow the school's data policy.

The child's own viewThe primary source has the final word, and it is worth a minute to check it.

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.Do the cheap checks before the expensive ones. That is the whole of Confidentiality for most readers.

That is a general note rather than a rule; check the current details before you rely on it.Adverse experiences

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.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.

Learning needsThat is a general note rather than a rule; check the current details before you rely on it.

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.Write down what you find before you decide anything; it makes the next step obvious. Knowing this about Adverse experiences prevents most mistakes.

Treat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.Triggers and functions

Keep the paperwork; it is the proof when something is queried later. In short, Learning needs is worth a minute before you commit.If you are looking into Triggers and functions, start here: what happens before and after, a behaviour. The point is that the function (escape, attention, sensory, tangible) points to the support.

Reviewing the planTreat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.

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.Keep the paperwork; it is the proof when something is queried later. In short, Triggers and functions is worth a minute before you commit.

Record keeping: the line most people need is dated, factual, brief, as the standard. In practice, a good record can be read by a stranger and understood.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.

Emotional literacyThat is a general note rather than a rule; check the current details before you rely on it.

A short note on Emotional literacy. The figure to hold onto is named feelings as a measurable skill; what matters is that a child who can name a feeling can usually be taught to manage it.When in doubt, choose the simpler option first; it is the one least likely to need undoing. Knowing this about Record keeping prevents most mistakes.

Treat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.Reasonable adjustments

Do the cheap checks before the expensive ones. In short, Emotional literacy is worth a minute before you commit.A short note on Reasonable adjustments. The figure to hold onto is written into the plan and shared with every teacher; what matters is that a plan only the SENCO knows about is not a plan.

Measuring progressTreat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.

If you are looking into Measuring progress, start here: the baseline chart repeated, after the support. The point is that the comparison, not the impression, decides the next cycle.Do the cheap checks before the expensive ones. In short, Reasonable adjustments is worth a minute before you commit.

The primary source has the final word, and it is worth a minute to check it.Who assesses

Write down what you find before you decide anything; it makes the next step obvious. That is the whole of Measuring progress for most readers.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.

EHC needs assessmentThe primary source has the final word, and it is worth a minute to check it.

EHC needs assessment in one line: requested when the graduated approach has been tried. Beyond the number, the request needs the evidence of cycles, not just a description of need.Write down what you find before you decide anything; it makes the next step obvious. That is the whole of Who assesses for most readers.

That is a general note rather than a rule; check the current details before you rely on it.Whole-school factors

Keep the paperwork; it is the proof when something is queried later. Knowing this about EHC needs assessment prevents most mistakes.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.

Peer relationshipsThat is a general note rather than a rule; check the current details before you rely on it.

Peer relationships: the line most people need is assessed as part of the picture, not separately. In practice, isolation and conflict are both SEMH markers.Keep the paperwork; it is the proof when something is queried later. Knowing this about Whole-school factors prevents most mistakes.

Treat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.Figures are general guidance; the primary source takes precedence.

If something changes, note the date; patterns only show up with dates on them. In short, Peer relationships is worth a minute before you commit.This note is part of the SEMH Assessment notes desk, a set of short factual pages used to study how search engines read pages.

Figures are general guidance; the primary source takes precedence.See also:

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 .