Notes worth a minute
A few short notes on social, emotional and mental health assessment in schools, gathered from the questions readers ask most often.
About the working name
Who are these notes for?
Teachers, SENCOs and parents looking for a short, factual starting point.
How often are they updated?
They are checked at the start of each school term.
Do the notes replace professional advice?
No. They point to the questions worth asking a qualified practitioner.
Confidentiality
A short note on Confidentiality. The figure to hold onto is shared on a need-to-know basis within the staff team; what matters is that written records follow the school's data policy.
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 Confidentiality 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.
Write down what you find before you decide anything; it makes the next step obvious. In short, Emotional literacy 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.
Keep the paperwork; it is the proof when something is queried later. That is the whole of Reviewing the plan for most readers.
Attendance
Attendance: the line most people need is checked alongside, the assessment. In practice, patterns of absence are often the earliest sign.
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 Attendance prevents most mistakes.
Who assesses
A short note on Who assesses. The figure to hold onto is the class teacher first with the SENCO; what matters 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.
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.
Transitions
If you are looking into Transitions, start here: between lessons and phases, as the risk points. The point is that the assessment should say which transitions are hardest.
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 Transitions for most readers.
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.
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 Sensory needs 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.
Keep the paperwork; it is the proof when something is queried later. In short, Triggers and functions 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.
The full set is listed on the index of notes.