Talking to the school

Raising concerns clearly, before things become formal

Most journeys start here, not with paperwork. How you raise concerns with school staff shapes how quickly — and how well — your child gets help. A short, specific, written trail is far more powerful than it might feel in the moment.

Your rights: Schools are expected to work in partnership with parents and to take parental concerns seriously as part of the 'assess, plan, do, review' process used across the UK.

Common pitfall: Verbal reassurance is easy to give and easy to forget. If an agreement isn't written down somewhere, it effectively didn't happen when you need to prove it later.

Your voice: You're not being difficult by asking for things in writing or by escalating when you're not heard. If concerns raised two or three times haven't led to visible change, that's the moment to put it in writing to the headteacher.

• Ask for a meeting with the SENCo/ALNCo directly, rather than only raising it at pick-up or parents' evening

• Bring specific examples — what happened, when, and how it affected your child — rather than general worry

• Send a short follow-up email after every meeting summarising what was discussed and agreed

• Ask direct questions: what's in place right now, who delivers it, how often, and how will we know it's working?