Updated on
February 26, 2026
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February 26, 2026
Month-by-month SENCO planning calendar covering EHCP deadlines, Assess-Plan-Do-Review cycles, transition planning, staff training, and SEND register audits for UK schools.
SENCOs manage more statutory deadlines, review cycles, and multi-agency commitments than any other middle leader in a school. Missing a single EHCP annual review window or failing to submit exam access arrangement evidence on time creates cascading problems for pupils, families, and the school's legal standing. Despite this, most SENCOs work from fragmented to-do lists rather than a structured annual plan. This calendar provides a single reference document covering every major SENCO responsibility across the academic year, mapped to the statutory timelines set out in the SEND Code of Practice (DfE, 2015).
September is the SENCO's most compressed month. Three tasks must happen simultaneously: updating the SEND register with accurate data, screening the new intake, and briefing all staff on individual pupil needs.
Start with the SEND register itself. Every pupil listed as SEN Support or with an EHCP needs their status confirmed. Check that leavers are removed, new arrivals are added, and provision categories match current need. A register that still lists a Year 6 leaver in October signals a system nobody trusts.
Baseline assessments for new pupils should begin in the first two weeks. For Year 7 in secondary, this means reviewing the transition documents from primary, running reading and spelling screeners (such as NGRT or WRAT), and identifying pupils whose special educational needs were not flagged during the transfer. In primary, reception baseline data from the EYFS Profile provides the starting point, but SENCOs should also screen for speech and language concerns using a standardised tool.
Staff briefing is the task most SENCOs underestimate. A one-page pupil profile for every SEND pupil, shared with class teachers and teaching assistants in the first week, prevents three months of avoidable mistakes. The profile should include: the pupil's primary area of need, what works in the classroom, what to avoid, and who to contact if concerns arise.
Classroom example. Mrs Patel, SENCO at a two-form-entry primary, runs a 30-minute briefing for each year group team during the first INSET day. She hands each class teacher a printed profile sheet for their SEND pupils, walks through the three highest-need cases in detail, and takes questions. By Friday of the first week, every teacher has a clear picture of their SEND cohort. Without this, teachers spend the first half-term discovering needs reactively, and the first Assess-Plan-Do-Review cycle starts late.
The first Assess-Plan-Do-Review cycle of the year is where the graduated approach becomes operational rather than theoretical. By half-term in October, class teachers should have gathered at least four weeks of observational and assessment evidence on every SEND pupil.
Assess: Collect evidence from class teachers using a structured template. This should capture the pupil's response to quality first teaching, any reasonable adjustments already in place, and progress against baseline from September. Avoid vague statements. "Struggling in maths" is not evidence. "Cannot reliably count beyond 20 despite daily concrete manipulatives work and pre-teaching of vocabulary" is evidence that shapes provision.
Plan: Write SMART targets for each SEND pupil. A useful test: could a supply teacher read this target and know exactly what to do? If the target says "Improve reading fluency," the answer is no. If it says "Read 60 words per minute on a Year 3 decodable text by December, measured weekly using a one-minute timed reading," the answer is yes.
Do: Confirm that planned interventions are timetabled, staffed, and resourced. Many APDR cycles fail here because the plan exists on paper but the teaching assistant delivering the intervention was pulled for cover supervision.
Review: Schedule the formal review point for the last week of November. This gives seven weeks of intervention data, which is enough to identify whether the approach is working.
EHCP annual reviews due in the autumn term should be scheduled now. The SEND Code of Practice requires that annual reviews happen within 12 months of the last review or the date the EHCP was issued. Cross-reference your EHCP list with review dates and send invitations to parents, the local authority, and any external professionals at least two weeks in advance. Late annual reviews are a common Ofsted finding and a source of legitimate parental complaint.
Classroom example. Mr Davies, Year 4 teacher, completes his APDR evidence form for Kai, who has SEMH needs. Under "Assess," he records: "Kai left the classroom three times this week during transitions. He responded well to a visual timetable on Tuesday and Wednesday but refused to use it on Thursday after a lunchtime incident." Under "Plan," the SENCO and Mr Davies agree on a target: "Kai will use the visual timetable independently for 4 out of 5 transitions per day by the November review, supported by a 2-minute pre-transition prompt from the TA." This specificity makes the "Review" stage meaningful rather than a rubber-stamp exercise.
December is a data checkpoint, not just an end-of-term wind-down. The SENCO's priority is identifying which SEND pupils are not making expected progress and why.
Pull together the data from the first APDR cycle, end-of-autumn assessments, and any intervention tracking. For each pupil on the SEND register, answer three questions. First, is the pupil making progress towards their SMART targets? Second, is the current provision (intervention type, frequency, staffing) appropriate? Third, does the evidence suggest the pupil needs more support than SEN Support can provide?
That third question matters because January opens the referral window for educational psychology assessments and, in some cases, EHCP requests. If you suspect a pupil will need an EHCP request in January, the evidence base must be prepared in December. The local authority will expect to see at least two cycles of the graduated approach (ideally three), evidence of external advice sought, and clear documentation showing that the school's SEN Support provision has been implemented and reviewed.
Parent consultation evidence is also gathered in December. Autumn parents' evenings provide an opportunity to record parental views on provision, which is a statutory requirement for EHCP requests and annual reviews. Ask parents directly: "Are you seeing progress at home? What concerns do you have? Is there anything the school is doing that you feel is particularly helpful?" Record their responses on the pupil's file.
Classroom example. The SENCO at a large secondary reviews the autumn data for all 47 pupils on the SEND register. She identifies six pupils whose progress is significantly below expectations despite targeted intervention. For two of those pupils, she prepares referral paperwork for the educational psychologist. For one, she begins gathering evidence for an EHCP needs assessment request, including three terms of formative assessment data, intervention logs, and the class teacher's structured observations.
January is the most strategically important month for SENCOs managing complex cases. Educational psychology services, CAMHS, and local authority SEND teams all operate with waiting lists that grow as the year progresses. Submitting referrals in January gives the best chance of assessment before the summer term.
Educational psychology referrals should include a clear reason for referral, the pupil's response to graduated approach interventions, baseline and current assessment data, and the specific questions you want the EP to answer. "Please assess this pupil" is not a referral question. "We need to understand whether Amira's reading difficulties reflect a specific learning difficulty or are primarily linked to her working memory profile, so we can adjust our phonics intervention" is.
EHCP requests submitted in January trigger a 20-week statutory timeline. The local authority has six weeks to decide whether to assess, then 16 weeks to complete the assessment and issue (or decline) the plan. A January submission means a potential EHCP in place by June, which allows transition planning for the following September. A March submission pushes the timeline into the next academic year.
Provision mapping should be updated in January to reflect any changes from the autumn review. The provision map shows exactly what additional support each SEND pupil receives, at what cost, and from whom. This document is your evidence base for demonstrating that the school's notional SEND budget is being used effectively. Governors, Ofsted inspectors, and local authority SEND teams all expect to see it.
Classroom example. Mrs Chen, SENCO at a primary school, submits an EHCP needs assessment request for Tyler in the second week of January. Her evidence pack includes: three cycles of APDR records, EP consultation notes from the previous year, speech and language therapy reports, differentiated planning examples showing reasonable adjustments, attendance data, and a parent contribution form completed during the December consultation. The local authority panel reviews the request within six weeks and agrees to assess. Had she waited until March, Tyler's EHCP would not have been ready for his Year 6 to Year 7 transition.
The spring term's APDR cycle is the mid-year review point for all SEND pupils. By now, every pupil should have at least one complete cycle of evidence, and most will have two.
Review all SEND pupils. Update SMART targets based on autumn progress data. For pupils who met their targets, set new ones that build on the achieved skills. For pupils who did not meet targets, the critical question is whether the target was wrong, the provision was insufficient, or the pupil's needs have changed. Each of those answers leads to a different response.
Provision maps need updating to reflect any changes in intervention, staffing, or external support. If a teaching assistant left in January and their intervention group was not reassigned, the provision map should show this gap. Pretending the provision continued when it did not undermines the entire evidence base.
Year 6 to Year 7 transition planning begins in February, not April. Secondary SENCOs need time to review incoming pupil files, plan staffing, and arrange enhanced transition visits for pupils with complex needs. Primary SENCOs should compile transition documents now: learning profiles, provision history, copies of EHCPs, and any external professional reports. The EHCP annual review for Year 6 pupils should explicitly address transition and name the receiving secondary school.
Moderating teacher assessments is a February priority. Teachers assessing SEND pupils against curriculum objectives often inflate or deflate judgements because they lack confidence in assessing pupils working significantly below age-related expectations. A moderation session where three teachers compare their assessment of the same SEND pupil's work recalibrates judgement across the school.
Classroom example. At a secondary school, the SENCO convenes a moderation meeting with the English, maths, and science leads. They examine the books and assessment data of four Year 8 SEND pupils. The English teacher has assessed one pupil as "working towards" the year's expectations; the maths teacher has assessed the same pupil as "well below." After comparing evidence, they agree the pupil is working towards in both subjects but that the maths assessments were not adapted to allow the pupil to demonstrate understanding. The maths department adjusts its assessment approach, and the SENCO records this as a training need for the spring CPD programme.
April is transition month. For Year 6 SEND pupils moving to secondary, and for new reception pupils with identified needs arriving in September, the preparation done now determines whether those children start their new school supported or scrambling.
Year 6 to Year 7 handover documents should include: the pupil's current provision map, their most recent APDR cycle with targets and outcomes, copies of external professional reports (EP, SALT, OT), the current EHCP or SEN Support plan, and a one-page pupil passport written with the pupil's input. The passport captures the pupil's own voice: what helps them learn, what they find difficult, what they want their new teachers to know.
Secondary SENCO visits to feeder primaries should happen in April or early May. The visiting SENCO needs to observe SEND pupils in their current setting, speak to class teachers, and identify any pupils who may need enhanced transition (additional visits, social stories, photo books of the new school, a named adult to meet on the first day).
Primary intake screening preparation also starts now. If your school accepts reception pupils in September, contact the local authority early years team and any feeder nurseries to identify children with existing EHCPs or early concerns. An EHCP issued before school entry means the scaffolding and provision must be in place from day one, not discovered in October.
Classroom example. Ms Okonkwo, primary SENCO, meets with the SENCO from the receiving secondary to hand over files for seven SEND pupils. For three pupils with EHCPs, she provides full documentation packs. For one pupil with autism and high anxiety, she arranges three additional transition visits in June (the pupil will visit the school, meet key staff, practise the route to lessons, and eat lunch in the canteen). She also creates a photo booklet of the secondary school that the pupil's current teacher uses during circle time throughout the summer term. Research on transition anxiety (Maras and Aveling, 2006) shows that familiarity with the physical environment reduces anxiety-related behaviours by up to 40% in the first term.
The summer term's APDR cycle is the final formal review of the year. It serves a dual purpose: evaluating the year's progress and generating the evidence base for September's planning.
Complete all outstanding annual reviews. Any EHCP annual review not completed by the end of June creates a backlog that compounds in September. Prioritise Year 5 reviews (these inform Year 6 transition planning for the following year) and any reviews where the local authority has requested amendments to the EHCP.
Exam access arrangements for KS2 SATs and KS4 GCSEs must be in place well before the exam period. The JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications) requires that access arrangements are the pupil's "normal way of working," which means they must have been using the arrangement in class and assessments throughout the year. A SENCO who applies for extra time in April for a pupil who has never had it before will have the application rejected. Evidence of need (typically a specialist assessor's report) and evidence of normal way of working (teacher statements, intervention records) are both required.
For KS2, the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) sets its own access arrangement rules. Applications for modified papers, readers, and scribes must be submitted by the published deadline (usually late February for the May tests). Check the STA guidance annually, as deadlines and processes change.
Reviewing intervention effectiveness is the analytical core of this cycle. For every intervention running this year, ask: what was the intended outcome, what was the actual outcome, and what does the cost-per-pupil look like? An intervention that costs the school 3,000 pounds per year and produces measurable progress for six pupils is defensible. The same intervention producing no measurable change for the same six pupils needs to be replaced.
Classroom example. The SENCO reviews the school's phonics intervention programme, which three teaching assistants deliver to 18 pupils across Years 2 to 4. September baseline data shows the pupils averaged a reading age 18 months below chronological age. June data shows the average gap has narrowed to 11 months. Seven pupils have closed the gap to within six months and can exit the intervention. Five pupils have made no measurable progress. For those five, the SENCO investigates further: two have significant attendance issues (below 80%), one has an undiagnosed hearing difficulty identified during a routine screening, and two appear to need a different intervention approach. This analysis directly shapes September's provision planning.
July is audit month. The work done here determines whether September starts with a clear plan or a scramble. Four tasks structure the SENCO's July.
SEND register audit. Review every pupil on the register. Should any pupils be removed because they no longer require SEN Support? Should any pupils be added based on this year's evidence? Are provision categories (communication and interaction, cognition and learning, SEMH, sensory and physical) accurately recorded? A clean register is the foundation for accurate DfE census data in January and for meaningful SEND information reports.
Intervention impact analysis. Compile the data from all three APDR cycles into a single summary for each intervention programme. Present this to the headteacher and governors as part of the SEND annual report. Governors have a statutory duty to monitor SEND provision (SEND Code of Practice, 6.3), and they need data to do it, not anecdotes.
Staff training needs assessment. Based on the year's APDR cycles, identify areas where teachers consistently needed support. If six teachers struggled to write SMART targets, that is a September training priority. If three teachers reported difficulty managing pupils with SEMH needs, commission specific CPD. The training plan should be ready before the summer break so it can be scheduled during September INSET days.
Handover to new class teachers. Every SEND pupil should have an updated file handed to their new class teacher before term ends. This file includes: the current provision plan, the most recent APDR review, any external professional reports, and the one-page pupil profile. A verbal handover meeting between the outgoing and incoming teacher, facilitated by the SENCO, is worth more than any amount of paperwork.
Classroom example. Mr Ahmed, secondary SENCO, produces a one-page SEND summary for each of his 52 SEND pupils and distributes them to new form tutors during the July staff meeting. He also runs a 45-minute session for NQTs starting in September, covering: how to read a pupil profile, where to find SEND information on the school system, who to contact for urgent concerns, and the dates of the first APDR cycle. The NQTs arrive in September knowing exactly which pupils in their tutor groups have SEND, what their needs are, and what they should do first.
| Deadline | Timeline | Key Action |
|---|---|---|
| EHCP needs assessment request | 20 weeks from request to final EHCP | Submit by January for September transition; LA has 6 weeks to decide whether to assess |
| EHCP annual review | Within 12 months of issue or last review | Schedule invitations 6 weeks in advance; submit paperwork to LA within 2 weeks of the review meeting |
| Year 5 EHCP annual review (transition) | By 15 February of the year of transfer | Must name the secondary school; LA must finalise amended EHCP by 31 March |
| Year 11/Year 14 EHCP review (post-16) | By 31 March in the year of transfer | Must include post-16 provision; involve the young person directly |
| DfE school census (SEND data) | January (spring census), May (summer census), October (autumn census) | SEND register must be accurate; SEN provision type and primary need recorded for every SEND pupil |
| JCQ exam access arrangements | Specialist assessor report valid for 26 months; arrangements applied for by centre deadline | Ensure "normal way of working" evidence is collected throughout the year; submit applications early in the academic year |
| STA access arrangements (KS2 SATs) | Application deadline usually late February | Apply for modified papers, readers, scribes; check STA guidance annually as deadlines shift |
| SEND Information Report | Updated annually; published on school website | Review and update by September; must comply with Schedule 1 of the SEND Regulations 2014 |
| Local Offer contribution | Ongoing; reviewed annually by the LA | Ensure school's contribution to the Local Offer is current and accurate |
The graduated response depends on evidence. Without a structured evidence base, EHCP requests are rejected, annual reviews lack substance, and Ofsted inspectors cannot verify that the school's SEND provision matches its claims. The SENCO file is not bureaucracy for its own sake; it is the documented proof that pupils received what they were entitled to receive.
What to collect throughout the year. For every SEND pupil, maintain a chronological file containing: the initial concern form (who raised it, when, what they observed), all APDR cycle records, copies of SMART targets and outcomes, samples of the pupil's work showing progress over time, records of parental contact and views, any external professional reports (EP, SALT, OT, CAMHS), minutes from review meetings, and copies of correspondence with the local authority.
Graduated response evidence. When building a case for an EHCP needs assessment, the local authority panel looks for evidence that the school has followed the graduated approach systematically. This means at least two (preferably three) complete APDR cycles with clear targets, documented interventions, and measurable outcomes. It means evidence that external advice was sought and acted upon. And it means evidence that the pupil's needs cannot be met from the school's own resources at SEN Support level.
A common mistake is treating the graduated response as a series of hoops to jump through rather than a genuine process of understanding the pupil's needs. Panels can tell the difference. Three APDR cycles with identical vague targets and no change in provision do not demonstrate a graduated approach. Three cycles showing progressively adjusted targets, different intervention strategies tried and evaluated, and specific professional advice incorporated show a school that has genuinely tried to meet the pupil's needs before requesting additional support.
How to organise the file. Use a consistent structure across all pupil files. A tabbed system works well: Tab 1 for the pupil profile and SEND register entry, Tab 2 for APDR cycles in chronological order, Tab 3 for external professional reports, Tab 4 for parental communication, and Tab 5 for the EHCP or annual review documents. Whether this is a physical file or digital system matters less than consistency. Every SENCO in the school should be able to find any document for any pupil within two minutes.
Classroom example. During an Ofsted inspection, the lead inspector asks the SENCO to demonstrate the graduated approach for a specific Year 3 pupil. The SENCO opens the pupil's digital file and shows: the initial concern raised by the class teacher in Year 1, three years of APDR cycles showing progressively refined targets, an EP report from Year 2 recommending a metacognitive approach to reading, evidence that the school implemented the EP's recommendations, parental meeting notes showing the family's views were incorporated, and the current provision plan. The inspector sees a coherent narrative of support, not a collection of disconnected documents. This is what a well-maintained SENCO file makes possible.
| Month | Priority Tasks | Statutory Deadlines |
|---|---|---|
| September | Update SEND register, screen new intake, brief all staff, confirm TA deployment | SEND Information Report published on website; autumn census preparation |
| October | Launch APDR Cycle 1, gather teacher evidence, schedule autumn EHCP reviews | Autumn school census (SEND data submitted) |
| November | Complete APDR Cycle 1 reviews, set SMART targets, hold autumn EHCP annual reviews | EHCP annual reviews due this term |
| December | Data checkpoint, identify non-progressing pupils, prepare referral evidence, parent consultations | None (but preparation for January is critical) |
| January | Submit EP referrals and EHCP requests, update provision map, spring census data check | Spring school census; January EHCP requests trigger 20-week timeline |
| February | Launch APDR Cycle 2, begin Year 6 transition planning, moderate teacher assessments | Year 5 EHCP reviews (name secondary school by 15 Feb); STA access arrangement deadline |
| March | Complete APDR Cycle 2 reviews, update provision maps, spring EHCP annual reviews | Year 11/14 EHCP reviews (post-16 transition by 31 March) |
| April | Year 6 handover documents, secondary SENCO visits, reception intake screening, pupil passports | LA must finalise amended Year 5 EHCPs by 31 March (carried into April if late) |
| May | Launch APDR Cycle 3, KS2 SATs access arrangements active, enhanced transition visits | Summer school census; KS2 SATs; GCSE/A-level exams begin |
| June | Complete outstanding annual reviews, review intervention effectiveness, finalise transition plans | All EHCP annual reviews for the year should be complete |
| July | SEND register audit, intervention impact report, staff training needs, handover to new teachers | SEND annual report to governors; prepare September priorities |
Your first action for the next school week: open your SEND register, cross-reference it against your current class lists, and confirm that every pupil's provision category, primary area of need, and review date are accurate. If you find errors, correct them now. A clean register is the foundation that everything else in this calendar depends on.
These documents and studies provide the statutory and evidence base underpinning the SENCO annual calendar.
SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 Years (Statutory Guidance) View document ↗
Statutory guidance
Department for Education and Department of Health (2015)
The foundational statutory guidance for all SEND provision in England. Chapters 6 and 9 set out the graduated approach, the roles and responsibilities of SENCOs, and the requirements for EHCP annual reviews. Every deadline and process referenced in this calendar traces back to this document.
The SENCO Handbook: Leading and Managing a Whole School Approach View publication ↗
Professional reference
Cowne, Frankl, and Gerschel (2019)
A comprehensive guide to SENCO leadership that covers strategic planning, managing the graduated approach, and working with external agencies. The chapters on annual planning and evidence management directly support the month-by-month framework used in this calendar.
Beating Bureaucracy in Special Educational Needs View publication ↗
Practical guide
Gross (2015)
Jean Gross's practical guide to reducing SENCO paperwork while maintaining compliance. Particularly useful for designing efficient APDR cycle templates and streamlining the evidence collection process. Her "provision mapping" approach is referenced widely in local authority guidance.
Nasen: The SENCO Role in Practice View resource ↗
Professional resource
National Association for Special Educational Needs (2023)
Nasen's practitioner resources cover the operational detail of SENCO work, including annual review templates, transition planning checklists, and guidance on working with educational psychologists. Their resources are aligned with the SEND Code of Practice and regularly updated to reflect current policy.
Transition of Pupils with Special Educational Needs from Primary to Secondary School View study ↗
42 citations
Maras and Aveling (2006)
This study examined the transition experiences of SEND pupils moving from primary to secondary school and found that structured transition programmes with multiple visits, named contacts, and visual familiarisation materials significantly reduced anxiety and improved early engagement. The findings directly inform the enhanced transition approach recommended in the April and May sections of this calendar.
SENCOs manage more statutory deadlines, review cycles, and multi-agency commitments than any other middle leader in a school. Missing a single EHCP annual review window or failing to submit exam access arrangement evidence on time creates cascading problems for pupils, families, and the school's legal standing. Despite this, most SENCOs work from fragmented to-do lists rather than a structured annual plan. This calendar provides a single reference document covering every major SENCO responsibility across the academic year, mapped to the statutory timelines set out in the SEND Code of Practice (DfE, 2015).
September is the SENCO's most compressed month. Three tasks must happen simultaneously: updating the SEND register with accurate data, screening the new intake, and briefing all staff on individual pupil needs.
Start with the SEND register itself. Every pupil listed as SEN Support or with an EHCP needs their status confirmed. Check that leavers are removed, new arrivals are added, and provision categories match current need. A register that still lists a Year 6 leaver in October signals a system nobody trusts.
Baseline assessments for new pupils should begin in the first two weeks. For Year 7 in secondary, this means reviewing the transition documents from primary, running reading and spelling screeners (such as NGRT or WRAT), and identifying pupils whose special educational needs were not flagged during the transfer. In primary, reception baseline data from the EYFS Profile provides the starting point, but SENCOs should also screen for speech and language concerns using a standardised tool.
Staff briefing is the task most SENCOs underestimate. A one-page pupil profile for every SEND pupil, shared with class teachers and teaching assistants in the first week, prevents three months of avoidable mistakes. The profile should include: the pupil's primary area of need, what works in the classroom, what to avoid, and who to contact if concerns arise.
Classroom example. Mrs Patel, SENCO at a two-form-entry primary, runs a 30-minute briefing for each year group team during the first INSET day. She hands each class teacher a printed profile sheet for their SEND pupils, walks through the three highest-need cases in detail, and takes questions. By Friday of the first week, every teacher has a clear picture of their SEND cohort. Without this, teachers spend the first half-term discovering needs reactively, and the first Assess-Plan-Do-Review cycle starts late.
The first Assess-Plan-Do-Review cycle of the year is where the graduated approach becomes operational rather than theoretical. By half-term in October, class teachers should have gathered at least four weeks of observational and assessment evidence on every SEND pupil.
Assess: Collect evidence from class teachers using a structured template. This should capture the pupil's response to quality first teaching, any reasonable adjustments already in place, and progress against baseline from September. Avoid vague statements. "Struggling in maths" is not evidence. "Cannot reliably count beyond 20 despite daily concrete manipulatives work and pre-teaching of vocabulary" is evidence that shapes provision.
Plan: Write SMART targets for each SEND pupil. A useful test: could a supply teacher read this target and know exactly what to do? If the target says "Improve reading fluency," the answer is no. If it says "Read 60 words per minute on a Year 3 decodable text by December, measured weekly using a one-minute timed reading," the answer is yes.
Do: Confirm that planned interventions are timetabled, staffed, and resourced. Many APDR cycles fail here because the plan exists on paper but the teaching assistant delivering the intervention was pulled for cover supervision.
Review: Schedule the formal review point for the last week of November. This gives seven weeks of intervention data, which is enough to identify whether the approach is working.
EHCP annual reviews due in the autumn term should be scheduled now. The SEND Code of Practice requires that annual reviews happen within 12 months of the last review or the date the EHCP was issued. Cross-reference your EHCP list with review dates and send invitations to parents, the local authority, and any external professionals at least two weeks in advance. Late annual reviews are a common Ofsted finding and a source of legitimate parental complaint.
Classroom example. Mr Davies, Year 4 teacher, completes his APDR evidence form for Kai, who has SEMH needs. Under "Assess," he records: "Kai left the classroom three times this week during transitions. He responded well to a visual timetable on Tuesday and Wednesday but refused to use it on Thursday after a lunchtime incident." Under "Plan," the SENCO and Mr Davies agree on a target: "Kai will use the visual timetable independently for 4 out of 5 transitions per day by the November review, supported by a 2-minute pre-transition prompt from the TA." This specificity makes the "Review" stage meaningful rather than a rubber-stamp exercise.
December is a data checkpoint, not just an end-of-term wind-down. The SENCO's priority is identifying which SEND pupils are not making expected progress and why.
Pull together the data from the first APDR cycle, end-of-autumn assessments, and any intervention tracking. For each pupil on the SEND register, answer three questions. First, is the pupil making progress towards their SMART targets? Second, is the current provision (intervention type, frequency, staffing) appropriate? Third, does the evidence suggest the pupil needs more support than SEN Support can provide?
That third question matters because January opens the referral window for educational psychology assessments and, in some cases, EHCP requests. If you suspect a pupil will need an EHCP request in January, the evidence base must be prepared in December. The local authority will expect to see at least two cycles of the graduated approach (ideally three), evidence of external advice sought, and clear documentation showing that the school's SEN Support provision has been implemented and reviewed.
Parent consultation evidence is also gathered in December. Autumn parents' evenings provide an opportunity to record parental views on provision, which is a statutory requirement for EHCP requests and annual reviews. Ask parents directly: "Are you seeing progress at home? What concerns do you have? Is there anything the school is doing that you feel is particularly helpful?" Record their responses on the pupil's file.
Classroom example. The SENCO at a large secondary reviews the autumn data for all 47 pupils on the SEND register. She identifies six pupils whose progress is significantly below expectations despite targeted intervention. For two of those pupils, she prepares referral paperwork for the educational psychologist. For one, she begins gathering evidence for an EHCP needs assessment request, including three terms of formative assessment data, intervention logs, and the class teacher's structured observations.
January is the most strategically important month for SENCOs managing complex cases. Educational psychology services, CAMHS, and local authority SEND teams all operate with waiting lists that grow as the year progresses. Submitting referrals in January gives the best chance of assessment before the summer term.
Educational psychology referrals should include a clear reason for referral, the pupil's response to graduated approach interventions, baseline and current assessment data, and the specific questions you want the EP to answer. "Please assess this pupil" is not a referral question. "We need to understand whether Amira's reading difficulties reflect a specific learning difficulty or are primarily linked to her working memory profile, so we can adjust our phonics intervention" is.
EHCP requests submitted in January trigger a 20-week statutory timeline. The local authority has six weeks to decide whether to assess, then 16 weeks to complete the assessment and issue (or decline) the plan. A January submission means a potential EHCP in place by June, which allows transition planning for the following September. A March submission pushes the timeline into the next academic year.
Provision mapping should be updated in January to reflect any changes from the autumn review. The provision map shows exactly what additional support each SEND pupil receives, at what cost, and from whom. This document is your evidence base for demonstrating that the school's notional SEND budget is being used effectively. Governors, Ofsted inspectors, and local authority SEND teams all expect to see it.
Classroom example. Mrs Chen, SENCO at a primary school, submits an EHCP needs assessment request for Tyler in the second week of January. Her evidence pack includes: three cycles of APDR records, EP consultation notes from the previous year, speech and language therapy reports, differentiated planning examples showing reasonable adjustments, attendance data, and a parent contribution form completed during the December consultation. The local authority panel reviews the request within six weeks and agrees to assess. Had she waited until March, Tyler's EHCP would not have been ready for his Year 6 to Year 7 transition.
The spring term's APDR cycle is the mid-year review point for all SEND pupils. By now, every pupil should have at least one complete cycle of evidence, and most will have two.
Review all SEND pupils. Update SMART targets based on autumn progress data. For pupils who met their targets, set new ones that build on the achieved skills. For pupils who did not meet targets, the critical question is whether the target was wrong, the provision was insufficient, or the pupil's needs have changed. Each of those answers leads to a different response.
Provision maps need updating to reflect any changes in intervention, staffing, or external support. If a teaching assistant left in January and their intervention group was not reassigned, the provision map should show this gap. Pretending the provision continued when it did not undermines the entire evidence base.
Year 6 to Year 7 transition planning begins in February, not April. Secondary SENCOs need time to review incoming pupil files, plan staffing, and arrange enhanced transition visits for pupils with complex needs. Primary SENCOs should compile transition documents now: learning profiles, provision history, copies of EHCPs, and any external professional reports. The EHCP annual review for Year 6 pupils should explicitly address transition and name the receiving secondary school.
Moderating teacher assessments is a February priority. Teachers assessing SEND pupils against curriculum objectives often inflate or deflate judgements because they lack confidence in assessing pupils working significantly below age-related expectations. A moderation session where three teachers compare their assessment of the same SEND pupil's work recalibrates judgement across the school.
Classroom example. At a secondary school, the SENCO convenes a moderation meeting with the English, maths, and science leads. They examine the books and assessment data of four Year 8 SEND pupils. The English teacher has assessed one pupil as "working towards" the year's expectations; the maths teacher has assessed the same pupil as "well below." After comparing evidence, they agree the pupil is working towards in both subjects but that the maths assessments were not adapted to allow the pupil to demonstrate understanding. The maths department adjusts its assessment approach, and the SENCO records this as a training need for the spring CPD programme.
April is transition month. For Year 6 SEND pupils moving to secondary, and for new reception pupils with identified needs arriving in September, the preparation done now determines whether those children start their new school supported or scrambling.
Year 6 to Year 7 handover documents should include: the pupil's current provision map, their most recent APDR cycle with targets and outcomes, copies of external professional reports (EP, SALT, OT), the current EHCP or SEN Support plan, and a one-page pupil passport written with the pupil's input. The passport captures the pupil's own voice: what helps them learn, what they find difficult, what they want their new teachers to know.
Secondary SENCO visits to feeder primaries should happen in April or early May. The visiting SENCO needs to observe SEND pupils in their current setting, speak to class teachers, and identify any pupils who may need enhanced transition (additional visits, social stories, photo books of the new school, a named adult to meet on the first day).
Primary intake screening preparation also starts now. If your school accepts reception pupils in September, contact the local authority early years team and any feeder nurseries to identify children with existing EHCPs or early concerns. An EHCP issued before school entry means the scaffolding and provision must be in place from day one, not discovered in October.
Classroom example. Ms Okonkwo, primary SENCO, meets with the SENCO from the receiving secondary to hand over files for seven SEND pupils. For three pupils with EHCPs, she provides full documentation packs. For one pupil with autism and high anxiety, she arranges three additional transition visits in June (the pupil will visit the school, meet key staff, practise the route to lessons, and eat lunch in the canteen). She also creates a photo booklet of the secondary school that the pupil's current teacher uses during circle time throughout the summer term. Research on transition anxiety (Maras and Aveling, 2006) shows that familiarity with the physical environment reduces anxiety-related behaviours by up to 40% in the first term.
The summer term's APDR cycle is the final formal review of the year. It serves a dual purpose: evaluating the year's progress and generating the evidence base for September's planning.
Complete all outstanding annual reviews. Any EHCP annual review not completed by the end of June creates a backlog that compounds in September. Prioritise Year 5 reviews (these inform Year 6 transition planning for the following year) and any reviews where the local authority has requested amendments to the EHCP.
Exam access arrangements for KS2 SATs and KS4 GCSEs must be in place well before the exam period. The JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications) requires that access arrangements are the pupil's "normal way of working," which means they must have been using the arrangement in class and assessments throughout the year. A SENCO who applies for extra time in April for a pupil who has never had it before will have the application rejected. Evidence of need (typically a specialist assessor's report) and evidence of normal way of working (teacher statements, intervention records) are both required.
For KS2, the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) sets its own access arrangement rules. Applications for modified papers, readers, and scribes must be submitted by the published deadline (usually late February for the May tests). Check the STA guidance annually, as deadlines and processes change.
Reviewing intervention effectiveness is the analytical core of this cycle. For every intervention running this year, ask: what was the intended outcome, what was the actual outcome, and what does the cost-per-pupil look like? An intervention that costs the school 3,000 pounds per year and produces measurable progress for six pupils is defensible. The same intervention producing no measurable change for the same six pupils needs to be replaced.
Classroom example. The SENCO reviews the school's phonics intervention programme, which three teaching assistants deliver to 18 pupils across Years 2 to 4. September baseline data shows the pupils averaged a reading age 18 months below chronological age. June data shows the average gap has narrowed to 11 months. Seven pupils have closed the gap to within six months and can exit the intervention. Five pupils have made no measurable progress. For those five, the SENCO investigates further: two have significant attendance issues (below 80%), one has an undiagnosed hearing difficulty identified during a routine screening, and two appear to need a different intervention approach. This analysis directly shapes September's provision planning.
July is audit month. The work done here determines whether September starts with a clear plan or a scramble. Four tasks structure the SENCO's July.
SEND register audit. Review every pupil on the register. Should any pupils be removed because they no longer require SEN Support? Should any pupils be added based on this year's evidence? Are provision categories (communication and interaction, cognition and learning, SEMH, sensory and physical) accurately recorded? A clean register is the foundation for accurate DfE census data in January and for meaningful SEND information reports.
Intervention impact analysis. Compile the data from all three APDR cycles into a single summary for each intervention programme. Present this to the headteacher and governors as part of the SEND annual report. Governors have a statutory duty to monitor SEND provision (SEND Code of Practice, 6.3), and they need data to do it, not anecdotes.
Staff training needs assessment. Based on the year's APDR cycles, identify areas where teachers consistently needed support. If six teachers struggled to write SMART targets, that is a September training priority. If three teachers reported difficulty managing pupils with SEMH needs, commission specific CPD. The training plan should be ready before the summer break so it can be scheduled during September INSET days.
Handover to new class teachers. Every SEND pupil should have an updated file handed to their new class teacher before term ends. This file includes: the current provision plan, the most recent APDR review, any external professional reports, and the one-page pupil profile. A verbal handover meeting between the outgoing and incoming teacher, facilitated by the SENCO, is worth more than any amount of paperwork.
Classroom example. Mr Ahmed, secondary SENCO, produces a one-page SEND summary for each of his 52 SEND pupils and distributes them to new form tutors during the July staff meeting. He also runs a 45-minute session for NQTs starting in September, covering: how to read a pupil profile, where to find SEND information on the school system, who to contact for urgent concerns, and the dates of the first APDR cycle. The NQTs arrive in September knowing exactly which pupils in their tutor groups have SEND, what their needs are, and what they should do first.
| Deadline | Timeline | Key Action |
|---|---|---|
| EHCP needs assessment request | 20 weeks from request to final EHCP | Submit by January for September transition; LA has 6 weeks to decide whether to assess |
| EHCP annual review | Within 12 months of issue or last review | Schedule invitations 6 weeks in advance; submit paperwork to LA within 2 weeks of the review meeting |
| Year 5 EHCP annual review (transition) | By 15 February of the year of transfer | Must name the secondary school; LA must finalise amended EHCP by 31 March |
| Year 11/Year 14 EHCP review (post-16) | By 31 March in the year of transfer | Must include post-16 provision; involve the young person directly |
| DfE school census (SEND data) | January (spring census), May (summer census), October (autumn census) | SEND register must be accurate; SEN provision type and primary need recorded for every SEND pupil |
| JCQ exam access arrangements | Specialist assessor report valid for 26 months; arrangements applied for by centre deadline | Ensure "normal way of working" evidence is collected throughout the year; submit applications early in the academic year |
| STA access arrangements (KS2 SATs) | Application deadline usually late February | Apply for modified papers, readers, scribes; check STA guidance annually as deadlines shift |
| SEND Information Report | Updated annually; published on school website | Review and update by September; must comply with Schedule 1 of the SEND Regulations 2014 |
| Local Offer contribution | Ongoing; reviewed annually by the LA | Ensure school's contribution to the Local Offer is current and accurate |
The graduated response depends on evidence. Without a structured evidence base, EHCP requests are rejected, annual reviews lack substance, and Ofsted inspectors cannot verify that the school's SEND provision matches its claims. The SENCO file is not bureaucracy for its own sake; it is the documented proof that pupils received what they were entitled to receive.
What to collect throughout the year. For every SEND pupil, maintain a chronological file containing: the initial concern form (who raised it, when, what they observed), all APDR cycle records, copies of SMART targets and outcomes, samples of the pupil's work showing progress over time, records of parental contact and views, any external professional reports (EP, SALT, OT, CAMHS), minutes from review meetings, and copies of correspondence with the local authority.
Graduated response evidence. When building a case for an EHCP needs assessment, the local authority panel looks for evidence that the school has followed the graduated approach systematically. This means at least two (preferably three) complete APDR cycles with clear targets, documented interventions, and measurable outcomes. It means evidence that external advice was sought and acted upon. And it means evidence that the pupil's needs cannot be met from the school's own resources at SEN Support level.
A common mistake is treating the graduated response as a series of hoops to jump through rather than a genuine process of understanding the pupil's needs. Panels can tell the difference. Three APDR cycles with identical vague targets and no change in provision do not demonstrate a graduated approach. Three cycles showing progressively adjusted targets, different intervention strategies tried and evaluated, and specific professional advice incorporated show a school that has genuinely tried to meet the pupil's needs before requesting additional support.
How to organise the file. Use a consistent structure across all pupil files. A tabbed system works well: Tab 1 for the pupil profile and SEND register entry, Tab 2 for APDR cycles in chronological order, Tab 3 for external professional reports, Tab 4 for parental communication, and Tab 5 for the EHCP or annual review documents. Whether this is a physical file or digital system matters less than consistency. Every SENCO in the school should be able to find any document for any pupil within two minutes.
Classroom example. During an Ofsted inspection, the lead inspector asks the SENCO to demonstrate the graduated approach for a specific Year 3 pupil. The SENCO opens the pupil's digital file and shows: the initial concern raised by the class teacher in Year 1, three years of APDR cycles showing progressively refined targets, an EP report from Year 2 recommending a metacognitive approach to reading, evidence that the school implemented the EP's recommendations, parental meeting notes showing the family's views were incorporated, and the current provision plan. The inspector sees a coherent narrative of support, not a collection of disconnected documents. This is what a well-maintained SENCO file makes possible.
| Month | Priority Tasks | Statutory Deadlines |
|---|---|---|
| September | Update SEND register, screen new intake, brief all staff, confirm TA deployment | SEND Information Report published on website; autumn census preparation |
| October | Launch APDR Cycle 1, gather teacher evidence, schedule autumn EHCP reviews | Autumn school census (SEND data submitted) |
| November | Complete APDR Cycle 1 reviews, set SMART targets, hold autumn EHCP annual reviews | EHCP annual reviews due this term |
| December | Data checkpoint, identify non-progressing pupils, prepare referral evidence, parent consultations | None (but preparation for January is critical) |
| January | Submit EP referrals and EHCP requests, update provision map, spring census data check | Spring school census; January EHCP requests trigger 20-week timeline |
| February | Launch APDR Cycle 2, begin Year 6 transition planning, moderate teacher assessments | Year 5 EHCP reviews (name secondary school by 15 Feb); STA access arrangement deadline |
| March | Complete APDR Cycle 2 reviews, update provision maps, spring EHCP annual reviews | Year 11/14 EHCP reviews (post-16 transition by 31 March) |
| April | Year 6 handover documents, secondary SENCO visits, reception intake screening, pupil passports | LA must finalise amended Year 5 EHCPs by 31 March (carried into April if late) |
| May | Launch APDR Cycle 3, KS2 SATs access arrangements active, enhanced transition visits | Summer school census; KS2 SATs; GCSE/A-level exams begin |
| June | Complete outstanding annual reviews, review intervention effectiveness, finalise transition plans | All EHCP annual reviews for the year should be complete |
| July | SEND register audit, intervention impact report, staff training needs, handover to new teachers | SEND annual report to governors; prepare September priorities |
Your first action for the next school week: open your SEND register, cross-reference it against your current class lists, and confirm that every pupil's provision category, primary area of need, and review date are accurate. If you find errors, correct them now. A clean register is the foundation that everything else in this calendar depends on.
These documents and studies provide the statutory and evidence base underpinning the SENCO annual calendar.
SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 Years (Statutory Guidance) View document ↗
Statutory guidance
Department for Education and Department of Health (2015)
The foundational statutory guidance for all SEND provision in England. Chapters 6 and 9 set out the graduated approach, the roles and responsibilities of SENCOs, and the requirements for EHCP annual reviews. Every deadline and process referenced in this calendar traces back to this document.
The SENCO Handbook: Leading and Managing a Whole School Approach View publication ↗
Professional reference
Cowne, Frankl, and Gerschel (2019)
A comprehensive guide to SENCO leadership that covers strategic planning, managing the graduated approach, and working with external agencies. The chapters on annual planning and evidence management directly support the month-by-month framework used in this calendar.
Beating Bureaucracy in Special Educational Needs View publication ↗
Practical guide
Gross (2015)
Jean Gross's practical guide to reducing SENCO paperwork while maintaining compliance. Particularly useful for designing efficient APDR cycle templates and streamlining the evidence collection process. Her "provision mapping" approach is referenced widely in local authority guidance.
Nasen: The SENCO Role in Practice View resource ↗
Professional resource
National Association for Special Educational Needs (2023)
Nasen's practitioner resources cover the operational detail of SENCO work, including annual review templates, transition planning checklists, and guidance on working with educational psychologists. Their resources are aligned with the SEND Code of Practice and regularly updated to reflect current policy.
Transition of Pupils with Special Educational Needs from Primary to Secondary School View study ↗
42 citations
Maras and Aveling (2006)
This study examined the transition experiences of SEND pupils moving from primary to secondary school and found that structured transition programmes with multiple visits, named contacts, and visual familiarisation materials significantly reduced anxiety and improved early engagement. The findings directly inform the enhanced transition approach recommended in the April and May sections of this calendar.
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