The Graduated Response, or Graduated Approach, is the process which must be carried out when there are concerns about a possible special educational need.

The Equality Act (2010) and The SEND Code of Practice (2015) places strong emphasis on reasonable adjustments and early intervention.

It states that to enable the child and young person to participate, learn and make progress, we should:

• remove barriers to learning, and
• put effective special educational provision in place.
• High quality adaptive teaching (including differentiation) should be the first reaction to any possible special educational need.

Torbay’s Graduated Response will ensure all partners work together to get the “right support, in the right place, at the right time” by the right people, for every child or young person with special educational needs and disabilities.

Our commitment is to:

• Work with families in partnership to identify needs early and act collaboratively (across education, health and social care) in order to provide the right help and support at the right time
• Regularly revisit the additional support in place for a child/young person making sure that all organisations are accountable for the services they deliver.
• Make available a Graduated Response toolkit which is easy to find and uses clear and shared language so that everyone can understand what support is available.

What is Universal Provision?

Universal Provision means the support and provision which is ordinarily available to every child or young person in every educational setting in Torbay.

Some children and young people need more support – this is called targeted and specialist provision. This support is needs led which means that the child or young person gets the right support, in the right place, and at the right time. The support may be needed right away or at a point in the future, for short or for extended periods of time.

View and/or download the Introduction to Graduated Response