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Practical guidance on SEND operations, inclusion strategy, and the systems schools need to support pupils well.
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Browse all articlesHow we built a SEND document generator from real local authority examples
Local authority SEND formats vary, so a single generic template will never fit. Here is how we used SEND document examples from across England, plus synthetic test cases built with practising SENDCOs, to develop an evidence-grounded generation system.
How Reddit Helped Shape MeritDocs' Product Testing
How public practitioner discussions helped MeritDocs test whether SEND software could reduce repeated admin without replacing SENCO judgement.
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Product thinking, policy notes, and lessons from schools putting this into practice.
Best Arbor Alternatives for UK Schools (2026)
Arbor alternatives are not all the same decision. Compare a whole-school MIS with a dedicated SEND provision platform covering maps, passports, plans, reviews, reporting and migration.
Best Evidence for Learning Alternatives for UK Schools (2026)
Evidence for Learning is a strong specialist evidence and assessment platform. Schools that also need structured SEND documents, controlled migration and a governed document lifecycle usually need a second, different tool.
Switching SEND software in UK schools: the one-click migration myth
The one-click migration myth is that moving SEND software means uploading files and carrying on. This UK guide covers controlled migration of provision, plans, passports, evidence, reviews, permissions and exports.
Tes Provision Map alternatives for UK schools: where the map stops and SEND documentation begins
Tes Provision Map alternatives for UK schools should be judged on more than the map. Compare the full SEND workflow, from costed provision and pupil passports to plans, reviews, reporting and controlled migration.
How SENCO software should reduce paperwork without losing accuracy
Good SENCO software should reduce repeated admin while keeping evidence, professional judgement and the current SEND record clear. Here is how schools can judge whether a platform actually does that.
How to write a SEN support review that changes the next plan
A useful SEN support review compares the current plan with what actually happened, records pupil and parent views, and makes the next decision clear. Use this seven-part workflow.
Read articleNotional SEN budget 2026/27: what the £6,000 figure really means
The notional SEN budget is not a ring-fenced pot and it does not provide £6,000 for every pupil with SEN. Here is how mainstream schools should read the 2026/27 guidance and test whether funding matches provision.
Read articleChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026: SEND and home education checks before roll removal
The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 changes the home education landscape, but not all of it has started. Here is what schools should check before removing a pupil from roll, especially where SEND or safeguarding is involved.
Read articleA new SENCO's first 30 days: the record audit that keeps September calm
Start with the live record. Find the current support document for every pupil, give it an owner and next check date, flag what still needs verification, and give classroom staff one usable view.
Read articleNew DfE Five to Twelve Study: What Primary Schools Should Change for SEN
The DfE’s Five to Twelve Year 1 findings show that SEN differences are already visible at the start of primary school. Here is what schools should change in observation, evidence collection, and early support.
Read articleHow to Write a SEN Support Plan Without Waiting for a Diagnosis
A diagnosis is not a prerequisite for support. Use this practical guide to write a SEN Support Plan from observed need, recorded evidence and a clear review cycle.
Read articleHow to Turn a Specialist SEND Report Into a Support Plan Staff Can Use
A practical workflow for turning educational psychology, speech and language or occupational therapy advice into a current SEN Support plan without losing evidence or inventing certainty.
Read articleUpdated Exclusion Guidance 2026: What Schools Must Record for Pupils With SEND
The statutory exclusions guidance changed on 26 July 2026. Here is the SEND evidence schools should check before a suspension, managed move or permanent exclusion.
Read articleKCSIE 2026 and SEND: 7 Safeguarding Checks Schools Need Before September
KCSIE 2026 adds further barriers faced by children with SEND and expects close SENCO and DSL liaison. Here are seven checks schools should complete before 1 September.
Read articleHow to Make Safeguarding Reporting Accessible for Pupils With SEND
A pupil cannot use a reporting route they cannot understand or access. This practical guide helps SENCOs and DSLs record communication needs without confusing support documents with safeguarding files.
Read articleHow to Write Measurable SEN Support Plan Targets That Start With Evidence
A target is only measurable when the starting point, context and review method are clear. Use this practical process to turn observed evidence into SEN Support Plan outcomes staff can review properly.
Read articleSEN Information Report Checklist 2026: What Schools Must Publish and Keep Current
An SEN information report cannot be a policy PDF that gets checked once a year. Use this practical 2026 checklist to make sure the public page matches how SEND support actually works in your school.
Read articleHow to Write a PMLD Support Plan Staff Can Use on a Difficult Day
A PMLD support plan must work when routines change, communication is subtle and a pupil's health or comfort shifts. This practical structure keeps the plan specific and usable.
Read articleSCAP 2026 SEND Forecasting: What Schools and MATs Need to Record Now
SCAP 2026 asks local authorities to forecast specialist SEND places years ahead. Schools and MATs are not completing the return, but the quality of local planning depends on records they help create.
Read articleNew DfE Autism and SEMH Evidence Review: What Mainstream Schools Should Record
The DfE's new review finds promising approaches for autism and SEMH, but no universal answer. Here is how schools can turn that finding into better intervention decisions and records.
Read articleHow to Keep a Pupil Passport Current: A Version-Control Workflow for Schools
A pupil passport only helps when staff trust that it is current. Use this practical draft, approve, publish, review and archive workflow to stop old information circulating.
Read articleAssess, Plan, Do, Review Is Not Four Headings: How to Build a SEND Evidence Trail
A practical guide to turning the assess, plan, do, review cycle into a reliable SEND evidence trail that shows what changed, why it changed and what happened next.
Read articleWhen Should a School Involve a SEND Specialist? A SENCO Evidence Checklist
Know when specialist involvement is the right next step, what evidence to prepare and how to turn advice into classroom action rather than another report in a folder.
Read articleSEND EOTAS consultation 2026: 7 records schools should tighten now
The new EOTAS consultation asks how support, oversight and reintegration should improve. Schools do not need to wait for the outcome to fix unclear ownership and fragmented records.
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