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Support for Parents

This is general information only, not legal or financial advice - for your specific situation, contact your school, local authority, or an appropriate professional adviser.

Bullying & Safeguarding

Bullying: where to start

If you are worried your child is being bullied, start by writing down what has happened, including dates and any witnesses. Contact your child's class teacher or form tutor in the first instance, in writing if possible, and ask about the school's anti-bullying policy, which every school must publish. It can help to use an AI tool to read the policy alongside your own notes, and ask it to point out anywhere the school's stated process doesn't match what's actually happened - useful for preparing clear, specific questions before you speak to the school, though it's a preparation tool, not a substitute for the school's own response.

How schools typically handle a bullying report

Most schools follow a similar pattern: an initial conversation with those involved, a period of monitoring, and a follow-up review with you. If concerns continue, ask what the next step in the school's policy is and request it in writing so there is a clear record.

Raising a safeguarding concern

Every school has a designated safeguarding lead (DSL), whose role is specifically to handle concerns about a child's welfare. If you feel a concern has not been taken seriously, you can also contact your local authority's children's services directly. This is general information only and not legal advice.

School Underperformance

Not happy with how the school has handled a situation? Where to start

Start by raising it directly with the school, in writing, and ask specifically what stage of their complaints policy your concern falls under - every school must publish one. Be clear about what outcome you're actually looking for, since a school can only respond to a specific, stated concern. Keep a written record of what's said at each stage, in case you need to escalate further.

Ofsted Parent View - a genuinely useful, little-known option

Parent View is Ofsted's own online survey for sharing your views on your child's school, and you can complete it at any time, not just when a school is being inspected. It's worth knowing what it isn't, though: Ofsted is explicit that Parent View does not replace the school's own complaints process and will not get an individual situation resolved directly on its own - for a safeguarding concern specifically, contact your local authority's children's services instead. What it does do is genuinely useful: your response can help inform when Ofsted next inspects the school and what inspectors focus on. You can complete it at parentview.ofsted.gov.uk.

If the school's own complaints process doesn't resolve things

Once you have genuinely completed the school's own complaints procedure and remain unsatisfied, where you go next depends on the type of school. For a community or voluntary-controlled school, contact your local authority. For an academy or free school, escalate first to the trust's board, and if it is still unresolved, you can complain directly to the Department for Education. Safeguarding concerns follow a separate route regardless of school type - contact your local authority's Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

SEND Provision & Funding

Understanding SEND support at school

Most schools offer graduated "SEN Support" for children who need extra help, arranged directly with the school. A smaller number of children with more complex needs have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), which is a legal document coordinated by the local authority.

How SEND funding works, in plain terms

Schools receive a general budget to support pupils with SEND, plus additional "high needs" funding from the local authority for pupils with an EHCP. You do not need to understand the funding mechanics to ask for support - the school's SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) is your main point of contact.

Requesting an EHC needs assessment

Either a school or a parent can formally request that the local authority carry out an Education, Health and Care needs assessment. It is worth speaking to the school's SENCO first, as they can often advise whether this is the right next step and help prepare supporting evidence.

Neurodiversity

If you think your child might be neurodivergent

You do not need a formal diagnosis to start getting support - schools can put help in place based on the needs they observe, whether or not a diagnosis exists yet. A good first step is a conversation with your child's class teacher or form tutor about what you have noticed, followed by the school's SENCO if it seems useful to take further.

Getting an assessment: what to expect

Assessments for autism, ADHD and similar are usually requested through your GP or a local NHS neurodevelopmental service, and waiting times can be long in most areas. Some families choose a private assessment to avoid the wait, which is a personal decision worth researching carefully - either way, the school can usually offer some support in the meantime rather than waiting for a diagnosis first.

Where to find out more

The National Autistic Society (autism.org.uk) and ADHD UK (adhduk.co.uk) both offer detailed, UK-specific guidance for parents beyond what a general school-guidance site like this one can cover well. For the legal side of getting support in place at school, IPSEA (ipsea.org.uk) gives free, independent advice specifically on SEND rights and the EHCP process.

Financial Help for Families

Free school meals and Pupil Premium

Children in households receiving certain benefits are usually eligible for free school meals, which is worth checking even if your child does not always want a school lunch, since registering also unlocks Pupil Premium funding that the school can use to support your child directly.

Help with uniform, trips and equipment costs

Many schools hold a small discretionary fund, a uniform bank, or second-hand uniform sales - it is always worth asking the school office directly and discreetly, as these schemes are often under-used simply because parents do not know to ask.

Finding local foodbanks and emergency support

If money is tight, local foodbanks (such as those in the Trussell Trust network) and your council's local welfare assistance scheme can provide short-term emergency support. Your school's pastoral team or family support worker can often point you to the right local contact without judgement.