what is a statement of educational need

Special educational needs: statements

A statement of special educational needs sets out your child's needs and the help they should have. It is reviewed every year to make sure that any extra support given meets your child's needs.

Statements - setting out your child's needs

Once the Education Authority (EA) in your region has assessed your child, they can decide to record the information they have in a statement of special educational needs.

This statement describes your child's needs and the special help they should receive. The EA usually makes a statement if they think your child's school cannot provide this help. 

The EA should write and tell you whether they are going to write a statement within 12 weeks of beginning the assessment.

• Special educational needs: assessments  

What's in a statement of special educational needs

A statement of special educational needs has six parts:

• general information about your child and the advice the EA received from the assessment
• a description of your child's needs following the assessment
• the special help to be given for your child's needs
• the type and name of the school your child should go to and any arrangements out of school hours or off school premises
• any non-educational needs your child has
• how your child will get help to meet any non-educational needs

You are sent a draft before the EA writes a final statement. It will be complete except for part four which is left blank so that you can say what educational provision you want for your child.

Commenting on a statement

You have time to review the draft statement and have the right to disagree with its contents. You have 15 days to comment and to say which school you want your child to go to.

You can also ask for a meeting with the EA and you have another 15 days to ask for more meetings after that. Within 15 days of your last meeting, you can send in any more comments.

If you would like more time to comment, you should talk to the officer at the EA who is dealing with your child's case.

The EA must make the final statement within eight weeks of the draft statement. They'll send you a copy with part four filled in with the name of a school.

• Special educational needs: choosing a school  

If you disagree with the statement

If you disagree with the statement, first speak to the EA officer dealing with your child's case. You might also find it helpful to contact the Special Education, Disputes Avoidance and Resolution Service (DARS) which can provide neutral advice and support.

You also have a right to appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.

You can still appeal to the tribunal even if you are trying to sort out disagreements informally with the EA.

• Support for special educational needs
• Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal

Annual review and meeting

The EA in your region must review your child's statement at least once a year, checking your child's progress and making sure that the statement continues to meet their needs. Your child's school will invite you to a meeting and ask you to send in your views on your child's progress over the past year.

The review meeting looks at written reports and at your child's statement to see if it needs changing in any way. You can take a friend or an independent adult and your child should be able to come to at least part of the meeting.

After the meeting, the school should send you a copy of its report. The headteacher also sends a report to the EA recommending any agreed changes.

This must be within ten working days of the annual review meeting, or by the end of term, whichever is sooner. The EA may then decide to make changes to your child's statement.

• Special educational needs: changing a statement  

More useful links

• Identifying special educational needs in children under five
• Getting help for children under five with special educational needs
• Special educational needs - a guide for parents

Translation help

Help improve this page - send your feedback.

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site. Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to [email protected] 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 Email  [email protected]

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750  Email  [email protected]

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912  Email [email protected]

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to [email protected] or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service .

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service .

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit .

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the  Coronavirus (COVID-19) section , then for queries about:

• Restrictions or regulations —  contact the Department of Health
• Travel advice (including self-isolation) —  contact the Department of Health
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the  Department of Health  or  Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email [email protected] and for queries about your certificate, email [email protected] .

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email [email protected]

Application and payment queries can be emailed to  [email protected]

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency .

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email  [email protected]

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email  [email protected] .

For queries about:

• Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea  
• Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

For queries about your identity check, email [email protected] .

For queries or advice about passports, contact  HM Passport Office .

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email  [email protected]

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the  Northern Ireland Pension Centre .

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section .

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads .

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service .

For queries or advice about rates, email [email protected]

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact  Smartpass - Translink .

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly .  We don't have access to information about you.

• Follow Us On:

• What is the CPIR?
• What’s on the Hub?
• CPIR Resource Library
• Buzz from the Hub
• Event Calendar
• Survey Item Bank
• CPIR Webinars
• What are Parent Centers?
• National RAISE Center
• RSA Parent Centers
• Regional PTACs
• Find Your Parent Center
• CentersConnect (log-in required)
• Parent Center eLearning Hub

Select Page

Contents of the IEP

IEP stands for “individualized education program.” An IEP is a written statement for a child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in a meeting in keeping with certain requirements of law and regulations. These requirements are discussed in this section.

• The big picture
• Who develops the IEP?
• What an IEP must contain
• Extra IEP content for youth with disabilities
• A closer look at each IEP component

  Back to top

The Big Picture

Before diving into the specifics of what must be included in an IEP, it’s important to consider the “Big Picture” of the IEP—its purposes, how it serves as a blueprint for the child’s special education and related services under IDEA , and the scope of activities and settings it covers.

The IEP has two general purposes: (1) to establish measurable annual goals for the child; and (2) to state the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services that the public agency will provide to, or on behalf of, the child. When constructing an appropriate educational program for a child with a disability, the IEP team broadly considers the child’s involvement and participation in three main areas of school life:

• the general education curriculum,
• extracurricular activities, and
• nonacademic activities.

  By general education curriculum , we mean the subject matter provided to children without disabilities and the associated skills they are expected to develop and apply. Examples include math, science, history, and language arts.

When we talk about extracurricular activities and nonacademic activities , we’re referring to school activities that fall outside the realm of the general curriculum. These are usually voluntary and tend to be more social than academic. They typically involve others of the same age and may be organized and guided by teachers or other school personnel. Examples: yearbook, school newspaper, school sports, school clubs, lunch, recess, band, pep rallies, assemblies, field trips, after-school programs, recreational clubs.

The IEP can be understood as the blueprint, or plan, for the special education experience of a child with a disability across these school environments.

Who Develops the IEP?

The IEP is developed by a team of school personnel and the child’s parents. This team meets at least once a year and more often, if necessary.

Team members work together to craft an education that will address the child’s individual needs and enable the child to participate in general education and school activities, learning alongside his or her nondisabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate. The IEP team then puts its crafted plan down in writing–resulting in the IEP that will guide the delivery of the child’s special education and related services.

What an IEP Must Contain

When the members of a child’s IEP team sit down together and consider how the child will be involved in and participate in school life, they must be sure that the resulting IEP contains the specific information required by IDEA, our nation’s special education law. Here’s a brief list of what IDEA requires:

A statement of the child’s present levels of academic achievement and functional performance , including how the child’s disability affects his or her involvement and progress in the general education curriculum;

A statement of measurable annual goals , including academic and functional goals;

A description of how the child’s progress toward meeting the annual goals will be measured, and when periodic progress reports will be provided;

A statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child;

A statement of the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided to enable the child to advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals; to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum and to participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities; and to be educated and participate with other children with disabilities and nondisabled children;

An explanation of the extent, if any, to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and in extracurricular and nonacademic activities;

A statement of any i ndividual accommodations that are necessary to measure the academic achievement and functional performance of the child on State and districtwide assessments;

(Note: If the IEP team determines that the child must take an alternate assessment instead of a particular regular State or districtwide assessment of student achievement, the IEP must include a statement of why the child cannot participate in the regular assessment and why the particular alternate assessment selected is appropriate for the child; and

The projected date for the beginning of the services and modifications, and the anticipated frequency, location, and duration of those services and modifications.

Extra IEP Content for Youth with Disabilities

For students approaching the end of their secondary school education, the IEP must also include statements about what are called transition services , which are designed to help youth with disabilities prepare for life after high school.

IDEA requires that, beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns 16, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP team, the IEP must include:

• measurable postsecondary goals based upon age-appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills; and
• the transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the child in reaching those goals.

Also, beginning no later than one year before the child reaches the age of majority under State law, the IEP must include:

• a statement that the child has been informed of the child’s rights under Part B of IDEA (if any) that will transfer to the child on reaching the age of majority .

Back to top ________________________________________________________

**Highly Rated Resource!   This resource was reviewed by 3-member panels of Parent Center staff working independently from one another to rate the quality, relevance, and usefulness of CPIR resources. This resource was found to be of “High Quality, High Relevance, High Usefulness” to Parent Centers. ________________________________________

Back to top

A Closer Look at Each IEP Component

The list above of IEP contents is helpful in understanding what type of information is basically required in a child’s IEP. However, the more you understand about each individual part, and especially how they go together to form an action plan for a child’s education, the easier it will be to write a well-grounded and effective IEP.

So…use the links below to explore the different parts of the IEP and the details associated with each.

_________________________________________________

Present Levels How is the child currently doing in school? How does the disability affect his or her performance in class? This type of information is captured in the “present levels” statement in the IEP.

Annual Goals Once a child’s needs are identified, the IEP team works to develop appropriate goals to address those needs. Annual goal describe what the child is expected to do or learn within a 12-month period.

Benchmarks or Short-Term Objectives Benchmarks or short-term objectives are required only for children with disabilities who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards. If you’re wondering what that means, this article will tell you!

Measuring and Reporting Progress Each child’s IEP must also contain a description of how his or her progress toward meeting the annual goals will be measured and when it will be reported to parents. Learn more about how to write this statement in this short article.

Special Education The IEP must contain a statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child. This article focuses on the first element: a statement of the special education that will be provided for the child.

Related Services To help a child with a disability benefit from special education, he or she may also need extra help in one area or another, such as speaking or moving. This additional help is called related services . Find out all about these critical services here.

Supplementary Aids and Services Supplementary aids and services are intended to improve children’s access to learning and their participation across the spectrum of academic, extracurricular, and nonacademic activities and settings. The IEP team must determine what supplementary aids and services a child will need and specify them in the IEP.

Program Modifications for School Personnel Also part of the IEP is identifying the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided. Read more here.

Extent of Nonparticipation The IEP must also include an explanation of the extent, if any, to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and in other school settings and activities. Read how this connects to IDEA’s foundational principle of LRE.

Accommodations in Assessment IDEA requires that students with disabilities take part in state or districtwide assessments . The IEP team must decide if the student needs accommodations in testing or another type of assessment entirely. In this component of the IEP, the team documents how the student will participate.

Service Delivery When will the child begin to receive services? Where? How often? How long will a “session” last? Pesky details, but important to include in the IEP!

Transition Planning Beginning no later than a student’s 16th birthday (and younger, if appropriate), the IEP must contain transition-related plans designed to help the student prepare for life after secondary school.

Age of Majority Beginning at least one year before the student reaches the age of majority, the IEP must include a statement that the student has been told about the rights (if any) that will transfer to him or her at age of majority. What is “age of majority” and what does this statement in the IEP look like?

Would you like to read something else in this suite about the IEP?

Use the jump links below to go to another section of the  All about the IEP suite.

• The Short-and-Sweet IEP Overview
• The IEP Team
• Contents of the IEP (you’re already here)
• When the IEP Team Meets

Salford City Council uses cookies which are essential for this site to work. We also use non-essential cookies to help us improve our digital services.

Help and support with cost of living

What is a statement of special educational needs?

A statement of special educational needs is a legal document. It sets out a description of your child's needs (what he or she can and cannot do) and what needs to be done to meet those needs.

Generally, only a very small number of children are issued with a statement. They usually have complex and severe needs, which require very high levels of support.

A statement of special educational needs will contain:

• a cover sheet with your child's name, address, date of birth, home language, religion and your name and address (part 1)
• a description of your child's special educational needs (part 2)
• the aims of the provision - and a description of the provision with the arrangements for monitoring and reviewing progress (part 3)
• the type and name of the school where the provision is to be made (part 4)
• a description of your child's non-educational needs, if any (part 5)
• further details of the provision described in part 5 (part 6)
• copies of the advice submitted during the assessment

The process

If the local authority decides to issue a statement, you will get a proposed statement. We will ask you to give your views on this before they issue a final statement. You can give your views about the content of the proposed statement and ask for meetings with us to discuss the proposals.

You have 15 days to respond to the proposed statement.

The name of the school will be left blank on the proposed statement. This is because you have the right to state your preference for the local authority maintained school you want your child to go to.

You will also be sent a list of schools to help you make an informed choice.

The law says that a child who has a statement of special educational needs must be educated in a mainstream school, unless it's against your wishes or ‘incompatible with the provision of the efficient education of other children'.

A copy of the proposed statement will also be sent to other agencies who were involved in the assessment of your child's needs. They should also respond within 15 days.

You can still talk to us before and during the appeal process to try to sort things out - even if you have lodged an appeal to the tribunal.

There is also an independent conciliation service in the North West which can help to resolve your problem before you take it to the SEN tribunal (for more details contact our special educational needs team for a leaflet on this service). You can discuss your choices and feelings with the council's case officer that is responsible for your child. You can also contact the parent partnership officer who can also help you. The parent partnership officer can be contacted on 0161 742 3914.

Throughout the whole process, we'll make every effort to make sure you are happy with the proposed statement and that we have given sensitive and full consideration to your wishes and feelings.

The final statement

Usually the final statement will be sent to you up to eight weeks after the proposed statement has been issued.

You will also be sent information about your right of appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA) tribunal if you do not agree with the final statement.

This information also contains details of the timescale for you to appeal. You will have 15 days to respond in writing or to request a meeting if you disagree with the final statement. After the meeting you have a further 15 days to respond. You can request further meetings to discuss your child if you wish.

Who to contact

This page was last updated on 15 March 2016

Special needs explained

How do you rate the quality and content of this page (required).

Your comments This form allows you to give us your opinion on the quality of the content on this page . If you'd like to comment or complain about a council service, please use our complaints, comments and compliments form.

Your comments will not be published on this website and are subject to our privacy statement .

Do not type in this box

Your page rating has been successfully submitted.

Your Internet Explorer 11 browser is not supported by this site. Please upgrade to a recent browser for the best experience.

Extra help at school in Wales Advice & Support for:

Statements of special educational needs.

A new education law comes into force in Wales on 1st September 2021.  The Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 changes how children and young people aged 0-25 years with additional learning needs (ALN) will have their needs assessed, planned and monitored. These changes will be introduced gradually over the next 3 years. We will be updating our information resources in line with the new changes.

You can read more about the new Act here .

Most children's needs can be met by their school, sometimes with the help of outside specialists. The school will have funding to support such children through school-based help called 'Action' or 'Action Plus' - see our information sheet Getting extra help in school.

However, in some cases the local authority will need to make a statutory assessment of your child's educational needs. After the statutory assessment, the local authority may decide that your child needs special help. If this is the case, they must write a statement of special educational needs (often simply referred to as 'a statement'). A statement will describe your child's needs and the specialist help and provision required to meet those needs.

When the local authority writes a statement they will first send you a copy of the 'proposed statement'. This is so that you have the chance to comment on it.

Along with the proposed statement, the local authority will send you copies of all the professional reports, eg from your child's school or early years setting, educational psychologist, health authority, etc which were prepared during the statutory assessment. You have the right to ask the local authority to arrange a meeting with a relevant professional to discuss these reports, or 'advice'. You also have the right to ask for a meeting with a local authority officer to talk about the contents of the proposed statement.

The local authority should send you a letter with the proposed statement which tells you that you have 15 days to 'make representations' - that is, to make comments or request a meeting with a local authority officer. This meeting may take place after the 15-day period.

Meetings with local authority officers can be repeated. Following the meeting, an 'amended proposed statement' may be produced. Alternatively, the local authority may finalise the statement. If they do this, the local authority will send the final statement to you with a letter explaining your right of appeal to the  Special Educational Needs Tribunal Wales (SENTW)  if you disagree with the statement.

If when you first receive the proposed statement you either do nothing or write back accepting it, the local authority will send you a final statement and inform you of your right to appeal.

What should the statement contain?

The statement must contain six parts.

Part 1 of a statement is a standard introduction that provides details of your child's name, address, etc and those of the child's parent or person responsible for them. It will often also list the reports gathered during the statutory assessment process that are attached to the statement.

Part 2 of a statement should describe your child's educational needs and current difficulties clearly and thoroughly. It should set out the nature and severity of your child's difficulties and how they might affect your child's ability to learn in the classroom. Part 2 should be set out so that it relates directly to the description of provision in Part 3.

You might wish to check that all your child's educational needs are identified in Part 2 of the statement. You can do this by looking closely at all the professional reports (or advice) which formed part of the statutory assessment. It can be useful to make a copy of each report and highlight the educational needs mentioned, then check that these are all in Part 2 of the statement.

It is important to try and avoid any vague descriptions in the statement. For example 'autistic tendencies' can be a description that makes it difficult to plan appropriate provision for your child.

Children on the autism spectrum sometimes have additional conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyspraxia, etc. These also need to be identified in Part 2 of the statement.

Autistic children are likely to have needs that fall into the following categories:

• difficulties with communication
• difficulties with social interaction
• difficulties with sequencing and planning.

Look for the following points in the professional advice or reports and make sure they appear in Part 2 of your child's statement where appropriate.

Communication needs

Your child may have difficulty with:

• processing, understanding or using language (receptive and expressive language)
• interpreting instructions literally.

Social needs

Your child may:

• have impulsive behaviour
• act inappropriately with peers.

Information processing

Your child may experience difficulties including:

• planning and organising information
• forming concepts and understanding abstract ideas 
• predicting and anticipating events
• processing spoken information
• differentiating between relevant and background information
• finding noisy and/or busy environments distressing
• finding changes between activities difficult, needing a lot of structure where activities must have a clear beginning, middle and ending.

Behaviour difficulties

Your child may have difficulties in managing their behaviour because of:

• lack of understanding of social rules
• confusion and fear of unexpected events
• interference with repetitive activities
• inappropriate attempts to control their environment.

Other difficulties

If your child has attention deficit disorder (ADD) or ADHD they will have difficulty staying 'on task'. If they have dyspraxia they may have difficulties with co-ordination, from catching a ball (gross motor skills) to holding a pen (fine motor skills).

This is not an exhaustive list of the difficulties children on the autism spectrum may have, so read Part 2 of the statement carefully to make sure that all your child's needs are mentioned.

Part 3 of a statement must specify all the educational provision to be made by the local authority to meet your child's special educational needs. Part 3 of the statement is in three sections: objective, educational provision, and monitoring.

The first section in Part 3 sets out the main educational and developmental long-term objectives to be achieved by the special educational provision. Objectives should directly relate to the learning needs described in Part 2.

Educational provision

This is the most important section of Part 3 and it should specify all the special educational provision that the local authority considers appropriate for all the learning difficulties detailed in Part 2. The provision in this part of the statement should be specific, detailed and quantified. In particular it should specify:

• any appropriate facilities and equipment, staffing arrangements and curriculum
• any appropriate modifications to the national curriculum, or any appropriate exclusions from the national curriculum, in detail and how your child will continue to get a balanced and broadly based curriculum in spite of any exclusions.

Where a residential placement is considered appropriate, this should also be recorded here.

Using all the advice received and what has been outlined in Part 2 of the statement, you should check whether the following have been included in Part 3 (if considered appropriate for your child):

• frequent, supervised small group activities
• a programme for personal and social development
• a behaviour management programme
• additional supervision to help your child stay on task (for example a learning support assistant or teaching assistant)
• access to additional special needs support to cover unstructured times of the school day
• a language programme to be developed by a speech and language therapist or direct input from a speech and language therapist
• a teacher and/or learning support assistant with a qualification and/or experience in teaching and supporting autistic children
• a learning support assistant to help in delivering a modified curriculum
• opportunities to develop social skills
• a distraction-free environment
• an individual programme to develop language and communication skills
• an individual programme to develop social skills
• structured tasks and routines
• visual prompts and a visual timetable
• clear, unambiguous instructions at all times.

This list is not definitive but gives an indication of the kinds of provision your child might need. Always try and make sure that the provision listed in a statement is as specific, detailed and quantified as possible. Ask yourself:

• Who will provide the provision?
• How will it be provided?
• When will it be provided?
• For how long?

In summary, Part 3 should be comprehensive and specify all the educational provision to meet each of your child's needs. Some of the provision will be made by the local authority, some by the child's school from its own resources, and some may be made by the health authority. The local authority has a legal duty to make sure that the educational provision in the statement is delivered, no matter who actually delivers it. This is unless the local authority is satisfied the parents have themselves made suitable arrangements.

The final section of Part 3 sets out the arrangements that will be made to monitor and review your child's progress. Make sure that this section specifies who will be involved in the monitoring and reviewing process. This section should also say how often the statement will be reviewed: this should happen at least once a year.

Part 4 details the placement, that is, a type of school, the name of a school or early education setting, or any provision for home education (also known as 'education otherwise').

In a proposed or proposed amended statement this section should be blank. Once you receive a proposed statement, you can ask for a particular school or setting, including one that may be out of the area, if you believe it will best meet your child's needs. Requesting a placement is not a guarantee that your child will be placed there.

Part 5 of the statement describes any non-educational needs your child has, as agreed between the local authority, health services, social services and other agencies. This part of the statement is not legally binding and it is not possible to appeal to SEN Tribunal Wales about its contents.

Part 6 of the statement describes how your child will get help to meet the non-educational needs in Part 5.

While the local authority must arrange all the special educational provision that it outlined in Part 3 of the statement, the provision outlined in Part 6 is described as non-educational. This is normally provided by the health authority or social services in response to a request from the local authority. However, no-one has a legal duty to put the provision outlined in Part 6 in place. It is therefore important that all your childs educational needs are described in Part 2 with the provision stated in Part 3. This would normally include therapies such as speech and language and occupational therapy.  

Timescales from statutory assessment to statement

• local authority receives request for statutory assessment -  six weeks  to make decision 
• local authority decides not to assess - writes to parents with right to appeal, or
• local authority decides to assess
• local authority seeks advice from parents and a range of professionals  within ten weeks  (unless in exceptional circumstances)
• local authority decides whether or not to make a statement  within two weeks  of receiving all advices
• local authority decides not to make a statement - writes to parents with information about their right of appeal, or
• local authority decides to make a statement and issues a proposed statement
• local authority has  eight weeks  to make a final statement
• total time: 26 weeks.

If you are still unhappy with the contents of your child's final statement, you have a right of appeal to the  SEN Tribunal Wales  within two months of the receipt of the letter accompanying the final statement. You may wish to contact our Tribunal Support Line on 0808 400 4102 (press option 2) for help.

Further information

National Assembly for Wales (2004).  Special educational needs (SEN) code of practice for Wales/Cod ymarfer anhenion addysgol arbenning Cymru . Also available by contacting the Wales Publication Centre on 029 2082 3683.

Article sources

Share guide:

Last reviewed and updated on 03 September 2020

Cookies on this site

Our site uses cookies for key functions and to give you the best experience. Use cookie settings to control which cookies are allowed or click on Allow Optional Cookies to allow all cookies. For more detailed information please see our cookie policy .

Please wait while we check your current settings

How can we help?

• Cost of living advice
• Early years support
• Introduction to benefits
• Claiming DLA higher rate mobility
• DLA and other financial help
• Tips on completing the DLA form
• Payment of DLA for a child in hospital
• Introduction to DLA videos – Arabic
• Introduction to DLA videos – English
• Introduction to DLA videos – Polish
• Introduction to DLA videos – Somali
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• Benefits calculator
• Moving onto Universal Credit from legacy benefits
• Universal Credit for young people receiving education
• Ongoing benefit changes
• Carer’s Allowance
• Missing the disability element of Child Tax Credit
• Help with Council Tax & rates
• Bedroom tax
• The benefit cap
• Other benefits
• Benefits at 16
• Changes in circumstances
• Revisions, appeals & complaints
• Child Disability Payment
• Adult Disability Payment & disability benefits at 16
• Carer Support Payment
• Best Start Grant
• Best Start Foods
• Carer’s Allowance Supplement
• Young Carer Grant
• Funeral Support Payment
• Child Winter Heating Payment
• Scottish Child Payment
• Challenging decisions
• Online grants search
• Help with education costs
• Help with health costs
• Transport & leisure discounts
• Dealing with debt
• Help with home improvements
• Government support for cost of living
• Energy saving tips
• Financial help from Scottish local authorities and others
• The SEND and AP Improvement Plan
• Introduction to special educational needs (SEN)
• Support in the early years
• Extra support in school
• Writing about your child – a checklist to help for EHC needs assessments
• Getting an EHC draft plan
• Annual reviews
• Tribunal appeals
• Education beyond 16
• Transport in England
• Challenging school transport policies in England
• Transport for young people over 16 in England
• Independent travel training
• Applying for a school place
• Finding the right school
• Top tips to help when your child changes schools
• Absence from school
• Help with medical needs
• Home education
• Exam access arrangements
• School & college complaints
• Raising a concern template letter
• Ways that schools can deal with bullying
• Meeting with the school
• Helping your child respond to bullying
• Raising a formal complaint template letter
• Support in education NI
• Transport in Northern Ireland
• Support in education Scotland
• Transport in Scotland
• Introduction
• Support under the ALN framework
• Common questions about getting extra help in mainstream schools
• The statutory assessment (Wales)

The statement of special educational needs (Wales)

• Common queries about the annual review of the statement (Wales)
• Transport in Wales
• What is social care?
• Needs assessments
• Carer’s assessments: your needs as a carer
• Short breaks
• Blue Badge disabled parking permits
• Personal budgets and direct payments
• Holidays, play, and leisure
• Hiring a personal assistant
• Aids & equipment
• Home adaptations
• Moving into adult services
• Making a complaint about services
• Clinical negligence
• A-Z medical conditions
• Who do I speak to about concerns?
• Behaviour that challenges
• Helping you and your child sleep
• Feeding and eating
• Potty and toilet training
• Speech, learning and movement
• Dental care
• Hearing care
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
• The flu vaccine
• Covid-19 vaccine
• Annual health checks
• Getting a diagnosis
• Support when your child does not have a diagnosis
• Developmental delay
• Advice from other parents
• Managing volunteers
• About Contact’s medical information
• Who sits on the MAP?
• How is our medical information checked?
• All about genetics
• Healthcare in England
• Healthcare in Northern Ireland
• Healthcare in Scotland
• Healthcare in Wales
• GPs & primary care
• CAMHS mental health services
• Mental health, autistic and learning disabled children
• Continuing care
• Specialist services (tertiary care)
• Appointment tips
• Putting things right – England
• Putting things right – Northern Ireland
• Putting things right – Scotland
• Putting things right – Wales
• Moving to adult health services
• Finding childcare
• Help with childcare costs
• Refused childcare in England?
• Relationship breakdown and separation
• Coping with stress
• Supporting siblings
• Advice for fathers
• Advice for grandparents
• Working with professionals
• Help returning to work
• Flexible working and time off
• Maternity, paternity and adoption rights
• Benefits in work
• What to do when a child dies
• Help with funeral expenses
• Sorting out your finances
• Taking care of yourself
• Making a plan
• Parental responsibility & mental capacity beyond 16
• Benefits & money
• Wills & trusts
• Education, health & social care
• Getting a job
• Independent living & housing
• Developing self esteem
• Making friends
• Puberty and growing up
• Sex and sexual awareness
• Sex and relationship education in school
• Benefiting You – thank you
• Ealing office
• SEND Family Fun Day
• Lewisham office
• Local support groups
• Parent carer forums (England)
• Local advice & support organisations
• Meet Chiara – helping others with hemiplegia with her one-handed hacks!
• Special event raises vital funds for HemiHelp and Contact
• 9 March: Don’t miss our next workshop for families living with hemiplegia: Speech, language and communication for children aged 0-5
• A magical opportunity for a child or young person with hemiplegia
• Abracadabra! Magic-themed intensive therapy for children with unilateral cerebral palsy
• Better Together activity day for families living with hemiplegia a big hit!
• Can you help us refresh our HemiHelp information pack for schools?
• Exclusive FREE workshop for HemiHelp parent carers
• Free online parent workshops for families caring for a child with hemiplegia this March
• Good luck to all our marathon runners this weekend!
• Join our FREE workshop exclusively for parent carers of a young person with hemiplegia on 20 November!
• Join our HemiHelp Facebook Group
• Looking for storybooks that feature children with disabilities?
• Money Matters for parents of young children: Free workshop for parent carers
• My experience at work
• My hemiplegia makes me who I am
• Our Fledglings shop is now available in multiple languages
• School exclusions and SEN: Get expert advice at our Q&A for families in England
• Shoes and shoe-lacing tips
• Tweaking & adapting computers
• Two FREE parent workshops exclusive to families living with hemiplegia
• Video Games – Therapy of the Future?
• Watch back our winter illnesses expert Q&A
• Webinars to watch!
• Work experience at Sky Sports in West London
• Getting active
• What is hemiplegia?
• Hemiplegia and diagnosis
• Physiotherapy
• Occupational therapy
• Ankle & foot splints or orthoses (AFOs)
• Upper limb splinting
• Orthopaedic surgery
• Botulinum toxin and hemiplegia
• Emotions & behaviour
• Difficulties seeing
• Shoes & shoe lacing
• Tweaking & adapting computers
• Musical instruments
• My HemiCheck
• Support for your family
• HemiHelp – a history
• Helping children in pre-school
• Education settings
• Sports & fitness
• Getting into work
• Resource hub
• How to view an e-publication on your smartphone or tablet
• Challenging the myths around Disability Living Allowance eligibility: podcast transcript
• Moving onto Universal Credit – podcast transcript
• Seven reasons to claim Disability Living Allowance (DLA): podcast transcript
• The Scottish Child Payment – episode transcript
• What is Carer’s Allowance? – podcast transcript
• What should you do if you receive a Universal Credit managed migration notice? – podcast transcript
• Online communities
• Charlie the Chatbot
• Our helpline

In this section

3 mins read

Changes to the education system in Wales A new system of support for children with additional learning needs (ALN), called the ALN framework, was introduced on 1 September 2021 to replace the existing special educational needs (SEN system). Statements of SEN are part of the old system of support for children with ALN and are being phased out from now until Summer 2024. If your child starts to receive support in education for the first time after 1 September 2021, their support will come under the ALN framework. They will receive support through an Independent Development Plan (IDP) and not a statement of SEN. If your child is currently receiving support through a Statement of SEN because they received it before 1 September, this will continue in place until it is transferred to an IDP. The information on this page might be useful until that point.

What is a statement?

Under the Welsh education system, children or young people with more complex needs might have a statement of special educational needs.

This is a legal document which sets out all of your child’s special educational needs and all the additional help that will be given to meet those needs. The local authority is responsible for ensuring that all the educational help in the statement is provided.

What is in the statement?

The statement should draw on all the advice in the reports provided as part of the statutory assessment  by parents, school and other agencies. This advice forms part of the statement, so must be attached to it and listed on the first page of the statement. The statement is in six parts.

Part 1 Introduction – the personal details such as your child’s name and date of birth.

Part 2 Special educational needs (SEN) – a description of your child’s educational needs: including any diagnosis and explaining what they have difficulty with. This should be based on all the advice in the professional reports. For each educational need identified, there should be matching help in part three.

Part 3 Special educational provision -this sets out the extra help which will be given for each of your child’s difficulties. It is important that all the help is specified in detail including:

• Changes to the curriculum

This is so everyone understands the kind of, and amount of help, your child must get. All of the help listed in part three should match a need identified in part two.

Part 4 Placement-this should state the type of school, or other education provision, which can meet your child’s needs. It should also name the school your child will attend.

Part 5 Non educational needs -these could be health needs, for example a medical condition such as asthma or epilepsy.

Part 6 Non educational provision- this sets out the help that will be given to meet the needs in part 5, for example, monitoring by the health service.

Some types of help may be ‘educational’ or ‘non educational’. These should be listed in both part 3 and part 6.

Some therapies may be provided by the health service but can be ‘educational’, such as physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy.  

Make sure that if these therapies are needed then these are listed in part three as ‘educational provision’ – as if they are not the local authority does not have to ensure they are provided.

Having problems understanding your child’s statement? Call our freephone helpline on 0808 808 3555 to talk to one of our education experts or post us a query on Facebook.  

Are you a parent carer looking for extra support?

Get the latest disability updates, benefits advice, free workshops and family events, and practical help caring for your child in our weekly email newsletter.

Play the Contact Weekly Lottery

Support our vital services for families with disabled children for just £1 a week and get the chance to win up to £10,000 every Friday!

Get the latest SEND updates, benefits advice, practical help caring for your child, plus free workshops and family events in our weekly email newsletter. (make sure you select ‘News updates’)

Do you support families with disabled children?

Join our newsletter to receive updates, expert advice for practitioners, and access to exclusive offers for webinars and training sessions. (make sure you select ‘Practitioner updates’)

Privacy Overview

• Our Colleges
• Outcomes & Success
• Smartbox (AAC Devices)
• Mind of My Own App
• Support & Advice
• Our Care Homes
• Referral Process
• What is Fostering?
• Therapeutic Fostering
• Fostering with Us
• Training & Support
• Our Specialist Services
• Therapeutic Approach
• Why Choose Cambian
• List of Common Acronyms
• About the Cambian Group
• About CareTech
• Our History
• Our Mission
• Inspection Reports
• Investor Relations
• Supplier Policy
• Legal Notice
• News & Events
• Call: 0161 507 3723
• Specialist Education
• Residential Services
• Fostering Services
• Our Specialisms

• Reports & Policies
• Curriculum & School Environment
• Information for Parents
• Meet the Team
• How to Find Us
• School News
• Student Outcomes
• Learning & Development
• School Environment
• Information, News & Events
• Smartbox Case Study
• Positive Communication Environment
• Zones of Regulation and Reflection Times
• Check In Times
• Review Contributions
• The HHS Let’s Eat Cafe
• Individual Choices
• Individualised Sixth Form Pathways
• Student Achievements
• The HHS Curriculum
• Research Opportunities
• Funded Projects
• FootPrint Newsletters
• News Pre-2020
• Matilda's Story
• Jane's Story
• John's Story
• Libby's Story
• Barry's Story
• The Clinical Team
• News Pre-2023
• Newsletters
• School Curriculum
• Facilities and Environment
• David's Story
• Chris' Story
• Parent Testimonial
• Parent Testimonial - Ryan's Mum
• Quality of Life Framework
• Community Links
• Residential Care
• STEP Framework
• Covid-19 Information
• Testimonials
• Jack's Story
• Robbie's Story
• Therapeutic Outdoor Learning
• Beyond the Classroom
• Star Student Outcomes
• George's Story
• Cameron's Story
• Alex's Story
• A Student's Letter
• Steven's Story
• Our Curriculum
• About Devon School
• Information For Parents
• Ethos & Vision
• Integration & Placements
• Assessments
• Pastoral & Therapeutic Support
• Career Support
• Achievements & Progress
• Kelvin's Story
• Alisa's Story
• Tamsin's Story
• Louise's Story
• Theo's Achievement
• Employability Overview
• Employer Information
• Useful Links
• Colin's Story
• School Locations
• Alfie's Story
• Curriculum Overview
• College Environment
• Speech & Language Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• College News
• Case Studies
• Health & Wellbeing
• Feel Good Friday
• Student Journeys
• College Locations
• Autism School Outcomes
• Asperger School Outcomes
• SEMH School Outcomes
• College Outcomes
• Mental Health Services
• Complex Needs Homes
• Small Group Homes
• Group Homes
• Care Leavers 16+ and 18 Years
• Our Complex Trauma Homes
• Our Therapeutic Model
• Social Worker Study
• Our Therapeutic Interventions
• Outcomes for CSE
• River Cottage
• The Mill House
• Referral Route
• Educational Support
• Care Pathway
• Daniels Story
• Edwards Journey
• Tobys Story
• Susans Story
• Kyles Story
• What Does a Foster Parent Do?
• Why Foster?
• Types of Fostering
• How to Start Fostering
• Fostering Pay
• Fostering Benefits
• Thinking of Transferring?
• Fostering Support for Parents
• Education & Participation
• Language and Communication
• Imagination & Flexibility of Thought
• Social Difficulties & Behaviours
• Sensory Difficulties & Behaviours
• About Asperger Syndrome
• Social Communication Difficulties
• Social Interaction Difficulties
• Social Imagination Difficulties
• Sensory Difficulties
• Mental Health
• Education Issues
• Intervention & Treatment
• Behaviour Support & Management
• Tourette Syndrome
• Common Obsessions and Compulsions
• Other Associated Disorders with OCD
• Kinds of Attachment Disorder
• Diagnosis and Treatment
• At Home and at School
• Signs of Dyslexia
• Semantic Pragmatic Disorder
• Social Communication Disorder
• Our Therapies & Clinical Services
• Safeguarding

• Section home
• Our Schools

You are here: Home > Specialist Education Services for Children and Young People > Parental Support & Advice > Statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Your Local Authority will have already carried out a Statutory Assessment and decided that the degree of your child's learning difficulty and the nature of the provision necessary to meet their special educational needs is such that a Statement of Educational Needs is required.

They will have ascertained that your child's needs cannot be provided within the resources normally available to mainstream schools or early education settings in the area. It therefore follows that a Statement will be required for a day or residential special school placement and parents should hopefully have researched and found a suitable school before the Statement process is underway.

Proposed Statement

Once it has been determined that a Statement is necessary to provide for the child's needs the LA must draft a proposed statement within two weeks of the decision to issue a Statement and send it to the parents together with copies of all the reports and the advice received for the assessment process as appendices at the back of the Statement.

They will also include a Notice to Parents which:

• has a list of local schools, special schools and approved independent schools in your area

• an invite asking you which is your preferred school for your child and your reasons

• informs you that although provision is usually made in maintained schools, you have a right to request a non-maintained school

• provides a list of non-maintained special schools and independent schools approved by The Secretary of State for Education for children with Statements of SEN

• informs you of your right to appeal

• states the LA officer responsible for your case and how to contact them

You have 15 days from when you receive the proposed statement to carefully check the details and query anything that you do not agree with, for instance, advice and information from reports is not entered on the statement, facts are incorrect, wording of provision to meet needs is vague. You can now express a preference for the school at which you wish your child to be educated. At this point you may need help to check your Statement from your Parent Partnership Service, an independent organisation trained in helping parents with this, a private Educational Psychologist who has been working with you, or an experienced parent or representative from a local support group, etc.

Format of Proposed Statement

A Statement consists of six parts:

Part 1 - Personal Details

This gives general information, e.g. child's name, address, date of birth, home language, region, names and addresses of the parent/s.

Part 2 - Needs

This part describes ALL of your child's special educational needs and should also include their strengths. It should contain all the relevant information from the statutory assessment and any reports and advice from professionals who provided information for the assessment process and also parents' advice and childs views, all must be attached as appendices. It is important that any therapeutic input that is required is put in this section as an educational need otherwise the LA do not have a legal duty to provide it.

Part 3 - Special Educational Provision

This should describe the main educational and developmental objectives; the special educational provision and support that will meet the needs and the objectives mentioned - again referring to any reports and advice that are attached; the monitoring and recording arrangements for meeting the objectives, regular reviews of the child's progress and the setting of short term targets.

Part 4 - Placement

This is blank until the Statement is finalised. It is for the type and/or name of the school which will meet the special educational need - this can also be 'Education Other Than At School' such as home education.

Part 5 - Non-Educational Needs

Describes any non-educational needs that your child has which are agreed with health and social services, this section can also include transport.

Part 6 - Non-Education Provisions

Describes any non-educational provision needed to meet Part 5. This is normally provided by other agencies, e.g. health or social care and is not the responsibility of the education department.

Checking the Proposed Statement

Do this as soon as you receive the Proposed Statement as you must respond within 15 days of receiving it to either accept it as it is written or refuse it and request meetings to discuss it further. There is officially eight weeks to agree the content before the Final Statement is issued.

Take a copy of the Statement and attached reports and use these to make any notes, alterations, additions, etc. 

This should be straightforward to check but mark anything that is wrong.

• Are ALL the needs described clearly so that anyone reading this and working with your child would know their difficulties?

• Go through all the attached reports and advice, highlight and number each difficulty or need.

• Make sure that all those highlighted needs are entered in the Statement.

• Make a note of anything that is missing.

• Are the child's needs at break and lunch times mentioned?

• What about specific difficulties in areas such as PE are or where there is choice?

• Ensure that any parts of the reports from speech and language therapists or occupational therapists that impact on a child's ability to access the curriculum are entered here, otherwise it not have to be legally provided by the education department

Part 3 - Special Education Provision

• Is there a provision related to every need that was listed in Part 2?

• Any needs that were missing in Part 2 will not have provision and these therefo re will need to be added.

• Refer back to the reports, highlight and number any help/provision that is recommended.

• Check that the provisions are listed in Part 3.

• If you disagree about the help or do not understand anything, make a note.

IMPORTANT - the Code of Practice states that all support and provision should be specific , detailed and quantified . In other words, everything is set out in detail and is exact and measurable and there is no doubt what it means (however it is recognised that some flexibility will be needed for a pupil's changing needs as they develop); amounts of time; frequency; level of support; named programmes, etc. So highlight words and phrases that are vague and could be open to different interpretation by different people including: access to, some, regular, as required, where necessary, opportunities, visits from. Once these words are in a final Statement it is very hard to check exactly when and how much support your child is receiving and to argue that 'regular monitoring from a therapist' should mean more than twice a year.

• Does it state that staff working with and supporting your child should be qualified, experienced or trained in their particular special need?

• Is there support and alternatives for break and lunch times?

• What happens if the usual teacher is away?

• What happens if a support assistant is absent, will this be covered?

• Will your child need extra help on trips and activities away from school?

• Is extra help available for your child, who due to their condition or difficulty, may have a day when their problems are more severe?

• Monitoring: how will your child's progress be checked?

• How often will it be checked?

• How will you be involved?

• this will be blank

• you will have been sent a list of schools with the Proposed Statement

• at this point you have a right to express a preference for the LA maintained mainstream school, in your own LA or in another area, you would like your child to attend

• your LA must agree with this choice unless they can prove either:

- the attendance of your child would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education of other children at the school

- it is not a good use of resources (money, staff, transport)

- the school is unsuitable for the child's age, ability and the SEN set out in Part 2

If they can prove the above then the LA must name an alternative mainstream school.

• but if no mainstream school meets the necessary conditions and provisions needed then the parents can request or the LA can suggest a LA special school or special unit/resource base

• you can however state a preference for an independent or independent special school if you feel that your child's needs are particularly complex and/or severe and cannot be met in a mainstream setting. In some cases you may be requesting a residential placement so that your child can access what is called a 'waking day' curriculum where their complex educational and care needs can be continued outside the normal school day

• in all cases you must have visited all the options offered to you and suggested by you so that you can state your case clearly

• the LA has to consider the parents preference but it does not have to provide the 'best' education, just education that is 'adequate'. The LA may therefore name the school in the final statement that it considers meets the child's needs

• in some cases where both parents and their LA cannot find a suitable school and need more time to search, Part 4 can name a type of school rather than a specific school so that the Statement can be finalised and the provision started in the current placement

Parts 5 and 6 - Non-Educational Needs

Remember, the education authority have no duty to provide anything that is mentioned in Parts 5 and 6 so check carefully that anything mentioned here should not be in Parts 2 and 3 as mentioned above. If speech and language therapy for instance is an educational need, perhaps your child needs specific programmes to help with understanding instructions and communicating appropriately, then it should not be in the section.

Transport can also in some cases be included in Parts and 6. Children with Statements should have access to 'non-stressful' transport. 

Proposed Statement is Acceptable

You have carefully checked though all of the above points and are happy that your child's needs and provision are clearly set out and quantified and you are happy with the school that is going to be named in Part 4 - it may be that you and the LA had worked closely together during the statutory assessment process and so there are no issues. You must accept the Proposed Statement in writing within 15 days of receiving it.

Proposed Statement is NOT Acceptable

Once you have checked through all of the above points it may be that you are not happy with the content of the Statement and have a list of questions, omissions, amendments. Write to your named office no later than 15 days after receiving the Proposed Statement asking for a meeting to discuss it. Remember, you can take someone with you to any meetings; they can be a friend, Parent Partnership rep or your own advocate/adviser. Take your highlighted and marked reports, Statement and a list of points and questions.

It is always best to start with the points that are straightforward and can easily be agreed. Discuss anything that you feel needs changing or adding and use the evidence in the reports to back up what you are saying. Keep notes of anything that is said, agreed or not agreed. Discuss with the officer the school that you want named, your reasons why and listen to their reasons for a different school. You have 15 days from the date of this meeting to ask for another meeting to sort the issues that may still be outstanding. Parents can ask for as many meetings as it takes to get the Statement right but at the end of the final meeting, you have 15 days to send in your final views.

If you have a query with any of the professional reports, you can also request a meeting with that person/s. It may be easier if everyone is at one meeting so as not to hold up the process of issuing the Final Statement.

If you and the LA cannot agree on the wording of the Statement or you disagree about the type of school, ask if you can have a mediation meeting to try and sort out the issues.

The LA and youselves should be working together to agree on the Final Statement to avoid the time consuming, stressful, expensive Appeal process for both sides. Do not feel that you have to be coerced into accepting an inadequate Statement, some LAs don't think parents will fight to get things right.

The Final Statement

Once all points have been agreed upon and differences have been resolved, a copy of the Final Statement, with the type and name of school inserted, must be issued within 8 weeks (unless there are still meetings going on) from the date of the Proposed Statement being issued. However, even if an agreement was not reached between the parents and the LA about the Statement, the LA can still go ahead and issue the Final Statement with an accompanying letter containing the name of the LA Officer or the 'named person' who is prepared to give you additional information; Parent Partnership Service and Disagreement Resolution Services. It must also advise you of your right to appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disibility Tribunal.

From the date of issue of the Final Statement the provision and extra support and specific programmes must be put in place. The LA must inform the responsible person in the named school that the Statement has now been made and that person must ensure that everyone involved with the child is made aware of their needs and that staff carry out the appropriate monitoring. Responsibility for the provision set out in the Statement being provided is the responsibility of the LA. Speak to the school in the first instance if anything is not happening or is not happening exactly as stated in the Statement, if nothing changes then contact your LA.

You appeal has to be received by the Tribunal within two months from the date of the LA decision and the earlier you get your appeal in, the better. You should put in an appeal even if you are trying to negotiate with your LA as you can always cancel it if you reach an agreement.

The SEND Tribunal has jurisdiction to hear appeals on the following matters relating to Special Educational Needs:

• decisions of Local Authorities to not carry out a Statutory Assessment

• decisions of Local Authorities to not finalise a Statement of Educational Needs after a Statutory Assessment is completed and instead issue a Note in Lieu (which does not confer legally enforceable provision)

• decisions of Local Authorities not to amend a Statement following a re-assessment

• decisions of Local Authorities not to amend a Statement following an annual review

• decisions of Local Authorities to cease to maintain a child's Statement

• where the Local Authority has made a Statement but the parents disagree with the contents in one or all Parts 2, 3 and 4

• where the Local Authority refuses to change the school named on the Statement

At this stage it is crucial that you obtain advice and support from an organisation or solicitor trained in Education Law.

Annual Review

A Statement must be reviewed at least once a year; usually around the anniversary of time of issue (interim or emergency reviews can be called at any time between by a parent or the school). The Annual Review is a meeting between parents, school staff and key professionals about how the year has been, the progress made, the needs of the child, whether the Statement needs amending. The views of the child must be sought and in appropriate cases they can also attend the review meeting. It is usually the responsibility of the Headteacher to organise and chair the Annual Review but can be delegated to the SENCo or other named person. Recommendations from the meeting are sent in a written report to the LA within 10 days.

For more information or advice, contact us  here , or call  0161 507 3723 .

• Children's Services
• Make a Referral
• Cambian Newsletter
• The Cambian Group
• Cookie Declaration

2: How to request a statutory assessment of my child’s needs in school?

What is a Statutory Assessment?

• A statutory assessment is a full assessment of your child’s educational needs which is carried out by the Education Authority (EA) at Stage 4 ( new stage 2 )  of the Code of Practice.  It takes up to  26 weeks  to complete.
• The assessment will determine if the EA are required to meet the child’s Special Educational Needs (SEN) through a statement of SEN.
• Statutory assessment involves gathering reports (sometimes known as advices) from a number of people involved with your child’s education. This could include parents, school, medical/HSCT professionals, the Educational Psychologist and any other relevant professionals e.g. social services if involved.
• The statutory assessment does not always result in a statement. After the assessment is carried out the EA may conclude that your child’s needs can be met by the school. Sometimes they may support this decision with an additional document called a Note in Lieu which may allow for access to some EA support services at Stage 3 ( new stage 2 ) of the Code of Practice. Click here for further information about the 5 stages of the Code of Practice and the change to new 3 stage approach.
• A statutory assessment is different from assessments that may be carried out by school, educational psychologists at Stage 3, or healthcare specialists e.g. Autism, Speech & Language.
• Only the EA can carry out a statutory assessment of Special Educational Need. This is the start of the process that can lead to a Statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN)

When should I request a Statutory Assessment?  

• If you feel your child’s needs cannot be met within the resources of the school and they are not making sufficient progress with the support they are already receiving, you might want to consider requesting a statutory assessment
• Statutory assessments can be requested by those with parental responsibility any time from the age of 2 years until the child leaves school up to the age of 19 years.
• A parent can request a statutory assessment at any time if they believe:
• that their child has significant and complex special educational needs that are impacting on their ability to learn and
• that the support they have received in school and by external professionals has not resulted in adequate progress.

Can anyone else request a Statutory Assessment?  

Yes.   A number of professionals can make this request on your behalf, for example the School Principal, the Educational Psychologist or Paediatrician.  If you make this request yourself however, you can be sure of the exact date your request was made, and you can follow up if deadlines are not adhered to.  You are also guaranteed your parental right of appeal if your request is refused.  These rights are important and are not guaranteed if others make the request for you.

Should I discuss this with the school first?  

Yes.  Speak to the class teacher and the schools Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) about your concerns and if further support is not available from the school you can make your request for a statutory assessment directly to the Education Authority (EA). The school will be contacted by the EA for their advice once you make your request. The evidence to support your request will be stronger if the school agree with your concerns.

How do I request a Statutory Assessment?  

You can request a Statutory Assessment online through the Education Authority’s website EA online request form You will find a walkthrough video on this page which explains how to complete the form.

• In writing:

A request can be made in writing to the Education Officer (Special Needs) at the Education Authority office in the area you live. See contact details for EA’s regional offices here .

• Get confirmation that the EA have received the letter/email. If you are delivering by hand, ask the person receiving the request to give you a receipt.
• It is important to keep a copy of the letter and a note of the date it was sent. Evidence of the date you sent your request is needed if your request is unsuccessful, as you may wish to appeal the decision.
• See timeframe for how long to complete a Statutory Assessment

What should I say in my request for a Statutory Assessment?

Your request for a statutory assessment should briefly and clearly set out the reasons you feel your child needs more help than the school or nursery is able to provide. Briefly outline any support or help that your child has already received and who (if anyone) from outside the school has been involved.

Bullet point the difficulties your child is having at school and at home and record information about any diagnosis or referrals your child may have. Your letter does not need to contain supporting documents/reports at this stage.

At this stage you are mainly triggering a statutory process, your request letter does not require full details about your child. You will be provided with another opportunity in the process to provide more information. You may wish to use this sample letter to request a statutory assessment

What happens next?  

• Within a short time (within 10 days) you should receive a ‘Notice of Consideration’ letter from the EA saying that they are considering making a statutory assessment.
• The letter will ask for your parental consent to seek advice from other professionals. It will include Parental Advice (Appendix A (1)) and Parental Evidence  (Appendix A (2)) forms for you to submit  to support your request. You will be given 22 days to submit this information. It is at this point that you can send in supporting documents and evidence. The school will also be sent a form to complete at this stage.

How to provide parental evidence 

Click here    for further information

When will I find out if the EA are going to assess my child?

• The EA must make their decision within 6 weeks  of your request.  They can make the decision earlier if they have received all the advice and evidence that they need to help them make a decision.
• If the EA decide that a statutory assessment is necessary, they will tell you of their decision by letter, and the process of statutory assessment will begin.

If the EA agree to carry out the statutory assessment, they will request Appendix A (3). This is a proforma with specific questions to answer. If you have already answered these questions in appendix A (1) and A (2), you do not need to repeat them.  It is important that all three submissions are attached to the final Statement or Note in Lieu at the end of the process.

If the EA decide not to carry out a Statutory assessment, they must tell you why and inform you of your right to appeal their decision to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal SENDIST

You have 2 months from the day you receive the letter to appeal the decision. If you would like further information and support with appeals you may wish to contact our  Appeal Service

Can I ask the EA for a re-assessment of my child’s educational needs?

You can ask for a statutory re-assessment if:

• you believe that your child’s needs have changed since the last Statement was issued,
• or if you believe that a different kind of help or provision is needed, or that more help is needed
• or if you believe that your child should attend a different kind of school

Sample letter for requesting a statutory re assessment

Should I speak to the school and the EA first?

Yes. Speak to your child’s class teacher and the School Principal about your concerns. When you write to the EA to request a reassessment, explain why you think the current statement is not good enough and/or how the child’s needs have changed

What if the school offers to write on my behalf?

The Principal is able to write and ask for a reassessment, but if you do it yourself you can be sure that the request has definitely been made and you will know exactly when the request was made.

However, if the Principal is willing, you could ask him/her to write a letter which supports your parental request for a re-assessment.

Who should I write to?

Write to the Education Officer (Special Education) at your EA regional office.

https://www.eani.org.uk/contact/contact-us

The EA should contact you within 6 weeks to let you know if they are going to consider your request.

Keep a copy of the letter and make a note of when it was sent. This will be important if you need to appeal the EA’s decision.

In certain circumstances you can appeal if the EA decide not to re-assess or if they turn down your request to have your child placed in a different school. The EA must tell you when you have a right of appeal. If you have any doubts you may wish to contact our appeals service for clarification.

Advice Line 028 9079 5779

For advice about your child’s education, please contact our Advice Line to speak to one of our advisers.

For current Advice Line hours, see our Contact page

Limited Company No. NI48698 Charity No. NIC101355

Graham House, Knockbracken Healthcare Park, Saintfield Road, Belfast BT8 8BH.

Office Enquiries: 07950 949405 Office Email: [email protected]

Office email cannot be used for advice queries, for education advice please contact our Advice Line

Latest news

• NEWS: Workshop – Parent’s role within the SEN system February 7, 2024

Privacy Overview

Special Educational Needs and Statements

Some children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) need ‘extra or different’ provision in school. Most children with SEN have their needs met by their school taking advice from the local education authority (LA) or health services, but without any direct support from  outside the school. Usually, their teacher and the school’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) will write an individual education plan (an IEP), setting out targets for them and any provision, such as occasional one-to-one tuition or special learning materials. Plans should be discussed with the child and their parents and reviewed at least twice a year.

Most children with statements go to their local mainstream school, where they receive special provision of some kind e.g. help from learning assistants, specialist computer equipment or seating. However, about a third – those with the highest levels of need – attend a special school. The new Code of Practice has increased children’s rights to go to their local mainstream school.

A ‘statement’ sets out the child’s needs, the extra or different provision they are to receive, learning aims; the name of the school they will attend, and any other needs.

‘Statements’ are based on a formal assessment process. The LA must seek a wide range of advice on the child’s needs – from their parents and school, the psychology service, health and social services, and other agencies. Parents should ask for professionals to provide reports to the LA for them to take into account.

The LA has a legal duty to arrange for the provision set out in the statement to be made. Parents may appeal to the independent Special Educational Needs Tribunal for Wales (SENTW) if they are not satisfied with the provision or the school offered in the statement, or if the LA decides not to carry out a statutory assessment or not to issue a statement (ie ‘a notice in lieu’).

Statements must be reviewed at least once a year, in an ‘annual review’ organised by the school. This meeting should include the child, their parents and teachers and any other professionals involved. They will look at the child’s progress, set new targets, and consider if the statement needs to be changed. This may lead to the statement being amended or, in some cases, discontinued.

Parents Guide to Special Education Needs (SEN)

You may find it helpful to refer to the following points when looking at your child’s schooling.

When early years education settings (such as nurseries), schools, local authorities (LAs), health and social services decide how they will help children with special educational needs, they should always consider what the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice for Wales (CoP) says.

The most important law dealing with SEN is the 1996 Education Act. The CoP gives practical guidance on how to identify and assess children with special educational needs. All early years settings state schools and LAs must take account of the CoP when they are dealing with children who have special educational needs. Health and social services must also take account of the Code when helping LAs. This means that when early years settings, schools, LAs and health and social services decide how they will help children with special educational needs, they should always consider what the CoP says.

You should be consulted about all decisions that affect your child. If you have concerns or worries at any time, you should share them with your child’s teacher or head teacher or any other professional working with your child. You should always ask for advice without delay. If you want to talk to someone who is independent and knows about special educational needs, you can get help from the local parent partnership service who will be able to give you accurate, neutral information and support. Special Educational Needs – What Does it Mean? The term “special educational needs” has a legal definition. Children with special educational needs all have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most children of the same age: or they have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of the educational facilities of a kind generally provided by the LA for children of their age. These children will need extra help from that given to other children of the same age.

Remember – you know your child better than anyone. You might like to ask if:

• The school thinks your child has difficulties
• The school thinks your child has special educational needs
• Your child is able to work at the same level as other children of a similar age
• Your child is already getting some extra help
• You can help your child

The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice for Wales (CoP).

Sets out the processes and procedures that all organisations must or should follow to meet the needs of children. They must not ignore the CoP.

An easy read explanation of the Additional Learning Needs & Education Tribunal (Wales) Bill is now available at the link below

http://gov.wales/docs/dcells/publications/170220-easy-read-explanation-of-the-aln-bill-en.pdf .

What is the graduated response? The graduated response recognises that children learn in different ways and can have different kinds or levels of SEN. So increasingly, step-bystep, specialist expertise can be brought in to help the school with the difficulties that a child may have.

The school must tell you when they first start giving extra or different help for your child because your child has special educational needs and they must also tell you about your local parent partnership services.

In early years settings this level of intervention is called Early Years Action and in schools it is called School Action. Remember – it is how your child is helped that is important and not the way in which the school writes it down.

If your child does not make enough progress the teacher or Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) should then talk to you about asking for advice from people outside the school. They might want to ask for help or advice from, for example, a specialist teacher, an educational psychologist, a speech and language therapist or health professional. This kind of help is called Early Years Action Plus or School Action Plus.

What is the SENCO? The SENCO is the person in the school or early year setting who has a particular responsibility for co-ordinating help for children with special educational needs. Remember, the Welsh Government considers that all teachers are teachers of SEN and it is the class or subject teacher who is responsible for the actual teaching of your child.

What is a statutory assessment? This is a detailed investigation to find out exactly what your child’s special educational needs are and what help your child needs. A statutory assessment is only necessary if the LA believes that the school or early years setting may not be able to provide all the help that your child needs using the graduated response.

What is a statement? A statement is a legal document. It will describe all your child’s special educational needs and the special help your child should receive. The LA will make a statement if they decide that all the special help your child needs cannot be provided from within the school’s resources. These resources could include money, staff time and special equipment. It is important that you read the statement and understand its contents and your local parent partnership service will be able to guide you through this process.

Most children with statements go to their local mainstream school and only a small percentage – those with the highest levels of needs – attend a special school. The LA must review a statement at least every 12 months but early reviews can be called if parents or school feel the need.

Please note that the Welsh Government is in the process of introducing a new approach to providing support for children with Additional learning Needs (ALN). By 2018 these guidelines will probably be in force. More details can be found h ere

Help with Assessment in Your Area

Center for Teaching

Teaching statements.

Print Version

• What is a teaching statement?
• What purposes does the teaching statement serve?
• What does a teaching statement include?

General Guidelines

• Reflection questions to help get you started
• Exercises to help get you started
• Evaluating your teaching statement
• Further resources

What is a Teaching Statement?

A Teaching Statement is a purposeful and reflective essay about the author’s teaching beliefs and practices. It is an individual narrative that includes not only one’s beliefs about the teaching and learning process, but also concrete examples of the ways in which he or she enacts these beliefs in the classroom. At its best, a Teaching Statement gives a clear and unique portrait of the author as a teacher, avoiding generic or empty philosophical statements about teaching.

What Purposes does the Teaching Statement Serve?

The Teaching Statement can be used for personal, professional, or pedagogical purposes. While Teaching Statements are becoming an increasingly important part of the hiring and tenure processes, they are also effective exercises in helping one clearly and coherently conceptualize his or her approaches to and experiences of teaching and learning. As Nancy Van Note Chism, Professor Emerita of Education at IUPUI observes, “The act of taking time to consider one’s goals, actions, and vision provides an opportunity for development that can be personally and professionally enriching. Reviewing and revising former statements of teaching philosophy can help teachers to reflect on their growth and renew their dedication to the goals and values that they hold.”

What does a Teaching Statement Include?

A Teaching Statement can address any or all of the following:

• Your conception of how learning occurs
• A description of how your teaching facilitates student learning
• A reflection of why you teach the way you do
• The goals you have for yourself and for your students
• How your teaching enacts your beliefs and goals
• What, for you , constitutes evidence of student learning
• The ways in which you create an inclusive learning environment
• Your interests in new techniques, activities, and types of learning

“If at all possible, your statement should enable the reader to imagine you in the classroom, teaching. You want to include sufficient information for picturing not only you in the process of teaching, but also your class in the process of learning.” – Helen G. Grundman, Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement

• Make your Teaching Statement brief and well written . While Teaching Statements are probably longer at the tenure level (i.e. 3-5 pages or more), for hiring purposes they are typically 1-2 pages in length.
• Use narrative , first-person approach. This allows the Teaching Statement to be both personal and reflective.
• Be sincere and unique. Avoid clichés, especially ones about how much passion you have for teaching.
• Make it specific rather than abstract. Ground your ideas in 1-2 concrete examples , whether experienced or anticipated. This will help the reader to better visualize you in the classroom.
• Be discipline specific . Do not ignore your research. Explain how you advance your field through teaching.
• Avoid jargon and technical terms, as they can be off-putting to some readers. Try not to simply repeat what is in your CV. Teaching Statements are not exhaustive documents and should be used to complement other materials for the hiring or tenure processes.
• Be humble . Mention students in an enthusiastic, not condescending way, and illustrate your willingness to learn from your students and colleagues.
• Revise . Teaching is an evolving, reflective process, and Teaching Statements can be adapted and changed as necessary.

Reflection Questions To Help You Get You Started:*

• Why do you teach the way you do?
• What should students expect of you as a teacher?
• What is a method of teaching you rely on frequently? Why don’t you use a different method?
• What do you want students to learn? How do you know your goals for students are being met?
• What should your students be able to know or do as a result of taking your class?
• How can your teaching facilitate student learning?
• How do you as a teacher create an engaging or enriching learning environment?
• What specific activities or exercises do you use to engage your students? What do you want your students to learn from these activities?
• How has your thinking about teaching changed over time? Why?

* These questions and exercises are meant to be tools to help you begin reflecting on your beliefs and ideas as a teacher. No single Teaching Statement can contain the answers to all or most of these inquiries and activities.

Exercises to Help You Get You Started:*

• The Teaching Portfolio , including a section on teaching statements, Duquesne University Center for Teaching Excellence. This website includes five effective exercises to help you begin the writing process
• Teaching Goals Inventory , by Thomas A. Angelo and K. Patricia Cross and their book Classroom Assessment Techniques . This “quiz” helps you to identify or create your teaching and learning goals.

Evaluating Your Teaching Statement

Writing A Statement Of Teaching Philosophy For The Academic Job Search (opens as a PDF), The Center for Research on Learning and Teaching at the University of Michigan.

This report includes a useful rubric for evaluating teaching philosophy statements. The design of the rubric was informed by experience with hundreds of teaching philosophies, as well as surveys of search committees on what they considered successful and unsuccessful components of job applicants’ teaching philosophies.

Further Resources:

General information on and guidelines for writing teaching statements.

• Writing a Philosophy of Teaching Statement , Faculty and TA Development at The Ohio State University. This site provides an in-depth guide to teaching statements, including the definition of and purposes for a teaching statement, general formatting suggestions, and a self-reflective guide to writing a teaching statement.
• Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement , Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Iowa State University. This document looks at four major components of a teaching statement, which have been divided into questions—specifically, to what end? By what means? To what degree? And why? Each question is sufficiently elaborated, offering a sort of scaffolding for preparing one’s own teaching statement.
• Writing a Meaningful Statement of Teaching Philosophy , McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning at Princeton University. This website offers strategies for preparing and formatting your teaching statement.

Articles about Teaching Statements

• Grundman, Helen (2006). Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement (opens as a PDF), Notices of the AMS , Vol. 53, No. 11, p. 1329.
• Montell, Gabriela (2003). How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy , from the Chronicle Manage Your Career section of the Chronicle of Higher Education .
• Montell, Gabriela (2003). What’s Your Philosophy on Teaching, and Does it Matter? , from the Chronicle Manage Your Career section of the Chronicle of Higher Education .

Teaching Guides

• Online Course Development Resources
• Principles & Frameworks
• Pedagogies & Strategies
• Reflecting & Assessing
• Challenges & Opportunities
• Populations & Contexts

Quick Links

• Services for Departments and Schools
• Examples of Online Instructional Modules

Q&A: How inclusion in education has evolved

What is the Salamanca Statement on Inclusion in Education?

The  Salamanca Statement on Inclusion in Education was adopted at the joint UNESCO and Ministry of Education of Spain World Conference on Special Needs Education held in Salamanca, Spain, in 1994. The Statement and its accompanying framework for action represent a worldwide consensus on future directions for the education of children with special needs. It is considered as having provided the impetus for inclusive education worldwide. 

The Salamanca Statement emphasized the principle of inclusive education, which advocates for the education of all children, regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic, or other conditions, in schools. It called on governments to adopt inclusive policies and stressed the importance of adapting teaching methods, curricula and environments to accommodate the needs of all students. It highlighted the need for adequate training and support for teachers to enable them to address the diverse needs of students effectively and emphasized the importance of collaboration among governments, non-governmental organizations, communities and families to promote inclusive education.

What has happened since the adoption of this Statement?

Since the Salamanca Statement, efforts for inclusive education have continued. The Sustainable Development Goals adopted in 2015 and specifically Goal 4 recognizes the urgent need to provide equitable and inclusive quality education for all learners from the early years through compulsory schooling, technical and vocational education and training, higher education and lifelong learning. It calls on governments to step up efforts to achieve inclusion in education with special emphasis on the role of civil society and the involvement of marginalized groups. It was further highlighted at the United Nations  Transforming Education Summit (TES) in 2022, which recalled the baseline of the Sustainable Development Goal – leave no one behind.

Many countries have enacted laws and policies to promote inclusive education. Of the 133 national commitments to transform education made by countries at the TES, 87% recognized the importance of ensuring more inclusive education systems that cater for the needs of the most vulnerable learners and communities. 

Despite progress since the Salamanca Statement, deep disparities remain. Millions of children and youth are still denied their right to education . Over 7 million refugee children are not enrolled in school. Poverty, geographical location, gender, language, disability, ethnicity, migration or displacement status continue to dictate and limit education opportunities. 

There has been a gradual shift in attitudes towards inclusion in education. More stakeholders, including educators, policymakers, parents and communities are recognizing the value of inclusive education in promoting diversity, equity and social cohesion.  Data shows that when children have at least one sensory difficulty, they are less likely to complete primary school than children who have no sensory difficulties. 

What are the positive trends to ensure inclusion in education?

There is growing emphasis on providing teachers with training and professional development opportunities to effectively support inclusive practices in the classroom. Educators are learning strategies for differentiating instruction, fostering inclusive classroom environments and collaborating with special education professionals and support staff. However, around 40% of countries still do not provide teacher training on inclusion . 

The development and integration of assistive technologies have expanded opportunities for students with disabilities to access educational materials and participate in learning activities alongside their peers. Yet,  laws in 25% of countries make provisions for educating children with disabilities in separate settings, rising to over 40% in Asia and in Latin America and the Caribbean .

There is increasing recognition of the intersectionality of identities and experiences among students. Inclusive education efforts are evolving to address the unique needs and challenges faced by students who belong to multiple marginalized groups, such as students with disabilities who are also from minority ethnic or linguistic backgrounds.  In at least 20 countries, hardly any poor, rural young woman complete upper secondary school.

Overall, the evolution of inclusion in education since the Salamanca Statement and the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 reflect a growing commitment to creating equitable, diverse and inclusive learning environments where every learner matters, and matters equally. Barriers to inclusion include poor attitudes, inaccessible and unsafe learning environments, rigid curriculum, ineffective teacher training, lack of knowledge of the language of instruction, socio-economic barriers to education, and lack of political will and funding. 

How is UNESCO supporting inclusion in education?

UNESCO plays a significant role in promoting inclusive education around the world through various initiatives, programmes and advocacy efforts. UNESCO supports governments to adopt inclusive education frameworks, provides technical assistance and builds capacity among governments, education stakeholders and institutions to develop inclusive education systems. The Global Education Monitoring Report’s  SCOPE and VIEW databases track indicators related to access, participation, quality and equity in education, including the inclusion of marginalized and vulnerable populations.  

More work remains to be done. UNESCO calls on governments and partners to support inclusive education by:

• Targeting financial support to disadvantaged groups and eliminate direct and indirect schools fees in basic education; 
• providing programmes and avenues for re-entry into the education system, equivalency programmes, programmes for continuous learning and lifelong learning, both in formal and non-formal education systems; 
• forging a holistic approach to education from early childhood onwards to incorporate the concerns of marginalized and excluded groups in all levels of education and in all areas of education;
• developing capacities for policy-making and system management to support strategies towards inclusive quality education; and 
• undertaking research on inclusive policies and quality learning enhancement to build good practice based on the evidence of what works.

More information

• UNESCO inclusion in education  
• Celebrating inclusion in education: 30th Anniversary of Salamanca Statement
• Celebrating inclusion in education: Global Inclusive Schools' Forum  
• SDG4 mid-term progress review: progress since 2015 has been far too slow  
• 2020 GEM Report on inclusion in education : All means All
• Regional Report on inclusion in education: 2020 Latin America and the Caribbean report
• Regional Report on inclusion in education: 2021 Central and Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia
• PEER country profiles on inclusion in education
• Right from the start: build inclusive societies through inclusive early childhood education
• How committed? Unlocking financing for equity in education
• Inclusive teaching: preparing all teachers to teach all students
• Access the  SCOPE website  
• Explore the  VIEW website  

Related items

• Inclusive education
• Topics: Display

More on this subject

Other recent news

• Search All Scholarships
• Exclusive Scholarships
• Easy Scholarships to Apply For
• No Essay Scholarships
• Scholarships for HS Juniors
• Scholarships for HS Seniors
• Scholarships for College Students
• Scholarships for Grad Students
• Scholarships for Women
• Scholarships for Black Students
• Scholarships
• Student Loans
• College Admissions
• Financial Aid
• Scholarship Winners
• Scholarship Providers

Apply to vetted scholarship programs in one click

Student-centric advice and objective recommendations.

Higher education has never been more confusing or expensive. Our goal is to help you navigate the very big decisions related to higher ed with objective information and expert advice. Each piece of content on the site is original, based on extensive research, and reviewed by multiple editors, including a subject matter expert. This ensures that all of our content is up-to-date, useful, accurate, and thorough.

Our reviews and recommendations are based on extensive research, testing, and feedback. We may receive commission from links on our website, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our marketing partners don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted. You can find a complete list of our partners here .

How to Write a Statement of Financial Need

Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman is a content editor and writer at Scholarships360. He has managed communications and written content for a diverse array of organizations, including a farmer’s market, a concert venue, a student farm, an environmental NGO, and a PR agency. Gabriel graduated from Kenyon College with a degree in sociology.

Learn about our editorial policies

Prior to coming to Scholarships360 for her first internship in 2022, Savannah utilized her campus publications by joining various fashion publications that are offered at Ohio University. One of those publications is Thread Magazine, where Savannah has had the opportunity to work on articles related to world-wide related fashion news and events, as well as articles closer to home, such as a fashion piece on Athens hometown-hero Joe Burrow. This year, Savannah also had the opportunity to be a content writing intern for Aiken House, as well as a section editor for Southeast Ohio Magazine. In 2023, Savannah served as the Chapter President of her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta. These collective experiences, as well as her experience currently working for Ohio University’s Undergraduate Admissions, has led her to Scholarships360 and aided in her passion for helping students better understand the college admissions process and financial aid. In her free time, Savannah enjoys horseback riding, watching Formula One races, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family. Savannah will graduate from Ohio University in May 2024 with a degree in Journalism News and Information and a certificate in Italian Studies.

Caitlyn Cole is a college access professional with a decade of experience in non-profit program and project management for college readiness and access organizations.

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Many students want to know how to write a statement of financial need since it is a challenge. Deciding what is appropriate to include or omit can make all the difference, so it’s also especially important that you use your words economically and effectively.

What is a Statement of Financial Need?

College is an investment, but for many students financial aid may not be enough to cover the cost. Because of this, students may find themselves needing to write a statement of financial need, which is a brief statement explaining your financial situation. Generally, the statement of financial need will go beyond what is captured by the FAFSA or CSS profile.

In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide to show you how to write a statement of financial need.

Apply to these scholarships due soon

$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

$2,000 Sallie Mae Scholarship

$40,000 BigFuture Scholarship

Niche $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

$25k “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship

$10,000 CollegeXpress Scholarship

$1,000 Appily Easy College Money Scholarship

$5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship

$2,000 No Essay CollegeVine Scholarship

How we organized this article.

We’ll start with a “Do’s and Don’ts” list. This list will answer questions you may have about which details to include in your statement. Once you’ve got an idea of what should be included, we’ll show you a general template for writing these statements, including some examples. This will help you illustrate your points thoroughly while staying under the word limit. We also included some relevant FAQs just in case you had a few more questions. 

Related: Top need based scholarships

What to include in your statement

• A quick rundown of your family’s employment situation. This includes who in the family is working, what type of job they hold, and if you are working to help support your education or to help support your family
• Whether you are a first-generation college student
• If you or your parents are immigrants or refugees
• Whether you or your parents speak English as a second language, or do not speak English at all
• If you were raised by a single parent, or in a foster home
• Any extenuating circumstances that could be affecting your family’s finances, such as medical issues or job loss. Any recent shortfall in your family’s financial situation is worth mentioning
• If you are a member of any minority group (for many colleges, recruiting underrepresented students is an institutional priority as they seek to create a diverse community).
• Opportunities that you would be able to accept if the scholarship helped meet your financial need. An example would be if you are pursuing an unpaid or low-paying internship over the summer, but needed to earn money to help pay for next semester’s tuition

What to avoid in your statement

• Try to avoid a negative or dramatic tone. Even if your financial situation is stressful, try not to communicate that stress in your statement. It’s best to let the facts speak for themselves
• Avoid comparing your situation with the situations of others. Remember, this essay is about you, and why someone in your situation could benefit from the scholarship
• Avoid focusing too much on tangential details. Try to only include the details that are immediately relevant to your ability to further your education. For example, if your family has experienced a financial shortfall because your father lost his job, you don’t need to go into details of your father’s business or his chance of being re-hired. You need only to mention that it has led to your family receiving less than their projected income for the year, and that this impacts your ability to pay for college

Related: What’s the best scholarship essay format?

Now that you know what to include in your essay, you’re ready to start writing your statement of financial need. This can be done by following a step-by-step process:

Create an outline

Write your introduction.

• Format your essay with body paragraphs

Finish with a strong conclusion

Let’s get started with the first step…

To get started with your outline, try writing out a bullet-point list of the details you’d like to include in your essay. Include all of the details that emphasize your financial need. This includes demographic information, your parents’ employment, and any extenuating circumstances your family is experiencing. Once you have that list, use it as a guide to help format the statement of financial need.

See also: How to write a 250 word essay

In your first sentence, introduce yourself by touching on some key demographic points about yourself. For example, you could write:

“As a first-generation college student who was raised by a single parent, I have worked as a cashier throughout high school to help pay the bills.”

These are all points that do not require too much elaboration. They can be brought up together in the first sentence to give the reader an idea of what they will be reading. Use the rest of the introduction to quickly lay out the discussion points, saving the detail for later.

Related: How to start a scholarship essay

Formatting your essay with body paragraphs

Body paragraphs are your opportunity to dive into the relevant details. Elaborate on the points that you mentioned in the introduction to give a more vivid picture of why you are having trouble paying for your education. These include extenuating circumstances, parents’ employment status, and your employment status.

In addition, you can use these paragraphs to help illustrate your sense of financial responsibility. If you have a college savings account or have taken initiatives to help yourself secure the funds for college, mention them here. Emphasize that there is still a gap between what you are expected to pay and what you are able to pay.

Also see: How to write a financial aid appeal letter

Now is the time to discuss how the increased funding would create opportunities for you. You can mention the internship that you would take if you didn’t have to work all summer to pay your tuition, or describe how one of your other financial hardships would be lightened by receiving this scholarship.

The conclusion is where you make the scholarship committee realize what they could do for you by granting you the scholarship; once you’ve established your need, use the conclusion to illustrate how important this opportunity is to you. We hope that you now know how to write a statement of financial need. Best of luck!

Submitting your statement of financial need is not a guarantee of more aid

We should also mention that submitting your statement of financial need is no guarantee that you will receive more financial aid. While students can be hopeful that they will receive an adjusted aid package, they should be prepared for their situation not changing. 

In this case, students can turn to options like scholarships , student loans , or choosing a more affordable college option. 

See also: What to do if financial aid is not enough?

Key Takeaways

• A Statement of Financial Need can be beneficial for students who know they may not be able to afford college
• Always try to be positive when writing your Statement of Financial Need
• Structure your statement in an easy to read, concise way

Frequently asked questions about how to write a statement of financial need

How is financial need determined, what is proof of need, what documents can be used in a statement of financial need, how long should a statement of financial need be, scholarships360 recommended.

When is the 2024-2025 FAFSA Deadline?

Pell Grant Eligibility: Do You Qualify?

How to Pay for College (A Step-by-Step Guide)

Trending now.

What Does My FAFSA EFC Number Mean?

3 reasons to join scholarships360.

• Automatic entry to our $10,000 No-Essay Scholarship
• Personalized matching to thousands of vetted scholarships
• Quick apply for scholarships exclusive to our platform

By the way...Scholarships360 is 100% free!

The Edvocate

• Lynch Educational Consulting
• Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
• Write For Us
• The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
• The Edvocate Podcast
• Terms and Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Assistive Technology
• Best PreK-12 Schools in America
• Child Development
• Classroom Management
• Early Childhood
• EdTech & Innovation
• Education Leadership
• First Year Teachers
• Gifted and Talented Education
• Special Education
• Parental Involvement
• Policy & Reform
• Best Colleges and Universities
• Best College and University Programs
• HBCU’s
• Higher Education EdTech
• Higher Education
• International Education
• The Awards Process
• Finalists and Winners of The 2022 Tech Edvocate Awards
• Finalists and Winners of The 2021 Tech Edvocate Awards
• Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
• Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
• Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
• Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
• Award Seals
• GPA Calculator for College
• GPA Calculator for High School
• Cumulative GPA Calculator
• Grade Calculator
• Weighted Grade Calculator
• Final Grade Calculator
• The Tech Edvocate
• AI Powered Personal Tutor

Teaching Students About Etude Music: A Comprehensive Exploration of Musical Studies

Teaching students about the rydberg equation: a comprehensive guide for educators, engaging lessons on england’s prime ministers for k-12 classrooms, teaching students about epithet in literature: exploring literary devices and creative expression, teaching students about the tea act: a comprehensive guide, teaching students about concubines: unveiling the history, teaching students about the iconic “martin” show, teaching students about karen duffy: an inspiration for overcoming challenges, teaching students about stingray barbs: uncovering the mysteries of a unique marine adaptation, 12 colleges with the most nba players, philosophy of education statement: everything you need to know.

This refers to a written description of what is considered to be the best educational approach. It’s a reflective and purposeful essay about a prospective teacher’s teaching beliefs and practices. This individual narrative also includes solid examples of the ways in which the author enacts these beliefs and practices in the classroom.

A philosophy of education statement should comprise an introduction, body, and conclusion. However, there’re specific components that the author needs to include in the statement. These include:

Introduction: This should be the thesis statement where the authors discuss their general beliefs about education and ideals in relation to teaching. One should consider what the pupils will have learned once they depart the class, after having been guided by the person’s teaching philosophy and strategies.

Body: In this section of the statement, the authors should discuss what they see as the ideal classroom environment and how it makes them better teachers , facilitates parent/child interactions, and addresses student needs. This section should also discuss how they’ll facilitate age-appropriate learning and how they’ll involve students in the assessment process. The authors should explain how they’ll put their educational ideals into practice. They should clearly state their goals and objectives for students . This helps the reader understand how their teaching philosophy will play out in the classroom.

Conclusion: In this part, authors should talk about their goals as teachers, how they’ve been able to meet them in the past, and how they can build on those to meet future challenges. They should focus on their personal approach to classroom management and pedagogy and how they wish to advance their careers to support education further. While the authors don’t need to use an official citation style, they should cite their sources.

There’s no right or wrong method to write a philosophy of education statement. However, authors should follow some general rules when writing such a statement.

Keeping it brief: The statement shouldn’t be more than one to two pages.

Using present tense: Authors should write the statement in present tense and in the first person.

Avoiding jargon: Authors should use everyday, common language and not technical terms.

Creating a vivid portrait: Authors should try to write the statement in a way that helps the readers take a mental peek into their classrooms.

Additionally, it’s important to talk about the authors’ personal experiences and beliefs. Authors should also ensure the statement is original and truly describes the philosophy and methods they’ll employ in teaching.

Most Interesting Social Justice Essay Topics to ...

How to implement the save the last ....

Matthew Lynch

Related articles more from author.

Education and esafety: Why You Shouldn’t Believe Everything You Read in the News

15 Virtual Teaching Supplies to Make Your Life Easier

21 Ways to Encourage Students to Take Pride in their Assignments

What Are The Benefits Of Differentiated Instruction?

The 16 Best Classroom Pandora Stations, As Recommended by Teachers

3 Ways to Say Thank You to Teachers

Budget 2024: £105m for 15 new special free schools

The government has announced that £105 million will be spent over four years on 15 new special free schools, as part of plans set out in today’s Spring Budget.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced the move as part of a public sector productivity plan aimed at delivering up to £1.8 billion worth of savings overall by 2029.

Mr Hunt also used his Budget speech to highlight the UK’s performance in international education rankings, and to reference an outburst by education minister Gillian Keegan that she later apologised for.

Treasury documents published after his statement say cuts to national insurance will save the “average teacher on £44,300” an extra £1,250 per year.

• Spring Budget 2024: What do schools need?
• Autumn Statement 2023: School leaders “bitterly disappointed”
• School funding: Schools face “crossing red lines” with budget cuts

Budget 2024: New special free schools

On the 15 special free schools announced today, Mr Hunt told Parliament: ” Special education need provisions can be excellent when outsourced to independent sector schools but also expensive, so we’ll invest £105 million over the next four years to build 15 new special needs free schools to create additional high-quality places and increase choice for parents.”

However, sector leaders have warned the Department for Education that it cannot solve a places crisis in special schools through opening free schools alone.

And reaction to today’s announcement has been muted.

Julie McCulloch, director of policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, said a building programme for special schools was “welcome but does not address the wider crisis in special educational needs funding”.

She added: “A public sector productivity plan - whatever that actually is - will not pay the bills for schools and colleges any time soon.”

In August last year the DfE announced that it was creating seven new special free schools. This was in addition to 33 special free schools announced previously.

Ahead of the Budget, Robin Walker, a former schools minister and current chair of the Commons Education Select Committee , had urged the chancellor to extend capital funding to create more school places for pupils with special educational needs.

Separate to the Budget, the Department for Education today confirmed the locations of 20 alternative provision (AP) free schools being established.

Keegan doing ‘effing good job’

Speaking in the Commons today, Mr Hunt also referred to the “biggest ever expansion of childcare” announced last year.

“Our plan will mean an extra 60,000 parents enter the workforce in the next four years, a tremendous achievement for the education secretary, who I think is doing an effing good job.” This referred to comments that Ms Keegan famously made off camera last year.

Pisa rankings

The chancellor also highlighted the UK’s performance in the most recent Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) rankings. He said: “In 2010 schools in the UK were behind Germany, France and Sweden in the OECD’s Pisa education rankings for reading and maths. Now, after Conservative reforms, we are ahead of them.”

National insurance ‘saving for teachers’

Today the chancellor confirmed reports of a further 2p cut to national insurance, from 10 per cent to 8 per cent from 6 April.

The Treasury says that this cut will mean “an average teacher on £44,300 will receive an annual gain of over £1,250”.

But Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU teaching union, said that Mr Hunt, with his Budget announcement today, had “ turned his back on the teacher and support staff recruitment and retention crisis, the record class sizes, the decrepit state of our school buildings”.

The chancellor wanted schools “to just keep doing more and more with less and less. And it’s just not sustainable”, he added.

Last year the DfE said it would increase school funding through the national funding formula by 2.7 per cent for 2024-25 - but it later revised this figure down to 1.9 per cent after an error was discovered in the processing of pupil numbers. Unions said this revision equated to £370 million less funding.

Lack of tutoring funding ‘a disgrace’

As expected, the chancellor has not announced funding to extend the National Tutoring Programme and 16-19 Tuition Fund, in what tutoring groups called a “disappointing day for education”.

“The NTP and 16-19 Tuition Fund had taken huge steps towards making tutoring accessible to all who need it, not just the wealthy,” said Action Tutoring, Get Further and The Tutor Trust in a joint statement.

The groups warned that the government’s decision not to continue funding the programme , which ran for three years, will mean “young people from low-income backgrounds will miss out”.

Former education secretary Lord David Blunkett called the decision a “disgrace”, adding that “it will mean that tens of thousands of youngsters will lose out at a time when attendance levels are damaging the future of so many”.

His concerns were echoed by Nick Brook, chair of the DfE’s Strategic Tutoring Advisory Group, who said that cutting funding “will tilt the playing field further in favour of the better off”.

“With the attainment gap standing at a 10-year high, it beggars belief that the government thinks now is the right time to withdraw funding for tutoring, just as evaluations were proving its worth,” Mr Brook added.

Non-dom tax status

The chancellor also confirmed that he will abolish the “non-dom” system that lets foreign nationals avoid paying UK tax on money made overseas, replacing it with a “modern, simpler and fairer residency-based system”.

Abolishing the non-dom tax status is a key Labour policy, which it planned to use to fund its education policies , along with removing the VAT exemption from independent schools.

Violence reduction

Today’s Budget document also states that the government is committing £75 million over three years, from 2025 onwards, to expand the Violence Reduction Unit model across England and Wales.

“Violence Reduction Units enable local public services such as health boards, schools and police leaders to coordinate their joint strategy to tackle serious violence among young people, preventing violent crime and reducing burdens on healthcare, schools and criminal justice,” the document says.

Alternative provision

The 20 new alternative provision (AP) schools whose locations were confirmed today will create over 1,600 additional AP places across England as part of the Spending Review 2021 commitment to a capital investment of £2.6 billion in high-needs provision, the government stated today.

It says this will support early intervention, helping to improve outcomes for children requiring alternative provision, and helping them to fulfil their potential.

Here are the confirmed locations of new AP free schools:

For the latest education news and analysis delivered directly to your inbox every weekday morning, sign up to the Tes Daily newsletter

Want to keep reading for free?

Register with Tes and you can read two free articles every month plus you'll have access to our range of award-winning newsletters.

Keep reading for just £1 per month

You've reached your limit of free articles this month. Subscribe for £1 per month for three months and get:

• Unlimited access to all Tes magazine content
• Exclusive subscriber-only stories
• Award-winning email newsletters

topics in this article

• Press Releases

Chairman Loudermilk Releases January 6 Initial Findings Report

March 11, 2024.

WASHINGTON   - Today, Committee on House Administration's Subcommittee on Oversight Chairman Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) released his "Initial Findings Report" on the events of January 6, 2021 as well as his investigation into the politicization of the January 6th Select Committee.

Click here to view the initial findings report.

Click   here   to view the one pager.

Upon release of the report, Chairman Loudermilk released the following statement:   "For nearly two years former Speaker Nancy Pelosi's January 6 th   Select Committee promoted hearsay and cherry-picked information to promote its political goal – to legislatively prosecute former President Donald Trump,"  said Chairman Loudermilk.  "It was no surprise that the Select Committee’s final report focused primarily on former President Trump and his supporters, not the security failures and reforms needed to ensure the United States Capitol is safer today than in 2021. "The American people deserve the entire truth about what caused the violent breach at the United States Capitol of January 6, 2021. It is unfortunate the Select Committee succumbed to their political inclinations and chased false narratives instead of providing the important work of a genuine investigation. In my committee’s investigation, it is my objective to uncover the facts about January 6, without political bias or spin. My report today is just the beginning."

Permalink: https://cha.house.gov/2024/3/chairman-loudermilk-releases-january-6-initial-findings-report

• Career Exploration
• Arts, Communications, & Media
• Education, Nonprofit, & Social Impact
• Business, Consulting, Finance, & Marketing
• Government, International Affairs, Law, & Public Policy
• Health Professions Advising
• Graduate School
• Signature Internships
• Grants Program
• Internship Credit
• Short Internship Projects (SHIPs)
• Fellowships for Undergraduates
• Fellowships for Graduates
• Class of 2025 Fellowship Planning
• Fellowships for International Students
• Civic Engagement

Writing a Personal Statement

Preparing to Write

Brainstorming, don't forget, sample prompts.

A personal statement is a narrative essay that connects your background, experiences, and goals to the mission, requirements, and desired outcomes of the specific opportunity you are seeking. It is a critical component in the selection process, whether the essay is for a competitive internship, a graduate fellowship, or admittance to a graduate school program. It gives the selection committee the best opportunity to get to know you, how you think and make decisions, ways in which past experiences have been significant or formative, and how you envision your future. Personal statements can be varied in form; some are given a specific prompt, while others are less structured. However, in general a personal statement should answer the following questions:

• Who are you?
• What are your goals?
• How does this specific program/opportunity help you achieve your goals?
• What is in the future?

A personal statement is not:

• A variation of your college admissions essay
• An academic/research paper
• A narrative version of your resume
• A creative writing piece (it can be creative, though)
• An essay about somebody else

Keep in mind that your statement is only a portion of the application and should be written with this in mind. Your entire application package will include some, possibly all, of the materials listed below. You will want to consider what these pieces of the application communicate about you. Your personal statement should aim to tie everything together and fill in or address any gaps. There will likely be some overlap but be sure not to be too repetitive.

• Personal Statement(s)
• Transcripts
• Letters of recommendations
• Sample of written work
• Research proposal

Preparing to Write A large portion of your work towards completing a personal statement begins well before your first draft or even an outline. It is incredibly important to be sure you understand all of the rules and regulations around the statement. Things to consider before you begin writing:

• How many prompts? And what are they? It is important to know the basics so you can get your ideas in order. Some programs will require a general statement of interest and a focused supplementary or secondary statement closely aligned with the institution's goals.
• Are there formatting guidelines? Single or double spaced, margins, fonts, text sizes, etc. Our general guideline is to keep it simple.
• How do I submit my statement(s)? If uploading a document we highly suggest using a PDF as it will minimize the chances of accidental changes to formatting. Some programs may event ask you to copy and paste into a text box.
• When do I have to submit my statement(s)? Most are due at the time of application but some programs, especially medical schools, will ask for secondary statements a few months after you apply. In these instances be sure to complete them within two weeks, any longer is an indication that you aren't that interested in the institution.

Before you start writing, take some time to reflect on your experiences and motivations as they relate to the programs to which you are applying. This will offer you a chance to organize your thoughts which will make the writing process much easier. Below are a list of questions to help you get started:

• What individuals, experiences or events have shaped your interest in this particular field?
• What has influenced your decision to apply to graduate school?
• How does this field align with your interests, strengths, and values?
• What distinguishes you from other applicants?
• What would you bring to this program/profession?
• What has prepared you for graduate study in this field? Consider your classes at Wellesley, research and work experience, including internships, summer jobs and volunteer work.
• Why are you interested in this particular institution or degree program?
• How is this program distinct from others?
• What do you hope to gain?
• What is motivating you to seek an advanced degree now?
• Where do you see yourself headed and how will this degree program help you get there?

For those applying to Medical School, if you need a committee letter for your application and are using the Medical Professions Advisory Committee you have already done a lot of heavy lifting through the 2017-2018 Applicant Information Form . Even if you aren't using MPAC the applicant information form is a great place to start.

Another great place to start is through talking out your ideas. You have a number of options both on and off campus, such as: Career Education advisors and mentors ( you can set up an appointment here ), major advisor, family, friends. If you are applying to a graduate program it is especially important to talk with a faculty member in the field. Remember to take good notes so you can refer to them later.

When you begin writing keep in mind that your essay is one of many in the application pool. This is not to say you should exaggerate your experiences to “stand out” but that you should focus on clear, concise writing. Also keep in mind that the readers are considering you not just as a potential student but a future colleague. Be sure to show them examples and experiences which demonstrate you are ready to begin their program.

It is important to remember that your personal statement will take time and energy to complete, so plan accordingly. Every application and statement should be seen as different from one another, even if they are all the same type of program. Each institution may teach you the same material but their delivery or focus will be slightly different.

In addition, remember:

• Be yourself: You aren’t good at being someone else
• Tragedy is not a requirement, reflection and depth are
• Research the institution or organization
• Proofread, proofread, proofread
• How to have your personal statement reviewed

The prompts below are from actual applications to a several types of programs. As you will notice many of them are VERY general in nature. This is why it is so important to do your research and reflect on your motivations. Although the prompts are similar in nature the resulting statements would be very different depending on the discipline and type of program, as well as your particular background and reasons for wanting to pursue this graduate degree.

• This statement should illustrate your academic background and experiences and explain why you would excel in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (UMass Amherst - M.S. in Civil Engineering).
• Describe your academic and career objectives and how the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies can help you achieve them. Include other considerations that explain why you seek admissions to the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and your interests in the environmental field (Yale - Master of Environmental Management).  
• Please discuss your academic interests and goals. Include your current professional and research interests, as well as your long-range professional objectives. Please be as specific as possible about how your objectives can be met at Clark and do not exceed 800 words (Clark University - M.A. in International Development and Social Change).
• Write a 500- to 700-word statement that describes your work or research. Discuss how you came to focus on the medium, body of work, or academic area you wish to pursue at the graduate level. Also discuss future directions or goals for your work, and describe how the Master of Fine Arts in Studio (Printmedia) is particularly suited to your professional goals (School of the Art Institute of Chicago - MFA in Studio, Printmaking).
• Your statement should explain why you want to study economics at the graduate level. The statement is particularly important if there is something unusual about your background and preparation that you would like us to know about you (University of Texas at Austin - Ph.D in Economics).
• Your personal goal statement is an important part of the review process for our faculty members as they consider your application. They want to know about your background, work experience, plans for graduate study and professional career, qualifications that make you a strong candidate for the program, and any other relevant information (Indiana University Bloomington - M.S.Ed. in Secondary Education).
• Your autobiographical essay/personal statement is a narrative that outlines significant experiences in your life, including childhood experiences, study and work, your strengths and aspirations in the field of architecture, and why you want to come to the University of Oregon (University of Oregon - Master of Architecture).
• Personal history and diversity statement, in which you describe how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. You may refer to any educational, familial, cultural, economic or social experiences, challenges, community service, outreach activities, residency and citizenship, first-generation college status, or opportunities relevant to your academic journey; how your life experiences contribute to the social, intellectual or cultural diversity within a campus community and your chosen field; or how you might serve educationally underrepresented and underserved segments of society with your graduate education (U.C. Davis - M.A. in Linguistics).
• A Personal Statement specifying your past experiences, reasons for applying, and your areas of interest. It should explain your intellectual and personal goals, why you are interested in pursuing an interdisciplinary degree rather than a more traditional disciplinary one, and how this degree fits into your intellectual and personal future (Rutgers University - Ph.D in Women’s and Gender Studies).
• Your application requires a written statement to uploaded into your application and is a critical component of your application for admission. This is your opportunity to tell us what excites you about the field of library and information science, and what problems you want to help solve in this field. Please also tell us how your prior experiences have prepared you for this next step toward your career goals and how this program will help you achieve them (University of North Carolina Chapel Hill - Master of Science in Library Science).
• After watching the video, please describe what strengths and preferences as a learner you have that will facilitate your success in this innovative curriculum. What challenges in our curriculum do you anticipate and what strategies might you use to address these challenges? (MGH Institute of Health Professions PT - They recently redesigned their curriculum)
• Your personal goal statement should briefly describe how you view the future of the field, what your goals are to be part of that future, and what brought you to pursue an advanced education degree in your chosen field. You may include any other information that you feel might be useful. (Northeastern PT)
• Personal Statement: In 500 words or less, describe a meaningful educational experience that affected your professional goals and growth and explain how it impacted you. The educational experience does not need to be related to this degree. Focus on the educational experience and not why you think you would be a good professional in this field. (Simmons PT)
• Personal Statement (500 word minimum): State your reasons for seeking admission to this program at this institution. Include your professional goals, why you want to pursue a career in this field and how admission to this program will assist you in accomplishing those goals. (Regis College Nursing)
• “Use the space provided to explain why you want to go to this type of program.” (AMCAS)
• Address the following three questions(Though there is no set limit, most statements are 1–2 pages, single-spaced.): What are your reasons for pursuing this degree? Why do you wish to pursue your degree at this institution? How do you intend to leverage your degree in a career of this field? (Boston University MPH)
• Please submit a personal statement/statement of purpose of no more than 500 words for the department/degree of choice. Professional degree essays require a clear understanding of the _______ field and how you hope to work within the field. Be sure to proofread your personal statement carefully for spelling and grammar. In your statement, be sure to address the following: what interests you in the field of _____ what interests you in a specific degree program and department at this institution and what interests you in a particular certificate (if applicable). Please also describe how you hope to use your ________ training to help you achieve your career goals. (Columbia PhD in Public Health - Epidemiology)
• Because each Home Program requires significant original research activities in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree, we are interested in obtaining as much information as possible about your previous research experiences. Those who already have such experience are in a better position to know whether they are truly interested in performing ______ research as part of a graduate program. Please include specific information about your research experience in your Statement of Purpose. You may also use the Statement to amplify your comments about your choice of Home Program(s), and how your past experiences and current interests are related to your choice. Personal Statements should not exceed two pages in length (single spaced). Make sure to set your computer to Western European or other English-language setting. We cannot guarantee the ability to access your statement if it is submitted in other fonts. (Stanford Biosciences PhD)
• Your statement of purpose should describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the Department of ____ at ___ University. It would be helpful to include what you have done to prepare for this degree program. Please describe your research interests, past research experience, future career plans and other details of your background and interests that will allow us to evaluate your ability to thrive in our program. If you have interests that align with a specific faculty member, you may state this in your application. Your statement of purpose should not exceed two pages in length (single spaced). (Stanford Bioengineering PhD)
• Statement of purpose (Up to one page or 1,000 words): Rather than a research proposal, you should provide a statement of purpose. Your statement should be written in English and explain your motivation for applying for the course at this institution and your relevant experience and education. Please provide an indication of the area of your proposed research and supervisor(s) in your statement. This will be assessed for the coherence of the statement; evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study; the ability to present a reasoned case in English; and commitment to the subject. (Oxford Inorganic Chemistry - DPhil)

Related resources

Changing job titles and renaming a center: How Utah Tech University is trying to conform to anti-DEI rules

What happens to utah tech’s senior diversity and inclusion officer.

(Utah Tech University) Utah Tech students with the Center for Inclusion and Belonging operate a booth on campus.

St. George • With just under four months to comply with anti-DEI legislation state lawmakers passed and Gov. Spencer Cox signed into law in January, Utah Tech University officials are taking steps to ensure they meet the deadline.

Among other provisions, HB 261 requires Utah’s public colleges and universities to remove the words “diversity, equity and inclusion” from programs and to open up race- or gender-based initiatives and resources to everyone on campus. The state’s higher-education officials have until July 1 to comply with the new rules.

In a statement released this week, university officials announced their intent to meet the deadline.

“Utah Tech University is working to fully understand H.B. 261 and the necessary steps we need to take to implement it by July 1, 2024, as outlined in the bill,” the statement reads. “We are in the process of assembling a committee of key stakeholders on campus to review the fine details of this legislation and ensure Utah Tech will be in full compliance with the law. … As part of our mission, Utah Tech remains committed to supporting all our students as they work to achieve their educational goals.”

Still, university administrators and students say there is a fair amount of angst and uncertainty over what the bill means, its impact on the university and what the institution must do to avoid running afoul of the law.

Name changes and staff reductions?

For example, what will happen to Utah Tech’s senior diversity and inclusion officer, a position currently filled by Tasha Toy, an assistant vice president at the university? Another possible issue is the university’s Center for Inclusion and Belonging, which is open to all students but focuses on providing scholarships and services to students from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented communities.

Is a new name in the offing for the center? Will the university have to ax some or all DEI-related positions? University officials are not sure but don’t think wholesale changes are likely.

“At this time, we don’t anticipate any reductions in staffing,” said Stacy Schmidt, UTU assistant director of public relations, “however, job descriptions and titles may shift.”

Whatever changes are necessary, university officials are reassured that the committee — which will consist of five or six members with varying academic backgrounds — has some time to better understand and comply with the legislation.

For his part, Del Beatty, UTU’s vice president of student affairs, said Utah Tech is already in a good position to meet the deadline, noting the Center for Inclusion and Belonging (CIB) used to be called the Multicultural and Diversity Center. If another name change is required, Beatty added, that is for the committee to decide.

The same goes for taxpayer-funded scholarships and tuition waivers, especially those based on student’s race, ethnicity or gender identity. Such scholarships, along with other resources, must be open to everyone, according to HB 261.

What won’t change, Beatty added, is the university’s commitment to attend to the needs of all its students. He noted the programs at CIB are already open to all students.

“As a student affairs professional, my focus has always been in helping the students to be engaged and connected at the institution …,” he said. “What I understand from the intent of the bill is that it wants to ensure we are providing services to all students.”

Cultural War clash?

In his support for HB 261, Gov. Cox characterized DEI programs at Utah’s colleges and universities as fostering division rather than inclusion. He and Republican state lawmakers insist the programs are rife with identity politics and philosophies aimed at politicizing the classroom and indoctrinating students. The anti-DEI legislation, they argue, will ensure that all students are treated equally.

Others are far less sanguine about the anti-DEI legislation, noting it parallels a slew of culture war-type bills passed by Republicans in red states across the nation.

“At one point, Utah was about promoting inclusion and diversity but now it feels like we are taking a major step backwards,” said senior biology major Evelyn Fuentes, the recipient of a Multicultural Inclusion Student Association (MISA) scholarship.

“The Center for Inclusion and Belonging introduced me to MISA scholarships, which allowed me to continue my studies and stay out of debt,” said Fuentes, the first in her family to attend college. “It has been life-changing for me, especially as a first-generation student and a Hispanic.”

Amira Hassan, whose mother is white and her father hails from Pakistan, grew up in Germany before moving to Utah. The junior finance major fell in love with Utah Tech after touring the campus several years ago. But when she enrolled at the university, she often felt like a “fish out of water.” It was the CIB, its empathetic staff and programs that gave her a sense of belonging, put her on a path to success and convinced her to stay rather than transfer to another larger university where she had been accepted.

Today, Hassan is president of the Multicultural Inclusion Student Association. An optimist by nature, she is worried Utah legislators are targeting students from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities through their anti-DEI measures and frets about the future.

Like Utah Tech administrators, she also is struggling to comply with the new legislation. For example, she and others recently changed the name of an event slated for Black History Month from the “Black Excellence Gala” to a “Night of Excellence.”

“It’s sad,” she said, “because taking the word ‘Black’ out of an event name can insinuate that being Black is bad or that ‘Black’ is a stigmatized word, which it shouldn’t be. I’m scared the resources we have had in the past will be taken away and we will no longer have a space where we are allowed to be open and feel comfortable about our different cultural identities.”

Donate to the newsroom now. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax deductible

Opinion: More suburban sprawl won’t fix Utah’s housing affordability problem

More feminist than ‘barbie’: utah studio’s timely film tells about a saint who fought 19th-century racism and sexism, tribune editorial: utah legislature realizes the need for more homeless services, including a new shelter, look ahead: local events and things to do this week, march 17-23, why supporters want to build a 300-foot statue at point of the mountain, while others are skeptical, opinion: with the capital one-discover deal, credit holds all the cards, featured local savings.