Education Needs Assessment

Helping parents, schools and educators identify the factors affecting a child or young person's learning to support success in education.

What is an Education Needs Assessment?

The Education Needs Assessment is designed for children and young people who are neurodivergent, or who may be experiencing neurodivergent traits, and are struggling within their current educational setting or transitioning to a new educational environment.

Using specialist occupational therapy assessment, observation, and clinical tools, this assessment explores how a child’s educational environment affects their participation, learning, wellbeing, and engagement within their education setting. As part of our neurodiversity support in education, it considers areas such as sensory processing, communication, routines, emotional regulation, cognitive function, and everyday school demands.

By understanding each learner's unique experience and environment, our occupational therapists and sensory integration practitioners can identify barriers to learning and participation, helping schools and families implement meaningful adjustments, support strategies, and practical recommendations that promote educational success for a child or young person.

Who is an Education Needs Assessment for?

Schools and educators

This assessment is designed for schools and educators such as SEND staff who want a deeper understanding of a child or young person's educational needs and how they can best support learner participation.

Parents

Supports parents or caregivers with a child or young person who is experiencing challenges with learner engagement, sensory processing, or school performance. Also for children experiencing a transition into a new education environment.

What is Included in an Education Needs Assessment?

This assessment includes:

  • Review of participation, performance and engagement in education
  • Consideration of sensory processing needs and preferences
  • Analysis of communication and social interaction factors
  • Exploration of routines, habits and daily school demands
  • Review of cognitive function and executive functioning challenges
  • Consideration of emotional regulation and wellbeing factors
  • Individualised action plan for schools and families including practical strategies

The Outcomes of your Assessment

Upon completion of the Education Needs Assessment, schools and families receive a detailed report outlining the learner's strengths, challenges and support needs. The report provides practical recommendations, reasonable adjustments and strategies tailored to the child or young person's educational environment.

The findings help inform decision-making around learning support, classroom adaptations, sensory needs, and wider educational planning. The assessment identifies environmental factors that promote or hinder participation and may recommend changes to the physical, sensory, social, or learning environment, alternative provision where appropriate, and targeted support to improve access and engagement. School transition support can also be included where needed.

Ultimately, the goal is to improve educational access, wellbeing, participation, and independence by ensuring that both the learner and their environment are equipped to support success.

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What others says

  • I just wanted to thank you very much for attending the meeting at School and for being such an amazing advocate for our child and us as a family. I really don’t know where we would be without you. Parent of beneficiary
  • Thank you so much for the training this afternoon. It was a perfect summary for staff to get started on thinking of ideas to support the children in their classes. Everyone was very complimentary about the session. Just what we needed. School staff
  • I can't really express in words how grateful I am. You are the first person that I have met that who has given me some hope! You really know what you are talking about and genuinely care. You were so professional but also warm and understanding. It makes such a difference. Mother of beneficiary
  • Working with Nichola has been life changing for us as a family and especially for our son. To have someone involved who understands has done wonders and it has meant that I no longer feel quite so scared about his future. Parent of beneficiary
  • I can’t say how supported both my child and me have felt on her journey over the last year, you have worked wonders with the school, and my child always tells me about her sessions with you. Mother of beneficiary

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