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Nudge Education Policy Library

NEO — SEND Policy

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Date14 October 2026
Review DateDecember 2026, then annually, or sooner if practice or legislation changes
OwnerSENCo, countersigned by the Director, NEO & Head of School; oversight by the Nudge Education National Designated Safeguarding Lead
Approved byApproved by the Director, NEO & Head of School on 14 October 2026 under authority delegated by the Proprietor (CEO of Nudge Education Ltd) on 13 October 2026; for noting at the NEO board on 3 December 2026
Versionv10.26

A fully online alternative provision for learners aged 11–18

Where this policy lives

NEO documents refer to the “NEO SEND Policy”. This page is its front door. The policy is the Nudge Education SEND Policy together with its NEO Online Addendum (v04.26, approved April 2026, review April 2027), published at the end of that page, which sets out how NEO identifies and meets special educational needs and disabilities online: the four broad areas of need, the graduated approach, the Initial Assessment, support plans, reasonable adjustments in live and asynchronous learning, EHCP contributions and reviews, and working with commissioners and families. There is one SEND policy for Nudge Education Ltd with NEO’s provisions inside it.

How SEND works at NEO, in brief

  • Who: the SENCo (holding or working towards the NPQ SENCO) leads SEND across NEO with an Assistant SENCo; the Practitioner-Mentor is the family’s point of contact; Qualified Educators adapt teaching in every lesson.
  • Initial Assessment: one lead (the SENCo, the Head of School or a Head of Subject), online with the learner, parent or carer and the referring professional, covering needs, risk, the Cornerstones, EHCP status, device and home environment; it includes the WHO-5 and the learner’s own goals. It is transcribed, not recorded, and its outcome belongs to the learner first. It is called the Initial Assessment, never screening.
  • Stages, not year groups: learners are placed by stage (Foundation, Intermediate, Advanced) on the basis of the Initial Assessment and the first-lesson baseline, and moved when ready.
  • The graduated approach: assess, plan, do, review each half-term with the learner and family; adjustments are recorded in a support plan that every adult working with the learner can see; cameras-off, adjusted hours, sensory and screen adjustments and asynchronous work are ordinary tools, not exceptions.
  • EHCPs: NEO cannot be named on an EHCP before OEAS accreditation; it contributes to annual reviews, delivers provision the plan specifies where commissioned to, and reports progress against outcomes. Careers and preparation for adulthood are part of every review from Intermediate stage.
  • Equality Act 2010: NEO makes reasonable adjustments for disabled learners and does not treat a learner less favourably because of a disability. Trauma, neurodivergence and SEND are recognised as overlapping, and the approach is strengths-based.
  • Information: SEND information is held on the learner’s record under the NEO — Data Protection, Confidentiality and Privacy Policy and shared with commissioners and home schools under the placement agreement.

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