Graduated approach
This page gives a practical APDR checklist for school teams. It complements the SEND profile pages and SEND learning
strategy pages by helping you decide what to try, how to record it, and when to escalate.
APDR decision rule used on this site
Before creating new support content, we check whether the barrier can be addressed by improving OAP consistency,
strengthening an existing strategy, or linking existing profile guidance. This reduces duplication and makes support more reliable.
Assess
- Define the barrier precisely (access, regulation, communication, output, transition, sensory load).
- Use teacher + support staff observations, student voice, and parent/carer information.
- Check whether OAP routines were actually implemented consistently before escalating.
- Look for patterns across subjects, times of day, adults, and environments.
- Record what is already helping so support is not reset each cycle.
Plan
- Choose a small number of high-fit strategies with clear owners and timings.
- Write expected outcomes in observable terms (start latency, participation route, instruction accuracy, distress reduction).
- Align classroom support, pastoral support, and home communication where relevant.
- Keep the plan specific enough that different adults can implement it consistently.
- Define review date and what evidence will be checked.
Do
- Implement the agreed routines in the real classroom context, not just in meetings.
- Use consistent scripts and re-entry routes across adults.
- Monitor whether the support is being used as intended, not only whether outcomes change.
- Adapt quickly if a strategy increases load or creates a new barrier.
- Maintain dignity and belonging while support is in place.
Review
- Check impact against the planned outcomes and classroom evidence.
- Keep what is working, refine what is partially working, stop what is not working.
- Decide whether the next step is stronger OAP consistency, targeted support, or specialist input.
- Update who needs to know: student, family, staff team, SENCo/pastoral leads.
- Set the next review point so support does not drift.
Use APDR with the site routes
Further reading (APDR / graduated approach context)
