Find the provision your local authority expects

Overview

Leicestershire's OAP refers to special educational provisions made 'ordinarily available' by Early Years Providers. Early identification and early intervention is vital to prevent escalation of needs.

Support Structure

• Every childcare setting has a SENCo
• Named Area SENCo provides support and advice
• Early Years SEN Inclusion Service Team provides training

Overview

Cambridgeshire's comprehensive OAP Toolkit was co-produced and launched in January 2023. It defines what provision should be ordinarily available for children and young people with SEND in schools, early years settings, and further education.

Seven Key Areas of Need

Cognition and Learning, Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH), Autism Social Communication Speech Language and Communication, Sensory Physical and Medical, Pupil and Family Voice, Leadership and Management, and Equality and Diversity.

Overview

Central Bedfordshire's Graduated Approach guide was co-produced with the SNAP PCF parent carer forum to help parents understand the local authority's approach and enable early intervention delivery.

SEND Toolkits

• Speech, Language and Communication toolkit
• Early Years Early Intervention toolkit
• Social, Emotional, and Mental Health toolkit
• Early Years Communication and Language Toolkit

Overview

Essex's Ordinarily Available framework was introduced to all schools and Early Years settings in September 2023. It consists of two key documents aligned with the Teachers' Standards.

1. Inclusive Teaching Framework

A reference guide covering nine segments: expectations, relationships, environment, communication, pedagogy, assessment, literacy/maths, adaptations, and motivation.

2. Targeted Support

Helps teachers and SENCos plan for pupils with SEND, including the latest advice on what works. A pupil does NOT need a medical diagnosis or EHCP to receive targeted support.

Overview

Hertfordshire's OAP Guidance defines inclusive, high-quality teaching and everyday adjustments that all early years settings, mainstream schools, and colleges are expected to provide for children with mild or emerging SEND.

Two-Section Structure

Section One (Foundational Inclusive Practice): Universal strategies for all learners.

Section Two (Targeted Interventions): Deliberate and specialised approaches beyond universal strategies.

Overview

Suffolk's OAP is delivered as an interactive Sway resource focused on Early Years inclusion, currently under review.

Key Principle

A diagnosis is not required to begin support. Suffolk guidance is clear that lack of formal diagnosis should never delay appropriate intervention.

Support Mechanisms

• Graduated Response framework
• Analysis of Additional Needs Tool (AANT)
• One-page profiles and provision mapping
• Inclusion Fund for short-term additional support

Overview

Barnet's Ordinarily Available Provision document provides comprehensive guidance covering early years, schools, sixth form and colleges. It sets out the support that mainstream settings should provide for children and young people with SEND from within their own resources.

Coverage

• Early Years: Expectations for nurseries, pre-schools and reception classes
• Schools: Primary and secondary mainstream provision expectations
• Sixth Form & Colleges: Post-16 provision guidance

Overview

Bromley's OAP is part of the Bromley Education Matters portal, setting out expectations for the SEND Graduated Approach in mainstream schools and settings.

Key Features

The guidance outlines the support that mainstream schools should provide for pupils with SEND, following the Graduated Approach framework with tiered levels of provision from universal through to specialist support.

Overview

Camden's Ordinarily Available Provision guidance sets out the support that mainstream schools and settings in Camden should provide for children and young people with SEND from within their own resources.

Overview

Croydon's OAP Guidance is part of the Graduated Approach framework and includes guidance for SENCos on the support that mainstream schools should provide for children and young people with SEND.

Overview

Enfield's OAP guidance covers the period 2022–2025 and takes a needs-led approach. It is aligned with Enfield's Inclusion Charter and All Age Autism Strategy.

Key Features

• Needs-led approach: no diagnosis required to access support
• Aligned with the Inclusion Charter and All Age Autism Strategy
• Fictitious case studies illustrate each area of need

Overview

Hammersmith & Fulham's OAP Guide covers early years, schools and post-16 settings, setting out the support that mainstream settings should provide for children and young people with SEND from within their own resources.

Overview

Havering's OAP focuses on supporting Early Years settings to develop inclusive practices that benefit all children, particularly those with SEND.

Supporting Materials

• Sensory assessment tools
• Attention and listening strategies
• Language development resources
• Communication supports (social stories, visual aids)

Overview

Hillingdon's OAP guidance sets out the support available across three tiers of provision in mainstream schools and settings.

Three-Tier Structure

• Quality First Teaching: High-quality inclusive teaching strategies for all learners
• SEN Support: Additional targeted support through the Graduated Approach
• Specialist: More intensive provision for complex needs

Overview

Hounslow's OAP Guidance Documents are provided via the Hounslow Education Partnership, setting out the support that mainstream schools and settings should provide for children and young people with SEND.

Overview

Lambeth's Graduated Response Tables form part of the Exceptional Needs Grant Pilot, setting out the levels of support that mainstream schools should provide for children with SEND.

Overview

Merton's OAP encompasses school-based interventions and services that schools, early years, and post-16 settings should provide from their own resources.

Guidance Documents

1. Parent and Carers Guide
2. Early Years Foundation Stage Guidance
3. Primary Guidance
4. Secondary Guidance

Overview

RBKC's OAP guidance takes a strengths-based approach grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.

Key Features

• Strengths-based approach focusing on what children can do
• Grounded in Universal Design for Learning principles
• Summary document also available for quick reference

Overview

Sutton's OAP describes routine support accessible in mainstream schools and colleges for pupils with SEND. Co-produced with headteachers, SENCos and Educational Psychology.

Three-Tier Support Structure

Universal Support: Differentiated teaching, reasonable adjustments, flexible grouping.

Targeted Support: Time-limited interventions, small-group or one-to-one provision.

Specialist Support: For complex, persistent needs, may involve EHCPs.

Overview

Waltham Forest's OAP Toolkit focuses on Early Years provision. The OAP refers to support that mainstream settings should provide through agreed funding and resources.

Downloadable Resources

• Digital version of the OAP Document
• Standardised Provision Map (fillable)
• Questionnaire (fillable)
• Checklist
• Mapping Charter

Overview

Wandsworth's OAP sets out expectations for all schools/settings. The guidance was created collaboratively with parents, carers, SENCos, teachers, and various professionals.

Multilingual Resources

Available in English, Polish, Somali, Spanish, and Urdu.

Overview

Northumberland's OAP is the everyday support and adaptations provided as part of quality first teaching: the additional support that mainstream schools/settings should be able to provide through their existing agreed funding.

Inclusion and Teaching Practices

• Adapting tasks based on content, process, or outcome
• Incorporating visual aids such as plans and checklists
• Providing additional time for pupils to process instructions
• Collaborative learning through mixed-ability groups

Overview

Liverpool's Graduated Approach framework implements the four stages of action: Assess, Plan, Do and Review.

Support Tiers

• Universal (Ordinarily Available Provision): All needs met through high quality teaching
• Emerging Needs: Reasonable adjustments and adapted group work
• Targeted Support: Additional adult may be required for specific support
• Specialist Support: Significant support throughout large parts of the day

Overview

Manchester provides separate Early Years and Primary OAP documents. The Early Years document (updated November 2023) outlines support and strategies available in early years settings for children with additional needs.

Available Downloads

• Manchester Early Years Ordinarily Available Provision (Nov 2023)
• Early Years Transition Timeline
• OAP Good Practice Guidance (Draft)
• Manchester Primary Ordinarily Available Provision

Overview

Salford calls its provision "Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision" (OAIP): the range of activities, opportunities and strategies offered as basic good practice to meet additional needs without a formal diagnosis or specialist support.

Structure

Salford's OAIP is set out into nine parts that outline the expectations of all educational settings.

Overview

Trafford calls its provision "Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision" (OAIP). The EY SEND Graduated Approach guidance was locally adapted from a Greater Manchester-wide document.

Graduated Approach Structure

For each of the four areas of need, the guidance describes support at three levels: universal provision, SEN support, and high-level SEN support.

Overview

Westmorland & Furness (formerly Cumbria) has produced guidance setting out the provision expected to be ordinarily available to all children and young people with SEND in mainstream schools.

SEND Inclusion Funding

Providers should use SEND Inclusion Funding to offer opportunities that are additional to and different from Ordinarily Available Provision.

Overview

Buckinghamshire's framework is centred on the Graduated Approach with an accompanying Transitions Toolkit for schools implementing SEND support.

The Graduated Approach: Four Key Stages (APDR)

• Assess: Staff identify needs by gathering input from parents, carers, the child themselves, and relevant professionals
• Plan: The educational setting collaborates with all parties to establish specific outcomes
• Do: The agreed support is implemented
• Review: Progress toward intended outcomes is evaluated

Overview

Hampshire's OAP and SEND Support guidance (updated March 2025) describes the support that every school and college should provide to help all children and young people learn.

Examples of OAP

• A teacher adapting learning materials for children who learn in different ways
• Providing break-time clubs for children who find it difficult to socialise
• Offering intervention programmes such as communication skills groups

Overview

Kent's OAP is referenced within the Early Years SEND support provision framework, setting out what mainstream settings should provide for children with SEND from their own resources.

Overview

Medway's guidance focuses on the SEND provision that mainstream schools should provide for children and young people with SEND from within their own resources, covering the expectations for mainstream classroom practice.

Overview

Oxfordshire's Ordinarily Available SEND Provision guidance covers early years, primary and secondary settings, setting out the support that mainstream schools should provide from within their own resources.

Overview

Portsmouth is a pioneer Local Authority for OAP, featured as a DfE 'What Works in SEND' case study.

Key Features

• Pioneer LA: one of the earliest to develop comprehensive OAP guidance
• Featured as a DfE 'What Works in SEND' case study
• Comprehensive framework covering all areas of need

Overview

Reading's OAP and Graduated Response guidance was updated October 2024, setting out the support that mainstream schools and settings should provide for children and young people with SEND.

Overview

Southampton's OAP Guidance is part of the Inclusion Strategy, with an expanded online resources hub including tools and training links.

Overview

Surrey's OAP guidance is a multi-section document covering the support that mainstream schools should provide for children and young people with SEND.

Structure

• Overview: Introduction to OAP principles and purpose
• Section A (Principles): Foundational principles underpinning inclusive provision
• Section B (Strategies): Practical strategies for meeting needs
• Shared Practice Examples: Case studies from Surrey schools

Overview

West Sussex calls its provision "Ordinarily Available Inclusive Practice" (OAIP), with two key sections covering the support mainstream schools should provide.

Two-Section Structure

• Reasonable Adjustments (Quality First Teaching): Inclusive teaching strategies for all learners
• Tailored Approaches: More targeted strategies for children with identified SEND needs

Overview

Wokingham provides two OAP guidance documents, one for Early Years settings and one for schools, both taking a needs-led approach where no diagnosis is required to access support.

Key Features

• Needs-led: no diagnosis required
• Separate EY settings and schools guidance documents

Overview

Bath & North East Somerset's OAP is embedded within the wider Graduated Approach framework, referenced through the Somerset partnership. The framework sets out what families can expect from education provision for children and young people with SEND.

Graduated Approach Structure

The framework uses the Assess, Plan, Do, Review (APDR) cycle as its foundation. Support is structured from universal provision through to more specialised support, with the expectation that the majority of children will have their needs met through high-quality inclusive teaching in mainstream settings.

Overview

Bristol's OAP guidance sets out the resources and support expected to be available for children and young people with SEND in mainstream education settings.

Two-Part Framework

Section 1: General Expectations covers eight core areas including assessment, partnerships, pastoral support, environment, teaching, resources, staff expertise, and transitions.

Section 2: Support by Area of Need addresses Cognition and Learning, Communication and Interaction, SEMH, and Sensory and Physical.

Overview

Devon calls its provision "Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision" (OAIP). It describes the inclusive provision and practice that Devon schools, early years, and post-16 settings should provide for all children and young people, including those with SEND.

Two Core Frameworks

Inclusive Education Framework: Establishes high-quality inclusive practice expectations covering leadership, relational practice, teaching and learning, environment, assessment, and partnerships.

Targeted Support Framework: Defines enhanced adaptations and targeted interventions for children with additional needs.

Overview

Dorset uses a person-centred graduated approach to plan support for children and young people who need more help to achieve their potential.

Three Levels of Support

1. Universal Support: High quality teaching through ordinarily available provision
2. SEN Support: Personalised support through the APDR cycle
3. EHCP: For very few children with the most complex needs

Overview

Gloucestershire's OAP guidance focuses on Early Years provision and refers to the support that all Early Years Providers should deliver through their agreed funding and resource arrangements.

Graduated Pathway Approach

Applying a graduated approach allows the right level of support at the right time. The Early Years Service provides advice on environment, increasing practitioner confidence, supporting transitions, and ensuring OAP is in place.

Overview

North Somerset's OAP is referenced through the Somerset partnership framework, which sets out what families can expect from education provision for children and young people with SEND.

The framework uses the Graduated Approach with the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle.

Overview

Plymouth's OAP resources were created in true collaboration with over 80 partners including 18 young people. Featured by Special Needs Jungle as an exemplary approach to co-production.

Available Resources

1. Ordinarily Available Provision for Early Years
2. Ordinarily Available Provision for Schools

Overview

Somerset's Graduated Response Tool ensures every child and young person in Somerset schools receives appropriate educational support.

Available Versions

• Early Years version (PDF, 30.1 MB)
• School Age version (PDF, 35 MB)
• Post-16 version (PDF, 31.2 MB)

Support Levels

Universal Support: High-quality teaching with inclusive practices.

SEN Support: Additional specialised strategies and interventions.

Overview

Wiltshire's OAP is referenced through the Somerset partnership framework, which sets out what families can expect from education provision for children and young people with SEND.

The framework uses the Graduated Approach with the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle.

Overview

Launched November 2023, Birmingham's Ordinarily Available Guidance (OAG) outlines the approach to supporting children with SEND in education settings. It was co-produced with professionals and families.

Birmingham SEN Toolkits

• Language and Literacy Toolkit: Focuses on attainment in speaking and listening, reading and writing
• Maths Toolkit: Focuses on identification of barriers to learning in Maths
• Combined SEN Toolkit: Integrated tool covering speaking and listening, reading, writing and maths

Overview

Coventry's OAP describes the support that mainstream settings should be able to provide for a child through their agreed funding and resource arrangements. It covers Early Years, School Age, and Post-16 provision guidance.

Graduated Approach in Transitions

The OAP transition document offers a graduated approach to transitions as children join an Early Years setting, move up internally within a setting, and make the transition from Nursery to Reception.

Overview

Walsall's OAP encompasses everyday support that all early years settings, schools and colleges must provide for children and young people with SEND.

Graduated Approach (APDR)

1. Assess: Gather information on strengths, needs, and learning barriers
2. Plan: Develop individualised SEN support plans with families
3. Do: Implement agreed strategies consistently
4. Review: Evaluate progress at least three times yearly

Overview

Worcestershire's Graduated Response is a toolkit for all who work with children with identified SEND, providing guidelines on provision, criteria for SEND register placement, and strategies to support children.

Early Years Graduated Response Levels and Funding

• GR1: Included within all NEF hourly rates
• GR2: Included in 2-year-old rates; 3–4 year olds receive £0.90/hour supplement
• GR3: £1.60/hour supplement
• GR4: £2.86/hour supplement
• Exceptional: £6.30/hour for children with EHCPs

Overview

Doncaster's Graduated Approach is a structured framework for identifying and supporting children's needs progressively, following the APDR cycle from the SEND Code of Practice.

Five Intervention Levels

1. Universal: High-quality teaching with adaptive strategies
2. Universal+: Time-limited interventions beyond universal teaching
3. Targeted: Additional specialised support
4. Targeted+: Significant additional support
5. Specialist: Multiple areas of specialised provision

Overview

Leeds calls its OAP the "Inclusive Mainstream Practice" (IMP) Guidance. It outlines the support that mainstream schools and settings in Leeds should be able to provide for children with SEND through their funding arrangements.

SEND Audit Tool

Each school and post-16 setting receives free access to an audit tool featuring expectations aligned with teacher standards, best practice recommendations, and a resource database.

Overview

North Lincolnshire's comprehensive OAP guidance sets out the adaptations and support that mainstream settings should provide using their standard funding. Underpinned by the One Family Approach.

Provision by Area of Need

Covers Communication and Interaction, Cognition and Learning, SEMH, and Sensory and Physical needs with detailed strategies for each area.

Overview

York's OAP guide establishes consistent expectations across mainstream schools for supporting children with SEND. The framework is grounded in the SEND Code of Practice (2015) and follows a needs-led approach.

Core Purposes

• Promote consistency across York's mainstream schools
• Assure parents that schools offer parity in Quality First Teaching
• Support delivery of consistent local outcomes

Guiding Principle

The majority of children with SEND will have their needs met effectively within their local mainstream setting through quality first teaching and close family collaboration.