Support and plans in the classroom

It is for anyone considering, planning or carrying out a move to Spain with a child. After reading, you will know the school's support roles, what a plan really changes, how adaptations affect progress, and how to work with the team without straining the relationship.

Start with "Your child's school support team (orientador, PT, AL and tutor)". It shows you who does what and who to approach first. From there, the Topic moves to support hours, then to what an adaptation changes in lessons and assessment, then to its effect on grades and promotion, and finally to meetings and follow-up with the tutor and school team.

Support for specific diagnoses, appeals and complaints, bullying and school changes, and language exemption are covered elsewhere.

Key rules

• Plan review: The plan and support hours are reviewed at least once a year, usually at the end of the school year, and again when your child changes stage.
• Support hours: Spain has no national guaranteed number of weekly support hours per pupil, so the hours your child gets depend on the school's staff and the region's rules.
• First contact: Start with your child's tutor for almost any problem, and ask for a meeting in writing.
• Assessments: The orientador assesses support needs, and their report is the basis for the support your child receives.
• Shared support: Support teachers and aides usually work with several pupils, and exclusive one-to-one hours are uncommon.
• Non-significant plan: It changes methods and supports only, so your child is still marked against the standard goals for the grade.

Support and plans in the classroom: the whole process, step by step

• Raise a daily classroom problem with the class tutor, by email or written request, then meet. Read: Your child's school support team (orientador, PT, AL and tutor): First step, as soon as you notice the problem

• If it is not solved, or it concerns the evaluation, plan or support hours, ask the orientador, then the jefatura de estudios (head of studies), then the director. Read: Working with the tutor and school team on your child's plan: If the tutor cannot solve it

• The orientador assesses your child's needs and writes the psychoeducational report. In several regions they also issue the dictamen de escolarización, which proposes the type of schooling. Read: Your child's school support team (orientador, PT, AL and tutor): When support needs are suspected

• The school sets the plan and arranges PT and AL hours within its own staff. Read: What an individual support plan (adaptación curricular) really changes, and How many support hours to expect and who decides: After the report is done

• Review the plan and support hours with the tutor and support teachers. Read: How many support hours to expect and who decides: At least once a year, usually at the end of the school year, and again when your child changes stage

• Ask for an earlier review if your child's needs change, and check progress at each term's evaluation in regions that require it: At any time during the year, or each term where your region requires it

• If the school does not resolve it, send a written request (instancia) and go to the Inspección educativa of your regional education department: If the school does not resolve the problem

• If a significant adaptation is used, follow how it affects marks and promotion. Read: How significant curriculum adaptations affect grades and promotion: At each evaluation and stage change

Documents you may need

• Written request — Working with the tutor and school team on your child's plan
• Copy of the psychopedagogical report — Working with the tutor and school team on your child's plan
• Copy of the dictamen de escolarización — Working with the tutor and school team on your child's plan
• Copy of the individual plan — Working with the tutor and school team on your child's plan

Support and plans in the classroom: questions that cross several articles

Who should I approach first about a problem at school?

Start with the class tutor for daily difficulties, behaviour or homework adaptation, ideally by email and a meeting. If it concerns the evaluation, the plan or support hours, go to the orientador, then the jefatura de estudios, then the director. Read Your child's school support team (orientador, PT, AL and tutor) and Working with the tutor and school team on your child's plan.

Can I take a support hours complaint outside the school?

Yes, if the school does not resolve it, you can go to the Inspección educativa of your regional education department. Put your request in writing (an instancia) first so you have a record. Later options are formal complaints to the regional education office, your parents' association (AMPA) or the regional ombudsman. See How many support hours to expect and who decides.

Who decides how many support hours my child gets?

In practice the school decides, based on the orientador's recommendation and the timetable set by the jefatura de estudios. The education administration sets how many support posts each school has.

What does a significant adaptation change compared with the plan in general?

A significant adaptation changes basic parts of the curriculum, such as objectives, contents and evaluation criteria, so marks refer to the adapted curriculum. It needs a prior psychoeducational evaluation and is used only when ordinary measures are not enough. Read What an individual support plan (adaptación curricular) really changes, then How significant curriculum adaptations affect grades and promotion.