Working with the tutor and school team on your child's plan

Terms used

• Orientador — The orientador is the school's guidance counsellor, who assesses pupils' needs and advises on support.
• Informe psicopedagógico — The informe psicopedagógico is the school guidance team's report on your child's learning needs and the support they need.
• Dictamen de escolarización — The dictamen de escolarización is the education authority's report that sets your child's school placement and support.
• Adaptación curricular — The adaptación curricular is an adapted curriculum that changes objectives, contents or evaluation for a child with support needs.
• Instancia — The instancia is a formal written request sent to a school or public office.
• Jefatura de estudios — The jefatura de estudios is the school's head of studies, who manages teaching and sits above the tutor and orientador.
• Inspección educativa — The inspección educativa is the regional education department's inspection service, which handles complaints about schools.
• AMPA — The AMPA is the school's parents' association.

Key rules

• First contact: Go to the class tutor first, then the orientador, jefatura de estudios and director.
• Your right to be heard: The school must inform you and hear you before an adapted curriculum starts or your child's placement changes.
• Put it in writing: Make important requests in writing, even if you raised them in person first.
• Copies: You can request copies of the reports and the individual plan; if refused, complain to the inspección educativa.

Start with the tutor, and keep it cooperative

You have formal rights, and the best way to use them is a polite, cooperative route. Your first contact is the class tutor. Spanish schools expect a request for a meeting, not a demand. Put anything important in writing, even if you raised it in person first.

You have the right to be informed about your child's progress and to be heard in decisions about their schooling. For children with special educational needs, the school must tell you about the support measures. It must also hear you before an adapted curriculum starts or the school placement changes. Your agreement, or at least your opinion, is recorded. You can also ask for a review and appeal grades or decisions (reclamación), first to the school and then to the education authority.

How to book a meeting

Each class tutor sets aside a weekly hour for families, often one afternoon hour. Book through the agenda (for younger children), the school platform or email. Meetings are usually in person.

For a child with support needs, the orientador (the school's guidance counsellor) and the support teachers can join. This is usually on request or at set review points, such as the start of the year and after the evaluation sessions. Ask the tutor to invite them. There are also group meetings at the start of the school year.

The checklist below helps you prepare, and the email template below helps you ask for a support review.

Who to go to if the problem continues

Use this order:

1. Class tutor. For daily difficulties, behaviour or homework adaptation.
2. Orientador. If the tutor cannot solve it, or the issue is the evaluation, the support plan or the support hours.
3. Jefatura de estudios, then the director.
4. Inspección educativa. This is the inspection service of your regional education department. Go here if the school does not resolve it. Formal complaints or appeals go to the regional education department.

The parents' association (AMPA) and the regional ombudsman are further options. Names of offices differ by region, so ask the school office what they are called where you live.

Get copies of the reports and plan

You can ask for copies of the informe psicopedagógico, the dictamen de escolarización and the individual plan, such as the adaptación curricular. You can also ask for the school record. Send a written request (instancia) to the director or the school office, often by email or the regional platform. The written request gives you a record of the date you asked. The documents list below shows what to include.

If the school refuses or ignores you, complain to the inspección educativa or the regional education authority.

Before an assessment, you normally sign consent. You are then called to an interview where the results are explained.

Keep the relationship good

• Ask for a meeting rather than turning up at the classroom door.
• Bring dated notes and examples, and a short list of the changes you want.
• After each meeting, send a short email summarising what was agreed.
• Ask when the next review is, so you do not have to chase it.

Documents you need

• Written request (instancia) to the school director or school office asking for copies of the reports and plan. Send it by email or the regional platform.

• Copy of the psychopedagogical report (informe psicopedagógico), issued by the school's guidance team.

• Copy of the dictamen de escolarización, the report that sets your child's school placement, issued by the education authority or the school's guidance team.

• Copy of the individual plan, such as the adaptación curricular or the plan de trabajo individualizado, issued by the school.

Preparing for a plan review meeting at school

Before the plan review meeting

• Reread the current plan and find out whether it changes the curriculum itself (objectives, contents, evaluation criteria) or only adds support.

• Ask the tutor what marks refer to if your child follows an adapted curriculum, and how this is recorded in your child's file.

• Gather the current and past psychopedagogical reports and any reports from outside specialists, such as a psychologist, neurologist or speech therapist.

• Bring the last review of the plan, recent bulletins and grades.

• Pick a few homework and exam samples that show your child's strengths and difficulties.

• Write dated notes on what you see at home, such as homework time, tiredness or behavior.

• Write a short list of questions and the changes you want to request.

• Ask when the next review will be, so it falls at least once a year and whenever your child changes stage.

• During the meeting, note what is agreed, who does what and the dates for review.

• Send the tutor a short email within a day or two, copied to the orientador, listing what was agreed, and ask them to confirm by reply.

• For a plan change or formal review request, file a written request (instancia) at the school registry, keep the stamped copy and ask for the agreed measures to be recorded in the plan and signed.

Email to the tutor asking for a support review

Copy this email, fill in the blanks in square brackets, and send it to the tutor with the orientador/a in copy. If your school uses an online platform for messages, paste the same text there. Add the head of studies in copy if you want a formal decision on the support.

Asunto: Solicitud de revisión del apoyo de [nombre y apellidos del niño/a], [curso y grupo]

Estimado/a [nombre], tutor/a de [curso y grupo]:

Soy el padre/la madre de [nombre y apellidos], alumno/a de [curso y grupo]. Me dirijo a ustedes para solicitar una revisión del apoyo que recibe actualmente mi hijo/a.

El motivo de mi petición es el siguiente: [explique en una o dos frases lo que observa: por ejemplo, "le cuesta seguir las clases de lengua" o "creemos que el apoyo actual ya no es suficiente"].

Les agradecería que adelantaran la revisión de su plan individual, si fuera posible, y que me informaran de cómo avanza. Me gustaría proponer una reunión en los próximos días. Puedo asistir [días y horas que le vienen bien].

Después de la reunión, le agradecería que me confirmara por escrito lo acordado: las medidas de apoyo, quién se encarga de cada una y cuándo se hará la próxima revisión.

Quedo a la espera de su respuesta.

Un cordial saludo,

[Nombre y apellidos] Teléfono: [número de contacto] Correo electrónico: [su correo]

Copia a: orientador/a del centro [nombre, si lo conoce]

After you send it

• Keep the reply and the written summary of the meeting. They are your record of what was agreed.
• If nobody answers, hand in the same request on paper at the school's registry (secretaría) and ask for a stamped copy. That gives you a dated record.
• If there is still no answer, write to the school director. After that, the next step is the education inspectorate (inspección educativa). The exact procedure is set by each region, so ask the school which one applies to you.

Frequently asked questions

Who do I go to if the tutor cannot solve a problem with my child's support?

Go to the orientador (the school's guidance counselor) next, then the jefatura de estudios (head of studies), then the director. Put the request in writing, as a formal request called an instancia, so there is a record. If the school still does not solve it, you can go to the Inspección educativa of your regional education department.

Can I get a copy of my child's psychopedagogical report and support plan?

Yes, you can ask the school for a copy of the psychopedagogical report, the dictamen de escolarización and the individual plan, as the parent or legal guardian.

Does the school have to hear me before starting an adapted curriculum?

Yes, for pupils with special educational needs, the school must inform you of the support measures and hear you before an adapted curriculum (ACS) starts or the school placement changes.

How do I book a meeting with the tutor and the orientador?

Ask the tutor, who has a weekly hour set aside for families, through the agenda, the school platform or email. Use a polite request for an appointment, not a demand.