Plan quality

The shared criteria. connect drafts against them, assure scores against
them, skills teaches them. One file, so the three can never drift apart.

The criteria

Each is scored strong · adequate · weak, and a score is invalid without a
quoted sentence from the plan.

#	Criterion	It is strong when
1	The child is in it	you could pick this child out of a hundred plans by reading it
2	The child's view	present, in their own words, and something in the plan visibly follows from it
3	The parents' view	present, in their own words, including where they disagree
4	Needs are described	every need traces to a report, and every report's needs appear
5	Provision is specified	who, what, how often, how long, how reviewed
6	Provision matches need	every need has provision; no provision floats free of a need
7	Outcomes	specific, measurable, and about the child's life, not the service's activity
8	Health and care are real	not "no health needs identified" where a report says otherwise
9	Preparing for adulthood	from Year 9, and about work, independence, health and friends
10	It can be read	a parent can read it once and know what will happen

The defects that actually appear

Learn to see these; they account for most of what goes wrong.

Vague provision. "Access to speech and language therapy." Access is not
provision. Nobody can be held to it, and nobody can tell whether it happened.

The weasel words. regular · as required · as appropriate · where possible ·
opportunities for · will be encouraged to · ongoing support. Every one of these
converts a commitment into an intention. Search for them.

A professional with no dosage. "Input from an occupational therapist" —
how often, for how long, direct or advisory, reviewed when?

Copy-paste. Two plans with the same sentence in section F. It is visible
immediately and it tells a parent their child was processed, not considered.

Outcomes that are aspirations. "To reach his full potential." Nothing can be
measured against that, so nothing will be.

Provision hiding in outcomes. Section E describing what the school will do.
Provision must be in section F, or it is not enforceable.

The child's voice as decoration. A quotation at the front that nothing in
the plan responds to.

Silence where a report spoke. A report identifies a need; the plan does not
mention it. This is the defect with the worst consequences and it is found by
reading the reports, not the plan.

Service language. "Multi-agency provision will be coordinated via the MDT."
A parent should not have to translate their own child's plan.

What to say instead

Weak	Strong
Access to speech and language therapy	6 × 45-min direct sessions per term from a qualified SaLT, plus a termly programme for staff, reviewed each term
Regular support with self-regulation	A named adult for 15 minutes at the start and end of each school day, using the plan agreed with the EP, reviewed half-termly
To reach her full potential	By July 2027, to travel independently between home and college on the number 12 bus, with no adult present
Opportunities for social interaction	Twice-weekly structured lunchtime group of no more than six pupils, facilitated by a TA trained in the programme named at F12

Scoring rules

1. Quote or it did not happen. Every score carries the sentence that earned it.
2. Read the reports first. Most of what is wrong with a plan is what is not in it.
3. One change, named. The single edit that would move the plan most.
4. Say what is good, specifically. Not as a softener — as information.
5. Quality is not legality. You assess the first. A person decides the second.