How international-school SEN support actually works
Most international schools describe their SEN provision in tiers, even when they don't use the word. Tier one is light-touch: in-class differentiation, a learning-support teacher who advises classroom staff, and accommodations such as extra time. Tier two adds regular pull-out sessions, a formal individual education plan (IEP), and progress reviews. Tier three is intensive, specialist staffing and, in some schools, a dedicated learning-support unit. The crucial question is never "do you support SEN?" — every school says yes — but "which tier can you actually staff, for my child's specific profile, this year?"
Provision also depends heavily on the host country. Some systems regulate SEN inclusion tightly; others leave it entirely to each school. Medication rules, the availability of local clinicians for assessment, and whether an English-language educational psychologist is reachable all vary enormously. The guides below go deep on each.
The questions that separate real support from a marketing line
- What is the ratio of qualified learning-support staff to students currently on the SEN register?
- Will you put the agreed accommodations in writing in an IEP, and how often is it reviewed?
- Have you supported a child with my child's specific profile before — and can the SENCo describe how?
- What happens at exam time (access arrangements for IGCSE, IB, A-Level, AP)?
- If needs increase, at what point would you say you can no longer meet them — and what's the process then?
The SEN guides — start here
Each of these goes deep on one area. If you're at the start of a search, read the one that matches your child first, then come back to the questions above.
Classroom strategies, IEPs and what "ADHD-friendly" should actually mean. ADHD medication abroad
Country import rules for controlled substances and how schools manage daily dosing. Autism support at international schools
What inclusive practice looks like and the staffing that backs it up. Autism: matching your child to the right tier
How to read a school's real capacity rather than its prospectus. Dyslexia support at international schools
Structured literacy, assessments and exam access arrangements. Dyspraxia at international school
Occupational therapy, handwriting and PE accommodations that matter. Anxiety support for international students
Counselling provision, transitions and the pastoral side of relocation.
How we research this
Our SEN content follows the same standards as the rest of the site: we describe provision in ranges and tiers rather than inventing precise claims, we never publish a school rating without verified parent reviews, and we link out to primary regulatory and clinical sources where a fact needs backing. See our editorial standards and corrections policy and methodology. If anything here is out of date or wrong, tell us — SEN rules change, and parent corrections are the fastest way we catch it.