? provision for all children with special educational needs should be made by the most appropriate agency.  In most cases this will be the child's mainstream school, working in partnership with the child's parents: no statutory assessment will be necessary

? where needed, LEAs must make assessments and statements in accordance with the prescribed time limits; must write clear and thorough statements, setting out the child's educational and non-educational needs, the objectives to be secured, the provision to be made and the arrangements for monitoring and review; and ensure the annual review of the special educational provision arranged for the child and the updating and monitoring of educational targets

? special educational provision will be most effective when those responsible take into account the ascertainable wishes of the child concerned, considered in the light of his or her age and understanding

? there must be close cooperation between all the agencies concerned and a multi-disciplinary approach to the resolution of issues.

1:4. The detailed guidance which follows in the rest of the Code is subject to these principles, practices and procedures, and must be read with them kept clearly in mind.  The Code recommends the general adoption of a staged model of special educational needs.  The first three stages are based in the school, which will, as necessary, call upon the help of external specialists.  At stages 4 and 5 the LEA share responsibility with schools:

Stage 1: class or subject teachers identify or register a child's special educational needs and, consulting the school's SEN coordinator (see Glossary), take initial action

Stage 2: the school's SEN coordinator takes lead responsibility for gathering information and for coordinating the child's special educational provision, working with the child's teachers

Stage 3: teachers and the SEN coordinator are supported by specialists from outside the school

Stage 4: the LEA consider the need for a statutory assessment and, if appropriate, make a multidisciplinary assessment

Stage 5: the LEA consider the need for a statement of special educational needs and, if appropriate, make a statement and arrange, monitor and review provision.

1:5. There is scope for differences of definition of the stages in such a model and for variation in the number of stages adopted by schools and LEAs.  The Code does not prescribe definitions and does not insist that there must always be five stages.  But the Code does advise that the adoption of a model which recognises the various levels of need, the different responsibilities to assess and meet those needs, and the associated variations in provision, will best reflect and promote common recognition of the continuum of special educational needs.  Schools and LEAs will need to be able to demonstrate, in their arrangements for children with special educational needs, that they are fulfilling their statutory duty to have regard to this Code.  In the case of schools, OFSTED and OHMCI (Wales) inspection teams