Definition
An Advisory Teacher is a specialist teacher employed by the local authority who advises schools and families about supporting children with a particular type of SEND, rather than teaching the child directly. Most LA Sensory Support, Autism Outreach, and SEMH Support services operate on an advisory teacher model.
In context for parents
Key checkpoints
- An Advisory Teacher is a specialist teacher employed by the LA who advises schools rather than teaching the child directly.
- Carries the same accredited qualifications as a specialist teacher (QTVI, QToD, AMBDA).
- Visits are typically once a half-term or once a term, with banded hours under the NatSIP framework.
- Advisory model spreads specialist expertise; for pupils with significant need, advisory input alone is rarely enough.
- Where Section F specifies direct teaching, the LA must arrange direct delivery, not substitute with advisory visits.
Advisory teachers carry the same accredited qualifications as specialist teachers (QTVI, QToD, AMBDA, postgraduate certificates in autism, etc.) but their role is consultative. They visit the child's school typically once a half-term or once a term, observe the pupil, advise the SENCO and class teacher, model strategies, deliver some staff training, and review progress. The advisory teacher's report contributes to the SEND statutory record but is not (usually) the same as ongoing direct teaching.
The strength of the advisory model is that it can spread specialist expertise across a wide caseload. A QTVI in an LA Sensory Support team might serve 40–60 pupils with VI across the borough, providing each with a banded number of advisory visits per year (typically 5–25, depending on NatSIP banding). The weakness is that advisory time is spread thin: for pupils with significant need, advisory input alone is rarely enough to deliver Section F provision.
Where Section F specifies direct teaching from a specialist (rather than advisory visits), the LA must arrange direct teaching. The advisory model is appropriate for pupils whose needs can be met by upskilling the school's staff. For pupils whose needs require direct specialist teaching (Braille, BSL, structured dyslexia programmes, mobility and habilitation) Section F should specify direct delivery and the LA must commission it.
NatSIP banding (used by most English LAs) is the framework for setting the level of advisory input. Schools and parents can check the banding decision against the NatSIP eligibility tool and challenge it if it does not match the pupil's profile.
Related terms
The terms parents most often see alongside Advisory Teacher.
Specialist Teacher
A qualified teacher with additional accredited training in a specific area of SEND, for example dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, or autism.
Local Authority(LA)
The council responsible for arranging and funding the special educational provision in a child's EHCP. The LA is the legal duty-holder, not the school.
Visual Impairment(VI)
Reduced vision that cannot be fully corrected with glasses or contact lenses and affects access to learning. Provision is usually supported by a Qualified Teacher of Vision Impairment (QTVI).
Hearing Impairment(HI)
Reduced hearing that affects access to spoken language and learning. Provision is usually supported by a Qualified Teacher of the Deaf (QToD) and may include British Sign Language.
Where parents ask about this
Parents usually find this page when the LA has proposed advisory input alone for a child whose Section F appears to need direct specialist teaching, or when the advisory teacher's visit frequency is too low to make a difference. Searches include "LA advisory teacher SEND", "NatSIP banding challenge", and "advisory versus direct specialist teaching". A Beaakon specialist teacher or advocate can audit the proposed advisory input against NatSIP banding, identify whether direct teaching should be specified, and write Section F to reflect what the child actually needs.
References
The primary legislation, statutory guidance, research, and clinical tools this page draws on.