Definition
A one-page profile is a short, child-centred document summarising what people appreciate about a pupil, what is important to them, and how best to support them. Originally developed by Helen Sanderson Associates as a person-centred planning tool, it is now widely used in English schools as the day-to-day briefing document for every adult who works with the child.
In context for parents
Key checkpoints
- A short, child-centred document summarising what people appreciate, what is important to the child, and how best to support them.
- Developed by Helen Sanderson Associates as a person-centred planning tool.
- Three-section format: "What people appreciate about me", "What is important to me", "How best to support me".
- Co-produced with child, parent, and SENCO; updated at every transition.
- Particularly valuable for autistic and PDA-profile children, captures what the child wants the adults to know.
The classic Helen Sanderson three-section template ("What people appreciate about me", "What is important to me", and "How best to support me") is the format most schools use. It is co-produced with the child, the parent, and the SENCO. The strength of the one-page profile is its portability: a supply teacher, a new TA, a lunchtime supervisor, or a sports coach can read it in 90 seconds and know how to interact with the child.
A strong one-page profile names specific, actionable detail. Not "I like to be left alone when I'm upset" but "If I'm upset I'll go to my safe corner with a fidget. Don't try to talk to me for the first five minutes, just stay nearby." Not "I find loud noises difficult" but "I wear ear defenders in the dining hall and at fire alarms. Please don't ask me to take them off."
For autistic and PDA-profile children, the one-page profile is often the single most useful school-side document. It captures the things the child wants the adults to know, not the things the school wants to record. It survives staff turnover, supply cover, and transitions between teachers in ways that the SEND register and the EHCP often do not.
The one-page profile is not a substitute for an EHCP, an IEP, or a provision map. It complements them by translating the formal documents into something a child and a busy classroom adult can both use.
Related terms
The terms parents most often see alongside One-Page Profile.
Individual Education Plan(IEP)
A non-statutory written plan that sets out a child's SEND targets, the support being put in place, and how progress will be measured. Largely replaced by provision maps and one-page profiles in many schools.
Provision Map
A school's record of the SEND interventions and provision in place for individuals, groups, and year groups. Used to plan, monitor, and evidence the impact of support.
Special Educational Needs Coordinator(SENCO)
The qualified teacher in a school responsible for the day-to-day operation of the SEND policy, coordinating provision, and liaising with parents and outside professionals.
Where parents ask about this
Parents usually find this page before a transition (Reception entry, primary-to-secondary, change of class teacher), or when supply staff are not aware of their child's needs. Searches include "one-page profile template SEND", "how to write a one-page profile", and "Helen Sanderson one-page profile". A Beaakon SENCO or specialist teacher can co-produce a one-page profile with your child, format it for the school's day-to-day use, and refresh it at key transitions.
References
The primary legislation, statutory guidance, research, and clinical tools this page draws on.