How to write a learner support plan (with sample wording)
Step-by-step guidance for writing a clear learner support plan in FE or an apprenticeship, with sample wording, a structure to copy and common mistakes to avoid.
Platform · Agree
Learner support plan software: agreed with the learner, owned by a person
Learner support plan software that records what was agreed with the learner, what was disputed, who owns each action and when the plan will be reviewed.
In short
A support plan in Inclusion Studio lists the support agreed with the learner, a named owner for each action and a review date. Disagreement is recorded, not hidden. A view of a plan is in the prototype.
A support plan is the agreement at the centre of Inclusion Studio, and the heart of any learner support plan software. It turns what the learner said into specific actions, each with an owner and a date. This page explains how plans work, who sees them and what is in the clickable prototype today.
What problem does a support plan solve?
Plans often fail in one of three ways. They are written about the learner and not with them. They list needs but not who will do what. Or they are filed and never looked at again. The result is that support depends on a tutor remembering, and a learner repeating their story each year.
A good plan is short, specific and shared. Our guides on how to write a learner support plan and person-centred support planning cover the practice. Inclusion Studio is designed to make that practice easier to follow.
How does a plan work, step by step?
- Start from the learner’s words. The plan opens with the learner’s own description of what helps. See learner voice.
- Draft actions. Staff propose specific actions, such as “instructions shared in advance” or “quieter workshop briefings”, each linked to the voice entry behind it.
- Name an owner and a timing. Every action has one accountable person and says when it happens, for example before each session.
- Show the plan to the learner. The learner sees the draft and can agree, ask for a change or disagree.
- Record agreed and disputed items. Items the learner agrees are marked agreed. Items they dispute, or that staff cannot offer, are recorded as disputed with a reason and any alternative. The plan does not hide the gap.
- Set a review date. The plan states when it will be reviewed and by whom. See reviews.
- Deliver and track. Agreed actions flow into delivery tracking.
What does a plan contain?
| Part | What it holds |
|---|---|
| What matters to me | The learner’s own words |
| Support we agreed | Actions, each with owner and timing |
| Not agreed or not possible | Disputed items, reason and alternative |
| Evidence and sources | Where the plan came from, such as a conversation, a document or a previous plan |
| Next review | Date, owner and how the learner will be involved |
Our learner support plan template and reasonable adjustments agreement show the same structure on paper.
Who sees what?
Permissions are applied on the server by organisation, relationship and field. The intended pattern:
- Learner: the full plan about them.
- Inclusion lead: all plans in their organisation within their remit.
- Tutor or assessor: the parts of a plan relevant to teaching or assessing the learner, not every sensitive detail.
- Apprenticeship employer contact: only the workplace adjustments and their own actions, never the learner’s full history. See employer collaboration.
- Organisation admin: configuration only by default.
What is in the prototype today, and what is being built?
In the prototype (fictional learners only):
- Open a plan from a learner’s summary. It shows “What matters to me” (the learner’s quote), “Support we agreed” with owner and timing, and the next or latest review.
- Save a review and reopen the plan to see the review notes, learner involvement and next review date.
- The Support plans section lists each fictional learner with their agreed support.
Data stays in memory and resets on refresh. There is no login, no database and no real access control in the prototype.
Being built for the pilot:
- Creating and editing plans with several actions.
- A learner view and learner agreement step.
- Recording disputed items and alternatives.
- Plan versions and a history of changes.
- Server-side permissions by role and field.
What should learner support plan software do?
Support plan software should make the plan easy to agree, easy to find and hard to forget. Look for plans written with the learner in their own words, a named owner and date for every action, a record of anything the learner disagreed with, a short view for tutors and employers, and a review date that actually prompts a review. If learner support plan software only stores a document, it will not help you check whether support happened. See choosing learner support software for a supplier checklist.
Who is this for?
Inclusion leads who need consistent plans across the organisation. Tutors and assessors who need a clear, short summary. Learners, who should be able to read and challenge what is written. See the roles pages for tutors and assessors and learners.
How does this connect to an EHCP?
Some learners have an Education, Health and Care plan. The provider’s support plan does not replace it. It records what the provider does day to day, and can point to the relevant EHCP outcomes. See EHCP in further education.
What does this look like in practice? (fictional example)
Daniel, a fictional Level 2 engineering learner, says a quieter briefing helps him follow instructions before a workshop starts. The plan records the action “quieter workshop briefings”, owned by his tutor, before each workshop. Daniel also asked for a separate room every time, which the workshop cannot offer. That item is recorded as not agreed, with the reason and an alternative: the briefing happens in a quiet corner ten minutes early. Daniel sees the plan, agrees to the trial and a review date is set. The disagreement about the room is visible, so it is revisited at review and not forgotten. This is a fictional example, not a real learner.
Related guides and next steps
- How to write a learner support plan
- Delivery tracking and reviews
- Try the prototype through the pilot page.
Frequently asked questions
Is a support plan the same as an EHCP?
No. An EHCP is a statutory document issued by a local authority for some young people with SEND. A provider support plan is the provider's own record of what it will do. The two can sit side by side, and a plan can reflect an EHCP.
What does it mean that disagreement is recorded?
If the learner does not agree to part of a plan, or staff cannot offer something the learner asked for, the plan shows that, with the reason. Nobody has to pretend there was agreement.
Can I edit a plan in the prototype?
You can view a fictional learner's plan and save a review that updates the next action, owner and review date. Creating a plan from scratch is not in the prototype yet.
Does the plan decide what counts as a reasonable adjustment?
No. The provider decides, using its own policies and the law. The plan records what was agreed and why.
Sources and further reading
Official guidance changes. Check the source before relying on any detail, and take professional advice for individual cases.
Help shape the pilot
We are working with a small number of England FE colleges and apprenticeship providers first. Tell us about your learner support and we will be in touch.