In Pakistan, the level of SEN support varies considerably between mainstream private schools. It depends not only on the curriculum a school follows, but also on the school’s own approach to teaching, learning and inclusion.

What About Cambridge Schools?

In schools offering Cambridge O Level and A Level, SEN provision depends largely on the individual school. Some have dedicated SEN or learning support departments, while others have little or no provision.

Cambridge International does not prescribe how much day-to-day SEN support a school must provide. It provides the assessment framework and offers access arrangements during exams for eligible students with additional needs.

These access arrangements can include extra time, readers, scribes, assistive technology and modified question papers, where appropriate.

However, there is an important distinction for parents: exam access arrangements are not the same as ongoing SEN support. A child may be entitled to extra time in an exam but still need support with teaching, organisation, literacy, attention or communication in the classroom, throughout the school year.

What About IB Schools?

The IB (International Baccalaureate) has a more explicit focus on inclusion across teaching, learning and assessment.

IB World Schools are expected to have an inclusion policy and to support identified student needs as part of regular teaching. This can include ongoing classroom accommodations, assessment access arrangements and curriculum modification, where appropriate.

The IB’s Access and Inclusion Policy also makes an important point: once a student has been admitted to an IB school, responsibility for meeting the student’s learning needs rests with the school. Inclusion should not begin when a child reaches their final exams. It should be part of their everyday learning.

So, What’s the Difference?

A simple way to think about it:

• Cambridge: strong exam access arrangements; day-to-day SEN support varies from school to school.
• IB: inclusion expected across everyday teaching, learning and assessment; the actual level of support still varies from school to school.

This does not mean every IB school provides better SEN support than every Cambridge school. There are strong, inclusive schools under both systems.

The key question for parents is not which curriculum a school follows, but:

“What will you actually do to support my child?”

Before enrolling, ask:

• Does the school have an SEN department or a SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator)?
• What classroom accommodations are available?
• Are individual support plans used?
• How is progress monitored and shared with parents?
• What exam access arrangements can the school provide?
• Does the school allow, or require, an LSA (Learning Support Assistant) in the classroom?

The curriculum matters — but the school’s approach to inclusion matters much more.

What Does In-Class Support Look Like?

Support should be based on the child’s individual strengths, needs and learning profile. In the classroom, it usually takes three forms: accommodations, differentiation and one-to-one support from an LSA.

Classroom Accommodations

Accommodations are adjustments to how a child accesses learning — not a change to what they are expected to learn.

Common accommodations include:

• Extra time on tests, assignments or classwork.
• Preferential seating — for example, sitting near the teacher, away from distractions, or wherever the child is best able to focus.
• A scribe or reader — a scribe records a child’s spoken answers when writing is a significant barrier. A reader reads instructions, questions or assessment materials aloud when reading is a significant barrier.
• Assistive technology — such as text-to-speech, speech-to-text, typing instead of handwriting, or other appropriate digital tools.
• Sensory breaks — short, planned breaks that allow a child to regulate and reset before returning to a task.
• Visual schedules and supports — pictures, written checklists or step-by-step instructions that make routines and expectations clearer.

Differentiation

Differentiation means adjusting how a concept is taught or how a child shows their learning, without automatically lowering expectations.

In practice, this might include:

• Teaching the same concept in multiple ways — visually, verbally and through hands-on activities.
• Providing tiered tasks, where students work towards the same learning goal with different levels of support or complexity.
• Giving children different ways to show understanding — for example, a presentation instead of a lengthy written response, where appropriate.
• Using modified worksheets or assessments, such as larger text, clearer layouts, fewer questions per page or simplified instructions.

Learning Support Assistants (LSAs)

A Learning Support Assistant (LSA), often called a shadow teacher in Pakistan, works directly with a child, usually within the mainstream classroom.

Depending on the child’s needs, an LSA may:

• Help the child follow and keep up with the lesson.
• Break instructions into manageable steps.
• Support focus and redirect attention when needed.
• Help the child use strategies for emotional regulation.
• Adapt materials or tasks in the moment, in coordination with the classroom teacher.
• Support social interaction with peers, particularly during less structured times such as recess.

An LSA should work alongside the classroom teacher, not replace them. The best outcomes come when the LSA, school and family communicate regularly and use consistent strategies.

In Pakistan, LSAs are often hired and paid by the family rather than the school, although arrangements vary. Some schools provide LSAs; others ask parents to arrange one. It is worth asking about this before admission.

Support Outside School

For some children, in-school support works best alongside therapy or specialist input outside school hours.

This may include:

• Speech and language therapy — for communication, articulation or language-processing needs.
• Literacy intervention — for children with dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties.
• Occupational therapy — for fine motor skills, sensory processing and functional skills.
• Behavioural interventions — for building new skills and addressing patterns that interfere with learning or daily functioning.
• Counselling or psychotherapy — for anxiety, emotional regulation and wider mental health needs.

Finding the Right Support

Not every child needs every type of support. For one child, classroom accommodations may be enough. Another may need an LSA, targeted intervention or specialist therapy as well.

The most effective support comes when the school, family and outside specialists work together — with everyone understanding the child’s needs and working towards the same goals.