I have a draft EHCP

1 Reviewing the draft plan

Once you receive the child or young person’s draft Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) it is important to spend some time reviewing its content and the supporting advice.

Be aware that the EHCP only contains information which has been provided as part of the assessment.
If provision has not been recommended within the supporting advice, it cannot be added to the EHCP.
If you are concerned that something is missing, please talk to your planning coordinator, who will work with you to agree the content.
If you would like impartial support to review the draft EHCP you can speak to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIAS).

You can also request a meeting via your planning coordinator to discuss the document if you would like one.

2 Expressing a preference for a school

When you receive your draft EHCP you are also offered the opportunity to express a preference for a school.

If your child is happy at their current school there is no need for them to move because they now have an EHCP - just tell the planning coordinator that this is your preference.
If you would like your child to be considered for another school, please complete the preference form and return it to your planning coordinator.
If you are unsure - talk to SENDIAS or your planning coordinator.

Whatever you decide, your planning coordinator needs your preference in writing, by letter or email.

3 Liaising with you about your school preferences

The Special Educational Needs Assessment Team (SENAT) will liaise with you about your school preferences. The process we conduct depends on the type of school you request under the Section 41 of the Children and Families Act.

Maintained school or academy, a non-maintained school or a school registered under S.41

We must consult with that setting to find out whether they feel able to meet your child’s needs. This consultation asks the setting to consider the EHCP and the supporting reports (appendices) and whether they feel able to meet the child or young person’s needs. If the setting is concerned about meeting their needs, it asks them to consider what reasonable adjustments they might need to make to enable them to meet them.

Independent school that is not registered under S.41

We must consider your request, but we are not under any duty to consult with the school.

There is a range of provision in West Sussex and we have developed the guidance documents below to help you understand the process that is followed when a request is made for one of these settings.

4 Descriptions of provision

To help you understand the provision and support offered by our special support centres and special schools we have developed description documents for each. View the relevant setting to understand more about the provision.

Special Support Centres (SSCs)

SSCs for Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)

SSCs for Social Communication Needs (SC)

SSCs for Physical Disabilities (PD)

SSCs for Additional Learning Needs (ALN)

SSCs for Sensory Needs: This provision is under review in consultation with the settings themselves and relevant partners, therefore there are not yet provision descriptors in place. Please be assured the review is to ensure the most effective offer moving forwards and not to remove or end access to this specialist support.

Search for more details on Special Support Centres (external link)

Special Schools

Search for more details on Special Schools (external link)