Amending the EHCP
Pupils with an Education, Health and Plan (EHCP) will need their plan amended when they approach a natural transition time - for example, Year 6-7 or Year 11-12.
To enable adequate time for planning and transition, the West Sussex Special Education Needs and Assessment Team (SENAT) begin work on identifying these placements during the summer term. This is one year and one term before the transfer is due, for example, the summer term of Year 5 for pupils transferring to secondary school.
During that summer term an annual review will be held where you can discuss this transfer. You will also receive a letter from us asking you for your preference. We need to receive your preference by the end of September (one year before transfer).
We will then begin a process of amending your child’s EHCP and consulting with preferred schools across the autumn term. They may arrange consideration meetings with certain settings (special schools or support centres) to ensure places are allocated fairly and according to need.
SENAT is required to issue a Final Amended EHCP naming the setting the child or young person is transitioning to. We have to do this by:
- 15 February of the year of transfer for pupils transitioning to a school setting
- 31 March for pupils transitioning to a post-16 setting.
These deadlines enable time for transition plans to be put in place.
If you are unhappy about the chosen school
If you are not happy about the school the child or young person is moving to, you can raise it for SENAT's consideration at their annual review.
As far as possible, we would like pupils with EHCPs not to have to experience more transitions to different settings than would ordinarily be expected for any pupil.
The annual review should, therefore, also be used to consider how any worries and concerns about meeting your child’s needs can be overcome. This might include making a request to us for resources to support an intervention or involvement of a particular professional to support the school.