Additional resources to support current provision
Most children and young people will stay in their current education setting when they get an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. The plan shows what extra support and reasonable adjustments are needed. With the extra funding from the plan, the school is expected to meet those needs.
Expressing a preference
Families can ask for a different school or college if they want to. The local authority must talk to the school before deciding. We have to consider if the school will be appropriate for the child’s age, ability and special educational needs.
We are committed to support children and young people to be educated in their local community, where possible.
Options for school settings
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice 2015 states that a child’s parent or the young person has the right to request a particular type of school, college or other establishment to be named in the EHC plan:
- Maintained Nursery School
- Maintained School and any form of academy or free school (mainstream or special)
- Non-maintained special school
- Further education or sixth form college
- Independent school or independent specialist college (if its approved by the government)
Find out more about school options and post 16 options in Somerset.
Consulting with settings
The Assessment and Review Officer (ARO) will send a draft EHC plan to education settings to ask if they can meet the child’s needs. This consult should be responded to within 15 calendar days.
Best fit for needs
A school can be named because the local authority believes it’s the best fit for the child’s needs, even if some people object. This is because of legal and procedural rules around EHC plans.
Parental preference has strong weight but isn’t absolute. The setting needs to be considered carefully and be able to meet the child’s needs.
Objections don’t automatically stop naming. Objections might be about capacity, suitability, or resources. But if the local authority believes the child’s educational needs can be met there, they may still go ahead.
Naming a setting
The local authority must name the education setting the family prefers unless:
- it would be unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or Special Educational Needs of the child or young person, or
- the attendance of the child or young person at the setting would be incompatible with the efficient education of others, or the efficient use of resources.
Efficient education means providing a suitable, appropriate education for each child or young person in terms of their age, ability, aptitude, and any special educational needs they may have. Where we cannot agree the preferred school, we will have open and honest discussions with you.
A final version of the plan will be issued, at no more than 20 weeks after the initial request for an EHC needs assessment was received.
When naming a placement for a young person moving through different school phases (such as going from primary to secondary) then there will be two schools listed in Section I and it will clearly say the date the young person will start their next placement.
Travel assistance
If a child or young person is of statutory school age, the local authority will provide travel assistance if they attend the nearest, appropriate school for their age and needs, and live beyond the statutory walking distance of 2 miles for pupils under 8 and 3 miles for those aged 8 and over. Accessing school travel assistance is not part of the Education Health and Care plan process You will need to apply through our travel assistance process. Find out more on our School travel assistance and Special educational needs and disabilities page.