Admissions Gurus - help please!

[muiisal]

I'm super confused about admissions process and would love some advice. My son is in another LA and we're moving to Herts LA in a month. I'm hoping he can start after Easter half term. He has an EHCP (primary mainstream, 1:1 until lunchtime) I've spoken to Herts SEN team twice but can't get a clear answer on this.

I assume that I look at all the primary schools in area and then select which one I believe is best for my DS. Then once the SEN team have his file sent through, then they'll start engaging with me about schools. Question is - is it essentially their call where he goes? Or is it mine? Or is it a combination of our opinions? The school I want is close to our house but is at 32 pupils (over the limit), the head teacher said because he has a EHCP he might get in. But is that admissions who decide that?

Should I also be visiting schools which I don't like the look of, to build a 'case' of why he wouldn't be suitable there? Or just wait and see what they come back with?

Would love any guidance on this please!

(cross posted in SEN)

[soapboxqueen]

It's always your decision where your child goes. However an individual school can put a case forward that they cannot meet his needs or the LEA can say that another school can do the same job as one you've chosen so won't fund it (this is usually when the one you've chosen is expensive).
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Even though the school you like is full, if your ehcp names that school you would get a place. Assuming the head didn't object for logistical reasons.
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What I don't know is how long it will take them to update your ehcp. Hopefully someone else will.

[admission]

The decision as to which school to go to is really a joint decision between you as parent and the LA, who will have responsibility for his needs. Having said that there have been plenty of legal cases where the parent wants a different school from that of the LA and in nearly every case the parent will win, if they have an EHCP plan. The only time they tend not to win is if the parent is asking for an expensive independent school when the LA believe that the pupil can be schooled at a maintained school.
There is therefore no real need for anything like admission appeals, any pupil with an EHCP Plan will get into the school that is agreed and is detailed on the EHCP plan. It will not matter how many there are in the year group.
I can see why Herts will currently be saying not that much because until you move they have no responsibilities for the pupil and they certainly will not want to comment on school availability until they have sight of his EHCP plan.

[prh47bridge]

Agree with Admission.

Just to add, if you get the school you want named on the EHCP they must admit your son. In this situation your son would be an excepted child which means he would not count towards the infant class size limit.