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Original poster

To postpone annual review?

35 replies

MyOtherCarIsAPorsche · 13/01/2026 10:33

Just found out that DGS has his annual review on Thursday. (We thought it was in November because his last one was.) My daughter has been contacted by school this morning to ask if she's attending.

We have not received any paperwork: no formal invite or any reports which I assumed had to be sent out two weeks before. We don't even have anything to fill in with our views/concerns.

We know that the tasks which were 'prescribed' on his last EHCP are not being done on a daily basis. We know that personal care is not being done. He is not even helped with regards to home time - he leaves the class carrying separate items with him: rucksack hanging wide open, water bottle, lunch box, book bag, coat dragging on the floor. All other children leave with their coats on and all items in their rucksacks which are on their backs. DGS comes out like a little waif and stray struggling to carry everything and dropping stuff on the floor. Most days there is something missing - lunch box, water bottle, shoes, socks, coat, fleece. When I ask where these items are the teacher shouts T... where did you leave xyz? Of course he doesn't know. It upsets me to see him at the back of the class struggling whilst everyone else skips out and strides off home whilst I'm dressing him and making sure he has everything with him.

I've no idea what to say at the review and feel rushed thinking that nothing will change anyway. I'm going to support my daughter who is autistic and struggles with face to face meetings and paperwork.

Should he have been seen by Ed Psych? Not that it mattered last time because her recommendations (which we thought were thorough and realistic) and prescriptive section F has been ignored.

DGS - global delay, speech delay, epilepsy, in reception class.

At parent's evening in December, the teacher told DD that she'd 'thrown in the towel' as far as phonics is concerned 'because he just wants to play'. She can't have even read the EHCP.

OP posts:
Shinyandnew1 · 13/01/2026 11:21

His last one was early November 24 so we were expecting one November 25.

It's overdue by 2 months??

Did you not speak to the SENCo about this between October and now?

I'd give your case officer at the LA a ring and ask for advice.

Original poster
MyOtherCarIsAPorsche · 13/01/2026 11:15

@ItsOnlyHobnobs

His last one was early November 24 so we were expecting one November 25.

OP posts:
Original poster
MyOtherCarIsAPorsche · 13/01/2026 11:13

@SmittenApple

the school have been approached multiple times. the teacher said the words 'thrown in the towel' - it says nothing about phonics on his EHCP - it does list more than 20 recommendations which add up to much more than an hour per day in the time it takes to complete the tasks. Eg. 2 x 10 min, 1 x 15 min, 1x 5 min ....

when I arrived at lunchtime to pick him up for an appointment one day he could not be found. It took 3 adults more than 10 min to locate him. This is after we appealed his first EHCP to include supervision for use of toilet, playtimes and lunchtimes due to the nature of his epilepsy.

we have asked for evidence of support to be recorded multiple times

we we have asked multiple times for help with toilet use as the skin on his bottom is constantly blistered (this is already on the EHCP).

there's hardly a day goes by without asking for his belongings which are missing and 'could he be helped at the end of the day so he's on par with his classmates?'

school contact me as they would any other parent - I'm on the email list and have access to 'classrooms' platform for all three DGC. I take and pick up the DGC more than mum does due to her working pattern - school know this. I'm usually the one who attends parents evenings/book looks because they more than likely occur when DD is on shift.

we knew that the annual review was due - just didn't get much notice or access to the reports which we know should be sent out to all involved two weeks before the review takes place.

OP posts:
Shinyandnew1 · 13/01/2026 11:07

At parent's evening in December, the teacher told DD that she'd 'thrown in the towel' as far as phonics is concerned 'because he just wants to play'.

I would say that a reception child with an EHCP and global delay probably does just want to play and probably isn't ready for phonics. What age is developmentally working at?

Even if the class teacher hasn't read every EHCP document (in some schools these are filed away), surely he has all the targets/provisions on an IEP/My Plan type document that she HAS read??

I don't understand why you have an Annual Review in January when the last was in November though? Do you mean November 25? If he's under 5, he should have a review every 6 months, but if they just did it before Christmas, that makes no sense.

Are you sure this isn't just a usual termly review meeting?

You won't get another EP assessment, no.

Can you ring the school now and find out what's going on? If it's an actual AR, then say you need two weeks' notice and can you have all paperwork sent home to you asap?

ItsOnlyHobnobs · 13/01/2026 10:49

Regarding the dates, did you expect it to be November 2026? And he’s just had his previous annual review in November 2025? Or it didn’t happen november 2025 and it’s been delayed to January?

SmittenApple · 13/01/2026 10:42

I'm going to support my daughter who is autistic and struggles with face to face meetings and paperwork.

So it is quite possible that advance notice was issued.

Lougle · 13/01/2026 10:40

I would email the school and say 'We've only just heard about the annual review and haven't had any paperwork for it. We also haven't been asked our views and had those circulated. Could you send out the paperwork and rearrange the meeting for two weeks after we've sent you our views.

SmittenApple · 13/01/2026 10:38

At parent's evening in December, the teacher told DD that she'd 'thrown in the towel' as far as phonics is concerned 'because he just wants to play'. She can't have even read the EHCP.

Did your daughter tell you this?

I imagine the teacher meant that phonics had been put on the back burner whilst more immediate issues relating to him were addressed.

Largestlegocollectionever · 13/01/2026 10:37

It’s this sort of situation where I feel AI can be massively helpful.
I’d share the reports and guidance, share what your experiences are then ask AI to prepare you a list of questions and what you’d like to see as next steps to enable the meeting to go ahead, inc adding you for all school notifications?

SmittenApple · 13/01/2026 10:37

Have you approached the school and tried to work with them to address what’s been going on before now?

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