When to actually apply for y7 with EHCP

[Newmums16]

DD is in Y5 and so far I've had the following:

• SENCO said I need to name preferences end of this summer term
• headteacher of SEN school said call emergency review now in hopes of getting in for y7
• another SEN school refused us to view, said we are too early and come back in October
• IPSEA says we need to name at annual review but our next one is February 2027 which is after the LA's deadline

So when do we actually name the secondary school we want???

We’re doing ours now in year 2 as recommended by our head teacher & SENCO lead

Usually the spring/ summer term of year 5 is when you’d have a phased transfer review. You don’t apply as such as the LA will consult with schools on your behalf. Do you want a specialist provision?

So that would be around now for us. We are still debating what is best but have been blocked by 2 schools (a specialist and mainstream) when trying view saying we're too early but then another specialist said apply now

With an ehcp, you don’t apply through the normal channels for senior schools / would start looking at Sen places now and then tell your senco the ones you like so she can consult with your named worker at the council

You should have a phase transfer review in the autumn term of yr6, with a view to confirming secondary school by 15th Feb. Schools / LAs sometimes try to use the yr5 annual review for this...

A phase transfer review meeting should be held in the autumn term of Y6. In good time for the LA to finalise by the 15th Feb deadline.

Within 4 weeks of the review meeting, the LA must send you the amendment notice/notice of amendment/draft/whatever you want to call it. At this point, you get to comment on the proposed amendments and state your preferred placement.

You do not need to state your preference in Y5 or before you get to the point in my previous paragraph. If you do state your preference before that point, you can change your mind. You do not need to complete an application form, list multiple placements, list MS placements if your preference is SS or any other nonsense LAs try to say.

Some LAs try to use the Y5 AR as the phase transfer review, but they shouldn’t. They know this. You don’t have to accept it.

Although it is a good idea to start looking at placements now, even if some won’t speak to you/let you visit yet (for those who won't do organised visits yet, you could check if they hold a summer fayre that is open to the public) and start to build your evidence ready for the review.

Yea as others have said you don't apply as such you name where you would like DC to go in the phase change review which is usually at the start of Y6 ) id be asking them to move the Feb on to September/October we went to look at a few places at the end of Y5 and some at the start of Y6 but ours was very uncontentious as she went to our catchment school that has a Send base so was pretty straight forward

The transition review should be held either second half summer term of year 5 or early in year 6. You discuss your school preferences at this point and your caseworker should ask you to name parental preference schools/schools you want consulted at this stage.
If you want specialist you should build evidence now. It will help if primary school recommend specialist. In some LAs you will need to get panel to agree to specialist otherwise the LA will almost certainly name mainstream (you can still request they consult with specialists as parental preference but if panel says mainstream they won't name specialist)

Re visiting schools, most LA maintained specialist won't let you visit unless the LA is officially consulting them. However they may hold open days throughout the year from time to time so look out for those. The local mainstreams will have their open evenings in sept/Oct so keep an eye out for those.

Ultimately you'll need to have named your preferences by around October time and then the LA consults and names a school by Feb 15th

I believe asking you to hold the phase transfer in summer of Y5 is unlawful. Our LA was doing this and have stopped as the new head of SEND pointed out it was outside the law even though it had been done with the best of intentions. Unfortunately it might not make much difference either way - over three quarters of parents requesting a specialist placement for KS3 were disappointed where I am this year. Yes in most cases it will go to tribunal but it will take time and mean placing children in already over-capacity settings.

Ask for a transfer review summer term or very early autumn term (September) and name your preferred school in the review so it goes onto the EHCP and the application process will be triggered from there. That’s how it works in our county anyway.