What can I expect from the Senco?

[Doryhunky]

My dc has mild sen, educated out of year group and is on the sen register. The senco has been very uncommunicative. When he joined the school at the beginning of last year she said she had a plan for him but has never shared it. We have discussed an updated EP referral as the one from his last school is three years old and outside agencies have mentioned that she should refer him for a complex needs assessment but when I ask her about this I get very vague answers. I have no idea what if anything the school is doing.
What should I expect? Should I get copies of referrals? Should there be a written document setting out a plan like an Old IEP?
What if anything specifically should I ask for?

How old is he ?
Why is he educated out of year group if he has "a mild SEN" ?

Yes, he should have a written plan - different authorities and different schools will call them different things, but there should be a plan (which some still call an IEP) - which should state what his targets are and what is being put in place to help him reach them.
Yes, they should be shared with family and with anyone who works with him.
Yes, they should be reviewed regularly (3 x a year is normal)

We have discussed an updated EP referral as the one from his last school is three years old

What happened when he saw the EP at his previous school ?
Was an EHCP Assessment request made?
Or was advice given and a decision taken by the Team Around the Child (ie, EP, yourselves, SENCo, class teacher, and any outside agencies that are involved), that an EHCP wasn't needed ?

I think the first thing I would ask for is a meeting, to address all these points. I would also be clearly minuting all answers - take a friend or family member with you so you can focus on askng questions if it makes it easier. (I do realise this might have to be a virtual meeting at present, although some schools will arrange a 'socially distant meeting' now).

Thank you. He had severe speech difficulties
so started reception a year late. I
Would like an ehcp assessment but the school said he wouldn’t qualify. His previous school arranged an EP. It is not clear to me what his current school is doing about this.
I will write to them. Thank you!

Would like an ehcp assessment but the school said he wouldn’t qualify.

LAs and schools often say this kind of thing, but if a local authority (“LA”) is requested to carry out an EHC needs assessment by a parent, young person, school or college, they must consider:

-whether the child or young person has or may have special educational needs (“SEN”); and

• whether they may need special educational provision to be made through an EHC plan.

If the answer to both of these questions is yes, they must carry out an EHC needs assessment.

This test is set out in the law (section 36(8) of the Children and Families Act 2014). This means these are the only questions the LA should be asking when considering whether or not to carry out an EHC needs assessment.

any other tests imposed by the school or LA are down to local policies and are usually unlawful.

You can apply yourself. Info here:
www.ipsea.org.uk/making-a-request-for-an-ehc-needs-assessment