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Here you'll find advice from parents and teachers on special needs education.

Original poster

EHCP in a private school

102 replies

Acronymsandinitialisms · 09/02/2022 23:05

My son, 8 and in year 3, is on long waiting lists with CAMHS for autism and ADHD.

He's bright, fun and interesting, but needs support with his anxiety and impulse control (hitting other children when provoked and shouting out in class being the most concerning and problematic). I really want him to stay in his current school as I think moving again (he moved into yr2 and this is his first proper year there because of lockdowns) would unsettle him, and he would think/know that it was because of his behaviour, and that would hurt him. Also, small class sizes, buckets of sport and outdoorsiness that work well for him.

A couple of people have mentioned looking into an EHCP. I don't expect this to cover school fees - we are fully prepared to do that - and I'm wondering what practical benefit an EHCP might have in a private school, and whether the school might be able to use it as an excuse to get rid of him if they decide they can't meet his stated needs. They are already talking about needing to find a new school if the hitting continues (it's roughly once or twice a term, usually in unsupervised time like in the playground and sometimes in response to someone hitting him first), and we're working hard on addressing this behaviour at the moment. If the EHCP offers any degree of protection from expulsion or access to additional resources in his current school then I'd be keen, but I don't want to give them the tool with which to lever him off their books.

We are considering private assessments, but this is very, very expensive, we're not rich, and these also have a waiting list, just not as long! Any advice/experiences welcome.

OP posts:
sprongle1 · 29/04/2022 22:56

Having had both I'd agree F2F is better but Libby was able to use the results of the F2F assessment I had which WASN'T for an EHCP along with other assessment and covid restrictions were in place when we did ours and totally agree - wait for the right person -- you can book now and get things lined up for a tribunal that could be inevitable if you want a private school named, and then only use what is needed once you know what the LA has done and how good their reports are.

11plusNewbie · 01/05/2022 10:01

Dear all,
we are in the process of having our DD (almost 6) diagnosed for ADHD. I can see she has also some sensory issues and some oppositional behaviour (arising from frustrations)
i want to get her seen by an OT and a EP however I am not sure in what order to do it all… so we see the OT/EP, maybe SLT before the appointment for ADHD diagnosis or after ?
school useless :(
many thanks for your continued support and help

Original poster
Acronymsandinitialisms · 01/05/2022 11:34

When I spoke to the person from Sendiass, she said my son's private school is not in their section something or other list, so it could never be named in an EHCP.

OP posts:
Imitatingdory · 01/05/2022 11:43

SENDIASS is wrong. Wholly independent schools can be named in EHCPs there just isn’t the same rights as other schools. You don’t have the right to request it, but can still ask for it. For wholly independent schools you would have to prove the LA’s choice of school(s) can’t meet DC’s needs or it isn’t unreasonable public expenditure. This IPSEA page explains it more.

perfectstorm · 01/05/2022 12:17

She couldn't be more wrong.

A s41 school just means that the school can't say no if the parent and LA agree to place the child. If they are not section41, then the school controls the admission.

One of the best independent specialist schools in the country, Swalcliffe Park School, is not a s41 and controls their intake completely. Every single child on their roll has an EHCP.

My daughter is at an independent mainstream primary, which (in common with all of them, as far as I know - s41 schools are private specialist settings) is not a s41 school. Her place is fully funded via an EHCP. She's the 5th child there in that position.

I'm afraid this is why we told you not to bother with SENDIASS, at all, ever. Truly, trust IPSEA and SOSSEN. Parent-run, child-centred charities. Give SENDIASS a wide swerve.

Imitatingdory · 01/05/2022 12:36

perfectstorm Swalcliffe aren’t wholly independent. They are a non-maintained special school so although they aren’t a s41 school they are covered by s.38(3) CAFA 2014 and can be, and must be unless one of the exceptions apply, named in the EHCP regardless of if the school object if they are the parents’ preference.

perfectstorm · 01/05/2022 16:43

Imitatingdory · 01/05/2022 12:36

perfectstorm Swalcliffe aren’t wholly independent. They are a non-maintained special school so although they aren’t a s41 school they are covered by s.38(3) CAFA 2014 and can be, and must be unless one of the exceptions apply, named in the EHCP regardless of if the school object if they are the parents’ preference.

That explains something that was really odd - we always knew them as non-s41, but a friend said they must have been at some stage, because a child was placed with them a few years ago when they'd tried to block it, and hadn't been able to. We figured that it must have been s41 at the time, and that they'd changed afterwards. So you have solved a riddle, thank you!

Original poster
Acronymsandinitialisms · 02/05/2022 12:10

The Sendiass person also said that there wasn't any point going for the EHCP unless we were looking to move my son to state secondary. It does sound like an EHCP would lead to him having to leave his current school. My plan at the moment is:

meeting with my son's counsellor;
meeting with his OT re sensory/vestibular needs and a list of adjustments;
SLT assessment with a focus on social communication;
meeting with school to ask for adjustments, and IEP and a revised behaviour plan (they did one last year for the referral but touched it since).

OP posts:
Imitatingdory · 02/05/2022 12:57

The Sendiass person also said that there wasn't any point going for the EHCP unless we were looking to move my son to state secondary.

This is rubbish too, there are plenty of DC with EHCPs in the independent sector.

Sammyspurs · 02/05/2022 13:01

You can put your parental preference on the EHCP to the school you want your child to attend- private schools can be included in this. By law the LA have to look into it if it’s on the EHCP. Good luck x

Ellie56 · 02/05/2022 13:36

The Sendiass person also said that there wasn't any point going for the EHCP unless we were looking to move my son to state secondary.

SENDIASS is wrong here. Look at the link @Imitatingdory posted above re choosing schools.

perfectstorm · 02/05/2022 14:15

Imitatingdory · 02/05/2022 12:57

The Sendiass person also said that there wasn't any point going for the EHCP unless we were looking to move my son to state secondary.

This is rubbish too, there are plenty of DC with EHCPs in the independent sector.

My youngest is in a private primary, fully funded with an EHCP, and there are plenty of private secondaries locally with EHCP-funded placements - both mainstream and specialist private schools.

What matters are needs. If you CHOOSE to send your child privately, when a state school can properly meet their needs, then of course you should have to pay for that yourself. It's a preference and not a need. If you HAVE no choice, as no state school can meet their needs, and an independent (mainstream or specialist) can, then it must be funded via an EHCP. That is the law.

Children have rights. The LA can't superimpose policy over those rights.

SENDIASS should be closed down and the funding redirected to IPSEA and SOSSEN. Who are the advisors sensible parents rely on.

WiseRobin · 08/05/2022 10:18

Would it be worth pursuing an EHCP for a teen with only recently diagnosed ADHD and taking medication?

Currently not in school for a couple of weeks, due to suicidal ideation was seen by CYP and at the follow up appointment the counsellor said EHCP are only given to those with learning disabilities and yet the letter from the first CYP counsellor states on the plan for a EHCP to be explored with school! Talk about confusing!

Imitatingdory · 08/05/2022 11:51

Yes, it’s worth applying for an EHCNA. EHCPs are absolutely not only given to those with learning disabilities.

Separately to the EHCP process, if DC is compulsory school age the LA should be providing alternative education if DC cannot attend school (s.19 of the Education Act 1996). This provision should begin once it becomes clear a pupil will miss 15 days. The days don’t have to already have been missed and they don’t have to be consecutive for ongoing difficulties.

choclate999 · 10/05/2022 22:39

sprongle1 · 20/02/2022 13:49

We've been pushed out of a prep that kindly helped us apply for an EHCP but then before assessment was agrees, they said we'd have to pay for a full time TA to keep my child there, despite having TAS as standard in lower sets and not allowing my able daughter in those sets.

We've had an offer and a scholarship awarded at another private prep, having sent lots of private reports and having had multiple taster days - they withdrew the place and scholarship as soon as the draft EHCP was issued.

We've also found an amazing private secondary that were happy to work with the EHCP, had experience with other children with EHCPs and value our child. However, we needed to cast our net wide, much further from home than we'd have normally considered.

Be aware, for an EHCP to state enough needs that mean the LA mainstreams say no, your child is going to have to be quite complex, or at least look very complex on paper. This is enough to put off many independent mainstreams. If you want LA to pay in full then this will likely be the position you are in and is where we are.

If you are looking to pay fees but only request LA pay top up funding to the school then you might find you can get this with a child that would be otherwise placed in mainstream, pointing out how much money it will save the LA. However, some LAs very against this, others appear to welcome it.

What's the amazing prep school name ?

Onceuponatimethen · 31/05/2022 00:13

Thanks so much to everyone who has given advice on this thread. About to apply for EHCP and very daunted but this has really helped. We are in private prep but being forced out

sprongle1 · 31/05/2022 08:29

choclate999 · 10/05/2022 22:39

What's the amazing prep school name ?

Show quote history

Unfortunately, it is Bruton Schools for Girls, as it has just announced closure last week. To find another school that understanding in a 75 minute drive from home will be very very tricky.

Robinaizzy · 04/08/2023 20:43

Just thinking about schools and small gentle private school where no shame in finding things hard sounds a real find! Would you be ok to share the name of the school?

KingsHeath53 · 06/08/2023 10:35

@Robinaizzy think the poster said it’s closed. There are school consultancy services you can use (the good schools guide has one) where you describe the type of setting you have in mind and they match you up with it. Some friends have used

KingsHeath53 · 06/08/2023 10:42

@11plusNewbie not sure if anyone else replied to your question, might be worth having your own thread.

Everyone’s experiences will be different. We did OT both before and after diagnosis. The OT told us it was helpful for them to understand if there was a diagnosis before putting in place OT interventions as it could guide what might be likely to be more effective.

SLT and EP etc we also did after diagnosis, and again their reports and so on were quite framed through a lens of things that were more likely to be effective than others.

Every time I post on the SEN forums I get a few repeat posters jumping on me telling me every thing I have said is wrong, but this was the way we did it and worked for us and may do for you too 😁

NB we didn’t have formal SLT or anything feed into the diagnosis. That was all done by psychiatrist who did a bunch of questionnaires to us and school.

Imitatingdory · 06/08/2023 10:57

This is an old thread, but if posters don’t want their posts correcting perhaps they shouldn’t post inaccurate information such as the school need to show they have exhausted £6k funding. Leaving incorrect information unchallenged doesn’t help any parent navigate the SEN system when they already receive so much incorrect information from e.g. LAs/schools/SENDIASS.

KingsHeath53 · 06/08/2023 11:39

@Imitatingdory sigh. It was what I was told and have heard many times. I’m just trying to help others by sharing my own experiences of what did and didn’t work. That’s what this old thing called ‘community’ is about. Helping people.

I’m sure you also have an opinion on the exact correct order in which to undertake OT, SLT etc so will let you take it from there 🙄

Imitatingdory · 06/08/2023 11:49

@KingsHeath53 it doesn’t help people when they are told inaccurate information e.g. when applying for an EHCNA schools need to have spent £6k, though. If parents believe inaccurate information their DC may not get the support they need, which is why I and others corrected it.

DC whose parents know the law and how to enforce their DC’s rights get better support. It shouldn’t be like that, but it is, sadly. If parents are told incorrect information it makes advocating for their DC ten times harder.

BTW, according to AS, under various names, on the SEN and SN boards I have only ever been on 14 other threads you have been on. Of those 14 other times only twice have I interacted with you. If interacting with you two other times, and correcting incorrect information about EHCPs on one of those threads, is considered ‘jumping on’ you then yes I am guilty of that and I make no apology for correcting inaccurate information.

Worriedmotheroftwo · 17/08/2023 19:16

I've read this thread a few times as it is so ao informative- thanks so much. This is my first time posting on this thread. My son is about to start a private prep school (tiny class, nurturing environment). But he hits other children. He is being assessed for ASD in a few weeks. ADHD is suspected too but they won't assess for that until he is 6 (he is currently almost 5).

I really want to help him but I don't know how. What should I be doing? I've read about Occupational Therapists etc on this thread. Should I be booking in to see someone to get a list of what his specific needs are? Should I was for his ASD assessment/diagnosis first or not?

I'm desperate to help him and it's heartbreaking to be told on a regular basis that he hit another child in a fit of anger... I just have no idea what to do. Thanks.

sprongle1 · 20/08/2023 16:59

Imitatingdory · 06/08/2023 11:49

@KingsHeath53 it doesn’t help people when they are told inaccurate information e.g. when applying for an EHCNA schools need to have spent £6k, though. If parents believe inaccurate information their DC may not get the support they need, which is why I and others corrected it.

DC whose parents know the law and how to enforce their DC’s rights get better support. It shouldn’t be like that, but it is, sadly. If parents are told incorrect information it makes advocating for their DC ten times harder.

BTW, according to AS, under various names, on the SEN and SN boards I have only ever been on 14 other threads you have been on. Of those 14 other times only twice have I interacted with you. If interacting with you two other times, and correcting incorrect information about EHCPs on one of those threads, is considered ‘jumping on’ you then yes I am guilty of that and I make no apology for correcting inaccurate information.

Just wanted to come on here and support @Imitatingdory and say that you can get an EHCP even if the school hasn't spent £6k or even if the school say an EHCP isn't needed. Not saying it will be easy as if the school has spent a lot of money or is well in support is can and does help but local policies about needing to have spent £6k does not trump the law.