School applications and EHCP process (primary school)

[LadyCLS]

DS is 3.5 years old and is diagnosed with severe speech disorder. He attends a maintained nursery which has a speech unit. At a recent parent consultation the senior speech therapist suggested that I should consider a long term placement at a school in the town we live that has a speech unit attached (very similar set up to what ds currently attends). He would need an EHCP to do this and she feels that he is a very strong candidate. The EHCP process is hopefully starting in the autumn but the Senco has advised me that it is likely that I won’t find out whether he has the EHCP until May when school places have been allocated.

Does anyone have any experience of how this works in terms of school allocation? I understand I apply as normal to a school he’s likely to get a place at (the school his siblings attend) - whilst the school with the speech unit is under 2 miles away it’s not a school he is likely to get in to so I certainly wouldn’t put as first choice on the online application. Would he still get a place there if the EHCP is granted as that’s the school we would name?

He doesn’t start school until September 2024 but this whole process is very new to me and I’m trying to understand how it would work.

Thanks!

Well, first of all the EHCP process can start literally today. Given how long things take it probably should start today. Parents can apply themselves.

I agree, request an EHCNA ASAP. On their website IPSEA have a model letter you can use. The process takes 20 weeks if you don’t have to appeal, but many do have to appeal, some more than once, and if that happens to you you need as much time as possible.

Unless you have a finalised EHCP you should apply via the normal admissions process. Applications are on an equal preference basis, so you should put the school with the speech unit down as first choice if that is the school you want the most. You won’t get a place in the speech unit though without an EHCP.

If an EHCP is issued after the normal round of school allocations the school named in the EHCP will override any offer issued on national offer day. With an EHCP pupils placed after the normal round can be excepted pupils, so can be placed even when the class is full and infant class size rules would apply. There are limited reasons the LA can refuse to named your preferred school, however, that doesn’t mean they won’t refuse and force you to appeal.

Thank you. Nursery have said they need to complete two rounds of one planning as part of the evidence for his EHCP - if I was to start the process is it likely to be turned down due to lack of evidence? The nursery have applied for 10+ EHCP’s this year so are pretty on the ball

You do not need 2 cycles of assess, plan, do, review before requesting an EHCNA. That is a myth. The only lawful threshold for an EHCNA is a) has or may have SEN, and b) may need SEN provision to be made via an EHCP.

If DS is already in the speech unit at the nursery and you have evidence from SALT you have enough evidence to meet the threshold. Although the LA may refuse and force you to appeal, but that could happen even if you wait.

And the LAs lose 85% of appeals at that stage

Following as we are on a similar journey. DD is also 3.5, recently diagnosed ASD (private diagnosis). Recent EdPsych Assessment (also private) and both have recommended applying for an EHCP as soon as possible. It can take quite some time and all have suggested it may go to tribunal before we’ve even applied! DD also needs SALT, OT and according to the ADOS, a high level of support.

You can still put the school with a unit as first place - the order you put them in has no influence on whether you are allocated a place (you can put a school 4th and another parent 1st, and you get the place, if you are higher up the admission criteria and can't be offered a higher placed school). I would get started on the process as soon as possible.