You submit the SEND35 form to SENDIST with the mediation certificate, the LA's letter, EHCP and evidence listed in K (if you don't have it all, don't panic) and any evidence you have so far.
Provision should be based on what DC reasonably requires, not written to fit a particular placement.
You cross reference B&F to your evidence, e.g. EP report, SALT, OT. To start, go through all the reports with highlighters. Highlight all special educational needs in one colour and all the special educational provision to meet needs in another colour. Each need should have corresponding provision. There should also be corresponding outcomes.
Then go through the draft and make sure all the highlighted needs are in B and the highlighted provision is in F. Make a note of anything omitted, any needs without corresponding provision, any woolly and vague wording, and anything the reports have failed to include. Some people find it helpful to make a table.
When checking F look out for vague and woolly wording - “access to”, “or equivalent”, “opportunities for”, “as appropriate”, “would benefit from”, “regular”, “up to”, “would be useful/helpful”, “such as”, “e.g.”, “etc.”, “as required”, “as advised”, “key adult(s)”, “small group”. If provision isn’t detailed, specified and quantified, the EHCP isn’t worth the paper it is written on and cannot be enforced.
When you come across vague and woolly wording, check the reports to see if they are woolly and vague or if the LA has watered down provision. Provision in EHCPs is taken from the reports, so if the reports are vague and woolly, the EHCP will be too. If the reports are vague and woolly, they need improving.
Also make sure any health or social care provision that educates or trains is in F. For example, LAs like to put things like SALT, OT, physio, etc. in G (health care provision) when it belongs in F.
As you move through the appeal process, you will get a working document where you can propose amendments and reference your evidence. But focus on one step at a time, so right now focus on submitting the appeal rather than the WD.
Whether you need independent assessments depends on what evidence you already have. In 99.9% of cases, an independent EP will be far more comprehensive and detailed, specified and quantified than an LA assessment.
When your appeal is registered, you will get a timetable for the appeal. You will have a few months before your evidence deadline, but don’t worry if you will still have evidence to come. You can request late evidence is admitted.
Is your preferred placement wholly independent or not? That determines the rules.
I suggest you make SARs to the LA, current school, any school that has been consulted and any other agency/professional involved.