is it true that statementing can't take place till child is at school?

[meagle]

Having finally got LEA to agree to statement, we're now told it he won't be assessed till back at school in September. This is the worst timing, as we have moved to a new area and was hoping to use the statement to get him into the school he and we like (he's been offered place at the school he really took against). Is there anything we can do to make LEA start the process in the holidays, and use the statement-in-progress as a way to get LEA to allocate the preferred school place (we're talking secondary school BTW). THANKS.

I think the reason it won't progress much is that the school is on holiday, and therefore discussions with SENCO aboiut the suitability of the school for the child etc can't take place.

So you can put in a request by all means, and I believe that there is a timescale that they have to follow, but I'm not sure how successful this would be as the school in question will not be able to respond, however I am sure someone with more knowledge will be able to confirm the situation for you.

YES you can get the LA to start the process in the holidays.

I am assuming that the LA has agreed to a statutory assessment, rather than agreeing to a statement? if so, then they can begin the process of assessing - gathering the data they need, getting your ds onto EP wait lists etc. you can be assigned your case officer, and find out who the EP will be etc - they might even be able to go see him before the end of term (there are a couple of weeks left)

There is no reason why statementing shoudl be held up by the holiday - although you woudl have to move swiftly to get his current school to fill in their sections of the forms etc.

Thanks both for your thoughts. Yes, Silverfrog I did mean LA has agreed to statutory assessment. I had a call today from my current LA ed psych trying to set up a meeting with us, but had to tell her we are moving out of borough in 3 days. She was the one that said the process couldn't really move forward until DS was at school as they need to assess him in class. I explained the predicament about moving and she said she might try to see him before we go, but she didn't get back to me so assume that wasn't an option in the end.
I will get on to our new LA the day we move and see if I can get the ball rolling there. It's just a pain that DS might end up going to the crap school he's been allocated cos we won't have a statement in place by September.