Help please with writing statutory assessment request letter?

[Strikeuptheband]

I just wondered if you could all give me some input. I know in the letter requesting statutory assessment I should list my daughter's difficulties, possibly with bullet points. My DD is at school nursery with a 1:1 funded through early years funding. She was diagnosed with ASD over a year ago. I have been thinking long and hard and wanted to seriously consider asking for a place at an autism unit within a mainstream setting. she suffers from major anxiety over routines etc. She has settled at nursery but only after several months. They are unwilling to fund training for e.g. PECS which she was using before nursery with success.
I suppose what I am asking is what sort of information and how much detail I need to put in this initial request? Do I mention that she has shown no signs of being ready to potty train? Do I mention just her difficulties at home or do I mention the school?
Thanks very much in advance for any information. I know I need to send it off ASAP.
Also, as it is time to start applying for schools, do I apply to her current mainstream in case she does not get a statement? Am I right in thinking we can name the school on the statement if we get one and get a place if there is space? I am a bit confused!

Have you looked at the IPSEA website? I think they have template letters for the initial SA request.

You can keep your initial letter very brief. As ourvye has said use the model template from the IPSEA website. They will then write back requesting further information at which point you can list in detail your daughter's problems.

If you want to get your request in quick my advice would be to use the model letters on ipsea website. Then you have time to detail everything you can think of. Ipsea gives great advice on the phone lines too - get any advice from charities available. I wrote anything and everything in there. Good luck! :)

Thanks so much for the replies. So to confirm this - how brief? Do I mention her diagnosis, her anxiety, her lack of danger awareness, fact she is in nappies, fact her language skills are at a very early stage? Or do I just mention the diagnosis and leave the rest for later?

Thanks, am looking at IPSEA website now...their sample letter has a section to state reasons why I think the school cannot meet her needs as it is? Do I have to state this?
Sorry to be dim...

That would be the grounds for them agreeing to assess her and go ahead with SA, yes!

So all the things you mentioned in your first post, this evening, would be things that she would need extra support with. Presumably, her lack of danger awareness means that she needs close supervision outside of class time. Is she getting this under the current arrangements? Is she getting regular SALT input at EYFS+, or does it simply happen when it happens? SALT and OT can be written into part 3 of a statement, as an educational need. Do you feel that she is making progress at nursery, or has she not settled in very well at all?

To be honest, you'll walk the agreement to assess, I would think. So I would keep it very brief:

"DD1 has a diagnosis of ASD with full 1:1 support at nursery. She requires complete support with all areas of daily living to enable her to learn and safeguard her."

Thank you for advice everyone .

Lougle, thanks - that was a useful turn of phrase.