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SN children

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Original poster

Hypothetical question about moving with an EHCP - especially if you live in Herts/Bucks

17 replies

Loueytb3 · 29/01/2016 14:23

If we get a EHCP with a school named on it (which would be out of our current area) and then we move, does the placement stay the same?

I ask because the school is in Herts. We are currently in LB Hillingdon. We might think about moving to the town the school is in, if he gets a a place. But I know that Herts are renowned for being awful on SN.

The alternative is moving to Bucks whom I think are better on SN. We have two other children to think of as well, one of whom will be moving to secondary at the same time so it's very complicated.

Could they take a place away from DS1 if it has already been named on the EHCP? We would probably move before he starts there (summer before).

OP posts:

Coffeemachine · 29/01/2016 18:16

they can (and if the placement is expensive will reassess) and can change the EHCP and you may lose the place. A friend of mine was in a similar situation (different area) and in the end scapped the idea of moving as the new LA probably would have thrown the spanner in.

if it is and expensive and hard fought for placement, I would stay put.

Original poster

Loueytb3 · 30/01/2016 11:23

Urgh.

What if you have already won a place via tribunal - do you think they would still try and re-assess if you move?

Problem is that it would be an hour (at least) journey each way and he gets very tired, hence if we could move closer it would be better.

OP posts:

Coffeemachine · 30/01/2016 12:31

it may not happen but it can happen. I know few people who wanted to move for similar reasons (closer to school) but did not as there is always a chance you loose the placement.

Tambaboy · 30/01/2016 18:31

I think that if you win the independent placement and you move chances are the new LEA won't pick up the bill without a fight.
I believe your best chances are for you to stay put and try to win the placement at your current LEA. Moving house will probably mean new jobs and definitely new schools for your other dc, the stress of buying/renting a new house and no guarantee that the new LEA will pay for the school. I would recommend moving if you could afford paying the fees yourselves if everything goes wrong.
Guidelines for secondary school travel times is 75 minutes I think. I know it's not ideal but many secondary aged children travel that sort of distance every day.

Phone IPSEA or SOS!SEN and they might be able to advise you.

Original poster

Loueytb3 · 30/01/2016 19:31

Both the other children would have to move schools at the point anyway so that is less of a concern (although still logistically complicated) and job isn't a concern as I work in central London so as long as there is a good link in I would be fine.

We would not move from the current LA until we definitely had a place and probably just before yr7.

I think I may well need to talk to sos sen but I'm probably getting a little ahead of myself.

OP posts:

Original poster

Loueytb3 · 01/02/2017 10:23

Still trying to search for an answer about this and came across my old thread, so I'm bumping in case anyone else has advice.

The situation we are in now is that the out of borough school have agreed to give DS1 a place for yr7. We are about to start transfer to EHCP and will ask for the school to be named.

We have been told that the current LA are likely to refuse as they are refusing all out of borough placements as a matter of principle. So we are almost certainly going to have to go to tribunal.

We have also been told that if we move during the tribunal process that the new LA will have to take on the appeal and will not be able to put in any new evidence. However, then DS1 will be in a new borough with no placement until yr7. It's too far to travel back to his current school until the end of yr 6 and in any event I don't know if that would be allowed.

I am going round in circles about what to do for the best.

OP posts:

zzzzz · 01/02/2017 14:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

UserOO7 · 01/02/2017 17:19

I know someone who moved to Herts and they cancelled the child's placement on moving day mid week from their London special school they planned to go to still, then took 1.5 terms to find a Herts SS place. They could as the final draft EHC had massive delays and was unsigned a year on, they re-started from scratch AND didn't get any of the relevant professionals involved. For a profound LD case

Original poster

Loueytb3 · 02/02/2017 09:53

zzzzz - yes Bucks is a grammar school area. That's one of the reasons we are looking at it. DS1 is a twin. DS2 is academically very bright and will be taking the 11+. But we would rather be in Herts in the same town as the school so that transport for DS1 is not an issue.

user007 - That's awful! This is the problem - I know they are awful. I remember years ago Starlight having a dreadful battle with them and there were lots of dirty tricks involved (I can't now remember what they did). I am (naively) hoping that now they are being inspected they might have improved. The problem is that I am not sure any of the other boroughs/counties are much better any more as they are all doing all they can to avoid paying for specialist care/schooling.

OP posts:

zzzzz · 02/02/2017 10:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

Loueytb3 · 02/02/2017 11:48

I know, nightmare isn't it. DS1 gets a taxi now but it is often late. The other kids go to a CM who takes them to school but when we are down to one parent the logistics are awful. The other reason for being close to the school is that we could use transport as a bargaining chip - ie if they refuse to name that school, we would need transport to another school, and that would be expensive.

OP posts:

JsOtherHalf · 02/02/2017 20:54

Total cost to public purse tribunal decision:

www.ipsea.org.uk/news/2014/haining-v-warrington

Original poster

Loueytb3 · 03/02/2017 08:20

Thanks - that's really useful

OP posts:

mumsuzz · 03/02/2017 17:20

Hi - we had exactly your situation.

We got an EHCP for my dd's mainstream school in Haringey but they refused to consult with the out of borough independent school in Herts (it is probably the same one you are talking about).

We moved to Bucks and got a decent outcome. PM me and I can tell you more. Or I might have explained it to you already?

There are lots of parents in my dd's new Herts school who are having a nightmare with Herts LEA. Ironic that such a great school is in Herts.

IPSEA told me that any new LEA might refuse to engage by saying that we were making our own decision about where to send our dd but luckily that didn't come to pass.

Sherlock35 · 05/02/2017 20:52

My cousin's twins both have an ASD
diagnosis, we live in Watford and they attend a school outside Herts at the moment. There aren't any spaces locally. So, there's precedent

Original poster

Loueytb3 · 10/02/2017 18:58

Sherlock - do you mind me asking what the school is called? PM me if you don't want to put it on here.

OP posts:

Prakruti83 · 24/10/2020 07:00

Hi Loueytb3

I have come across this thread of yours, as I am in exactly same situation. I live in hillingdon and aiming for ERS (i hope thats the one you are mentioning) . We have been thinking about moving close to b'stead ....somewhere in bucks.
May i ask you how did you get on? Did you get a place and moved or had to put off the idea?
If you could please share your experience, that would be incredibly valuable !!

Thank you!

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