EHC for transition to high school

[hennaoj]

Does anyone have any experiences of obtaining an EHC assessment in readiness for high school? The local authority are refusing one as they are basing it on his current needs in primary school rather than his needs for high school. He has autism and anxiety and I really doubt he will be able to cope in a mainstream high school environment.

Yes, I did, but I had to do it on the basis that he needed it for primary school (and actually, he did, I thought he was being supported fairly well but with hindsight he wasn't). It took so long that it was only finalised a few weeks before he left in any case.

Do appeal the refusal to assess. The majority of appeals are upheld. As Expensively said it is likely your DS would benefit from further support now.

There is case law on this. RB v Calderdale MBC (SEN) [2018] UKUT 390 (AAC). This Special Needs Jungle page explains it much better than I could.

Yes, I had to appeal at that stage, then again after issue of the finalised EHCP (ours was a statement, in the old system, but similar process). I applied in the January of year 5, it was refused and I appealed, it was conceded that summer, finally issued in Jan of year 6 and another appeal conceded in July of year 6. So he had the extra support for the last two terms of primary school, then the main focus of the appeal was to get a special school place for year 7.

Have you got any support from any of the SEN charities, or local SEN support groups? The charities SOSSEN and IPSEA are great sources of help with appeals.