Annual Reviews of an EHC Plan

The annual review is the statutory process of looking at the needs, provision and outcomes specified in an EHC Plan, and deciding whether these need to change.

How often should the EHC Plan be reviewed?

An EHC Plan must be reviewed as a minimum every 12 months. This ensures that an EHC plan actively monitors children and young people’s progress towards their outcomes and longer-term aspirations. In some circumstances, is may be appropriate for the EHC plan to be reviewed early. For example, if the educational placement is at risk of breaking down. This is often referred to as an ‘interim’ review.

What is the purpose of the review?

An EHC plan review will focus on the child or young person’s progress towards achieving their outcomes and considers whether these outcomes remain appropriate. The EHC plan review will also review the education, health and social care provision made for the child or young person to ensure it is being effective. As part of the annual review, those attending will consider the continuing appropriateness of the EHC plan in the light of the child or young person’s progress or changed circumstances and whether changes are required or whether the EHC plan should be discontinued.

Who arranges the annual review?

In most cases, the school will hold and convene the annual review on the local authority’s behalf, holding the meeting at the educational setting. Reviews are generally most effective when led by the setting as they know the child or young person best, will have the closest contact with them and their family and will have the clearest information about progress and next steps.

Do parents need to prepare for the review?

It is useful to prepare for the meeting as the annual review is parents’ chance to formally consider the content of their child’s EHC plan. It may be that all is going well, the current outcomes and provision remain appropriate, and the plan doesn’t need amending. Or the child or young person’s needs could have changed significantly, and the provision in place to meet those needs will need to be updated.

Will the EHC plan be amended every year?

Whilst an EHC Plan is unlikely to remain the same over time, it is also not intended to be amended on a very frequent basis. Unless there are significant changes to the needs, outcomes, and provision, it may be that the EHC plan remains relevant in its current format, and the decision following the annual review is to maintain the plan as it is.

What happens when a child or young person is moving between phases of education*?

An EHC plan must be reviewed and amended in sufficient time prior to a child or young person moving between key phases of education, to allow for planning for and, where necessary, commissioning of support and provision at the new setting. For young people moving into post 16 education, the deadline for the LA to complete the review and any amendments is 31st March in the calendar year of the transfer. For all other children and young people, this must be completed by 15th February.

Is there support for families throughout the annual review process?

Yes. Central Bedfordshire Special Educational Needs & Disability Information, Advice & Support Service (CBSENDIASS) are a free impartial and confidential trained team with expertise in supporting parents/carers, children and young people on any issue related to SEND. 

Further Information and who to contact

For further information on the annual review process, or to discuss your child’s EHC plan, please contact Central Bedfordshire EHC Team by email ehcreviews@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk.  Every child and young person in Central Bedfordshire with an EHC plan has an allocated SEND Officer and Senior SEND Officer within the SEND Team who will be the point of contact for schools, families and professionals and responsible for carrying out statutory duties and processes relating to the EHC plan.  

Whilst it is not necessary for the allocated EHC Officer or Senior EHC Officer to attend every annual review, they will attend where there is a specific request for them to do so and there are circumstances where input from a member of the EHC Team would be beneficial as part of the annual review process. Where a child or young person does not attend a school or other institution, Central Bedfordshire SEND Team will convene the annual review meeting and complete the steps outlined in the process above.

The key transfers between phases of education are:

  • early years provider to school
  • infant school to junior school
  • lower school to middle school
  • primary school to middle school
  • primary school to secondary school
  • middle school to secondary school
  • secondary school to a post-16 institution or apprenticeship
  • upper school to a post-16 institution or apprenticeship
What to expect in the Annual Review - Frequently asked questions

How will I know when my Annual Review will be and who will tell me?

An annual review will be held within 12 months of the first EHC plan being finalised, or within 12 months of the previous review. In most cases, the school or educational institution will inform parents/carers and young people of the date of an upcoming annual review, giving at least two weeks’ notice of the meeting. If your child is electively home educated or is not attending a school or educational institution, then the SEND team will provide details of when the review will take place.

Who will attend the Annual Review?

Most annual reviews will be attended by the school or setting, parents/carers and the child or young person and any relevant practitioners. Whilst it is not necessary for a member of the SEND Team to attend every annual review, they will attend where there is a specific request for them to do so and there are circumstances where input from a member team would be beneficial as part of the annual review process.

What information would I need to bring to the Annual Review meeting?

It is good to bring any up-to-date information including new professional reports, for example health reports. It can also be helpful to bring any questions you or your child has regarding any aspect of the EHC plan or their education.

What information should the school provide?

The school will provide updates on the child or young person’s progress in relation to the outcomes specified in the EHC plan and other relevant information concerning the child or young person and their education over the last year. In most cases, the school will seek advice and information prior to the meeting from all parties invited, and distribute any advice and information received at least two weeks before the meeting

I am concerned about my child’s progress, what should I do?

This should be discussed at the annual review, or you can raise it with the school at any time if you become concerned. This could be due a number of factors, for example the child or young person’s needs could have changed significantly, and the provision in place to meet those needs is no longer relevant. If you feel your child needs more support from services other than school, then appropriate referrals can be made via your child’s school or a relevant health professional.

Between the EHC plan annual review, shorter term targets should be set for the child or young person at the level of the educational setting which can be reviewed and, if necessary, amended regularly to ensure that the individual remains on track to achieve the outcomes specified in their EHC plan. Where a pupil makes less than expected progress, the school should involve specialists, including those secured by the school itself or from outside agencies. This might include a referral to the special school outreach service, the speech and language therapy service or the occupational therapy team. 

I do not think the school has been putting in place the provision in section F, what should I do?

The first step would be to raise your concerns with the SENCO at the school, being as specific as you can about what your concerns are and what you feel is not being provided. You can request a provision map detailing the support that is in place for your child and how this correlates with the provision outlined within Section F of the EHC plan. It can be useful to have a meeting with your child’s school to discuss the provision map in more detail so that any queries or concerns can be addressed. If the provision in the plan is still not being provided, the next step would be to contact the SEND Team who will then discuss further with the school setting to find a resolution to ensure that the provision outlined within the EHC plan is in place.

How long will the review process take?

The Local Authority will inform you of its intention regarding the plan within four weeks of the annual review meeting. If the plan needs to be amended, the LA will start this process without delay, issuing a draft amended EHC plan to the parents or young person for their comments. The final amended EHC plan must be issued within 8 weeks of the draft.

When would an EHC plan be ceased?

The LA may cease to maintain an EHC plan only if it determines that it is no longer necessary for the plan to be maintained, or if it is no longer responsible for the child or young person. This includes where the child or young person no longer requires the special educational provision specified in the EHC plan. When considering whether a young person aged 19 or over no longer needs the special educational provision specified in the EHC plan, the LA will take account of whether the education or training outcomes specified in the EHC plan have been achieved.

The circumstances where a LA is no longer responsible for the child or young person include where:

  • A young person aged 16 or over leaves education to take up paid employment (including employment with training but excluding apprenticeships)
  • The young person enters higher education
  • A young person aged 18 or over leaves education and no longer wishes to engage in further learning

How do I request a re-assessment?

The review process will enable changes to be made to an EHC plan, so it remains relevant to the needs of the child or young person and the desired outcomes. There may be occasions when a re-assessment becomes appropriate, for example a child or young person’s needs change significantly. A request for re­assessment can be made by the child’s parent or the young person, the educational institution attended by the child or young person, or the CCG (or NHS England where relevant). The LA must notify the child’s parent or the young person of its decision as to whether it will undertake a re-assessment within 15 calendar days of receiving the request to re-assess. A local authority may also decide to initiate a re­assessment without a request if it thinks one is necessary.

Children and young people with EHC Plans : Preparing for Adulthood Reviews

At Year 9, and every review thereafter , annual reviews must include a focus on preparing for adulthood (PFA)

PFA reviews will be centred around the individual and explore children and young people’s aspirations and abilities , what they want to be able to do when they leave education or training after 16 and the support they need to achieve their ambitions.

EHCP PFA reviews should include outcomes and planning about :

  • Education & Employment
  • Independent Living
  • Community & Inclusion
  • Health

The Council for Disabled Children booklet EHC Exemplar yr 9 and beyond has more information.