EHC plans are legal documents describing a child’s or young person’s strengths and any needs that are identified as a barrier to learning, what they want to achieve (outcomes) and what they require to meet those needs (provision). They are reviewed every 6 months for children under the age of 5 and then annually.

Health professionals, Early Years Settings, Schools, Colleges/Post 16 Institutions and Council teams may all be involved in the development of an EHC plan alongside children, young people and their family, who in addition to being at the centre of the process, will have much more choice and control over what happens to them.

In some exceptional cases, EHC plans can continue until age 25 if the young person has outcomes identified that require them to remain in education or training to complete the outcome.

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

The first review of the EHC Plan must be held within 12 months of being finalised (unless the child is under the age of 5, at which time this would be 6 monthly).  Subsequent reviews must be held within 12 months of the previous review.

At Hope School and College, we follow the guidance and timescales outlined in the SEND Code of Practice when arranging the annual review.

You can access our overview here

Councils must publish a Local Offer for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) which details what services are available to all children with SEND whether they have an EHC plan or not and what families can expect from the services.

It includes information such as Education, Health and Care provision for children, arrangements for assessing children’s needs, travel to and from school, leisure activities and information about support and advice for parents, plus many other sections. You can find the Local Offer at www.wigan.gov.uk/sendlocaloffer

The School Information Report is also referred to as a Special Educational Needs (SEN) report.  All schools must publish their report on their website.

This report complies with:

• Section 69(2) of the Children and Family Act 2014
• Regulation 51 and schedule 1 of the SEN and Disability Regulations 2014

It includes details of:

• School’s admission arrangements for pupils with SEN and Disabilities
• The steps school take to prevent students with SEN from being treated less favourably than other students
• Access facilities for pupils with SEN
• The school accessibility plan

Hope School and College’s SEN Information report can be found here*

Personal Budgets aim to give more choice and control. Parents, children and young people will be involved in every stage of the process. They will give their views about what they hope to achieve and what support they need. Parents of a child / young person who has an EHC plan will have the right to request a personal budget at each annual review or at the time of transfer from a Statement to an EHC plan.  However not all parents / young people are eligible for a personal budget.  More information is available on Wigan Council’s Local Offer.