Annual review of an EHC plan

In accordance with the SEN Code of Practice, all education, health and care (EHC) plans must be reviewed at least every year.

The annual review is a vital part of the academic year. It provides:

  • an opportunity to make sure the support detailed in the EHC plan has been provided and remains an appropriate forum in which parents/carers, educational/training settings and pupils can raise any concerns about the support or placement, and have those concerns addressed wherever possible
  • an opportunity to celebrate a pupil’s successes throughout the year

The annual review should be person-centred, taking into consideration the needs of the pupil and their parent(s)/carer(s). Educational/training settings have the flexibility to adapt their annual review process in order to meet these needs. However, they must ensure that the annual review report form is completed thoroughly.

Planning and scheduling

The SEND Team issues annual review planning reports at the beginning of each academic year. This details the date by which each EHC plan must be reviewed. Educational/training settings should plan annual reviews for the academic year accordingly.

All professionals involved with a child or young person should be invited to the annual review (and encouraged to provide a written report if appropriate).

It may be that an updated professional report is necessary (for example, an updated SALT report, further assessment of a pupil’s skills by an educational psychologist). If this is the case, this must be requested by the educational/training setting early enough to ensure that a completed report is available for the annual review.

A draft annual review report form should be issued to all those invited to the meeting at least two weeks before the meeting, accompanied by any relevant reports (for example, educational psychologist record of contact, SALT report, physiotherapy/occupational therapy report). This means the people involved have the opportunity to read through each report before the meeting and prepare any responses.

Please find below annual review paperwork, guidance and checklist (revised June 2019).

Annual review and EHC plan short surveys

We need your feedback on our delivery of services to plan ahead for SEND.

Decision making toolkit

A practical guide to supporting young people with special educational needs and disabilities to make their own decisions and to be engaged in the best interests decision making process

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