Choosing the right school

Most children with SEND will get the help they need in a mainstream nursery, school or college. Others may need an EHC plan, and some may need to get their education in a special school.

To help you decide which school is best for your child, you can:

• find general advice on choosing a school on our school admissions webpages
• talk to your special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCo) for guidance that's suited to your child's needs
• check the Ofsted results
• look at the school's SEN polices and SEN information reports - these must be published on the school's website

There's also advice on the Scope website. It includes examples of questions to ask the school before you make your decision.

Applying for a school place if your child does not have an EHC plan

The standard school admissions process applies if a child or young person with SEND:

• gets special educational needs support from their nursery, school or college
• does not have an education, health and care (EHC) plan

If you disagree with the school place you receive, you can make an appeal.

Getting a school place if your child has an EHC plan

If your child has an EHC plan, you do not need to apply through the standard school admissions process. The school named in your child's plan will be the school they go to, unless:

• it's not suitable for your child’s age, ability, aptitude or special educational needs
• it would affect other children’s education if your child went to that school, and there are no reasonable steps we can take to avoid this

Deciding on the right school

When deciding which school to offer a place at, we'll consider:

• the views of parents/carers and your child or young person
• your child or young person’s SEN, and the support they need
• the progress your child or young person has made so far
• the views of the schools that we talk to

Schools with specialist resource provision (SRP)

Some schools have SRP extensions. They work as special needs hubs, with specialist teachers. They’re only available to children with EHCPs, who can access the mainstream curriculum as well as a specialist intervention programme. 

The following schools have SRPs

• Bentley West Primary
• Blue Coat Federation
• Christ Church CE Primary
• Joseph Leckie
• Lindens Primary
• Meadow View Primary
• Moorcroft Wood
• New Invention Infant
• Pool Hayes Academy
• Rosedale CofE Infant
• Rushall Primary
• Shire Oak Academy
• Short Heath Junior
• St James Primary

For more information, contact your Family Link Officer.

When you'll know which school is named in your EHC plan

We'll issue an amended EHC plan that includes the name of the school.

If your child is moving between phases of education (transition), you'll get this by 15 February.

If a young person is moving to post-16 education, it will be by 31 March.

This gives enough time to sort out any issues before they start their new term in September.

If you disagree with our decision

Find out what to do if you disagree with the education provider named in an EHC plan.