EHCP Annual Reviews Explained: What Parents Should Expect
An EHCP should not stay the same forever.
As your child grows, their needs, support, progress, and school situation may change. The annual review is the formal process used to check whether the Education, Health and Care Plan is still accurate and effective.
For parents, an annual review can feel important but also confusing. It is not just a meeting. It is an opportunity to make sure your child’s support still reflects what they need.
What Is an EHCP Annual Review?
An EHCP annual review is a formal review of your child’s Education, Health and Care Plan.
It looks at:
- Your child’s progress
- Whether their needs have changed
- Whether the support is working
- Whether outcomes are still appropriate
- Whether the school placement remains suitable
- Whether changes are needed to the plan
The review should focus on whether the EHCP is still meeting your child’s needs.
How Often Should an EHCP Be Reviewed?
An EHCP must usually be reviewed at least once every 12 months.
For younger children, or children whose needs are changing quickly, reviews may happen more often.
The annual review process is especially important during key transition points, such as:
- Moving from nursery to primary school
- Moving from primary to secondary school
- Changing schools
- Preparing for post-16 education
- Moving toward adulthood
These stages can bring new demands, so the EHCP may need updating.
Who Attends an EHCP Annual Review?
The annual review is usually arranged by the school or educational setting.
People who may attend include:
- Parents or carers
- The child or young person, where appropriate
- The SENCO
- Class teacher or key staff
- Local authority representative
- Educational psychologist
- Speech and language therapist
- Occupational therapist
- Other professionals involved
Not every professional will attend every review, but their written advice may still be included.
What Happens Before the Review Meeting?
Before the meeting, the school should gather information from everyone involved.
This may include:
- Parent views
- Child or young person views
- School progress reports
- Professional reports
- Updated assessments
- Attendance information
- Behaviour or wellbeing records
- Current support arrangements
Parents should have the chance to share concerns, updates, and examples of what is or is not working.
How Parents Can Prepare
Preparation can make a big difference.
Before the review, it can help to:
- Read the current EHCP carefully
- Highlight anything that is outdated
- Make notes about what is working
- Write down what is not working
- Gather evidence of progress or difficulties
- Ask your child what they find helpful or hard
- Request updated professional input if needed
Try to be specific. Instead of saying “support is not enough,” explain what is happening, how often it happens, and what impact it has on your child.
What Should Be Discussed at the Review?
The annual review should cover more than general progress.
It should look at whether the EHCP still accurately describes your child.
Key questions include:
- Are the needs in the plan still accurate?
- Are any needs missing?
- Is the support specific enough?
- Is the support being delivered?
- Is your child making progress?
- Are the outcomes still relevant?
- Is the school placement still suitable?
- Does the plan need to be amended?
You can also read what support should be included in an EHCP if you are unsure whether the provision is detailed enough.
Can Changes Be Made at an Annual Review?
Yes. Changes can be requested during an annual review.
This may include changes to:
- Description of needs
- Support or provision
- Outcomes
- Therapy input
- School placement
- Transition planning
- Transport considerations
- Health or social care sections
If your child’s needs have changed, the plan should be updated to reflect this.
What If the Support Is Not Being Delivered?
If the support in the EHCP is not being delivered, this should be raised clearly during the review.
You may want to ask:
- Which support is currently being provided?
- Who is delivering it?
- How often is it happening?
- How is progress being measured?
- Why has any support not been delivered?
- What will be done to fix this?
An EHCP is legally binding. If specific provision is written into the plan, it should be provided.
What Happens After the Annual Review Meeting?
After the meeting, the school sends a report to the local authority.
The local authority then decides whether to:
- Keep the EHCP the same
- Amend the EHCP
- Cease the EHCP
Parents should receive confirmation of the decision.
If amendments are proposed, you should be given the chance to comment before the final amended plan is issued.
What If You Disagree With the Decision?
You may disagree if:
- The local authority refuses to amend the plan
- The changes do not reflect your child’s needs
- Support remains vague or insufficient
- The placement is not suitable
- The local authority decides to cease the EHCP
If this happens, you may have the right to challenge the decision.
You can read more about how to appeal an EHCP decision.
Annual Reviews and School Placement
Annual reviews are especially important if your child’s current placement is no longer suitable.
This may be the case if:
- Your child is not making progress
- They are frequently distressed
- Attendance is worsening
- Support cannot be delivered effectively
- Needs have changed significantly
- A different type of setting may be needed
Placement discussions should be based on evidence, not assumptions.
What Evidence Helps at an Annual Review?
Useful evidence may include:
- School progress data
- Updated professional reports
- Parent notes
- Child views
- Attendance records
- Behaviour or regulation logs
- Therapy updates
- Examples of work
- Records of communication with school
Evidence helps show whether the EHCP is working in practice.
Questions to Ask at an EHCP Annual Review
You may want to ask:
- Is my child making expected progress?
- Is all provision in the EHCP being delivered?
- Are any needs missing from the plan?
- Are outcomes still appropriate?
- Does support need to be more specific?
- Is specialist input needed?
- Is the current placement still suitable?
- What changes are being recommended?
These questions help keep the review focused and practical.
Frequently Asked Questions: EHCP Annual Reviews
What is an EHCP annual review?
An EHCP annual review is a formal review of your child’s Education, Health and Care Plan to check whether it still reflects their needs and support.
How often should an EHCP be reviewed?
An EHCP should usually be reviewed at least once every 12 months. Reviews may happen sooner if needs change significantly.
Can an EHCP be changed after an annual review?
Yes, the local authority can decide to amend the EHCP if changes are needed to needs, support, outcomes, or placement.
What should parents bring to an annual review?
Parents should bring notes, concerns, examples of progress or difficulties, reports, communication records, and any evidence showing whether support is working.
What if the school is not following the EHCP?
Raise this clearly during the review. Ask what support is being delivered, how often, by whom, and what will be done if provision is missing.
Can a school placement be changed at an annual review?
Yes, placement can be discussed if the current setting is no longer suitable or cannot meet your child’s needs.
What if I disagree with the annual review outcome?
If you disagree with the local authority’s decision, you may have the right to challenge it or appeal, depending on the decision made.
Final Thoughts
An EHCP annual review is not just a routine meeting. It is your opportunity to check whether the plan is still right for your child.
If support is working, the review can help maintain progress. If support is not working, the review can help identify what needs to change.
If you want to understand how annual reviews fit into the wider EHCP process, you can explore our comprehensive EHCP guide, which explains each stage in detail.
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