EHCP Annual Review Support

Clear, practical support to help you review your child’s EHCP, identify necessary changes and prepare confidently for the annual review process.

An EHCP annual review should examine whether your child’s needs are accurately described, whether the provision in the plan is being delivered and whether the outcomes and placement remain appropriate.

It should not be treated as a routine meeting or simple progress update.

School of Diversity helps parents prepare a clear, evidence-led position before the review and offers continued support through the meeting and initial local-authority response stage.

What Is an EHCP Annual Review?

An annual review is the statutory process for reviewing an Education, Health and Care Plan.

The review should consider:

the child or young person’s progress;
whether their needs have changed;
whether the EHCP remains accurate;
whether the provision is being delivered;
whether the provision remains sufficient;
progress towards the outcomes;
whether new outcomes are required;
whether the educational placement remains appropriate;
whether the plan should be maintained, amended or ceased.

The annual review is a process rather than only a meeting. It includes preparation, gathering advice, the review meeting, a written report and a decision by the local authority.

When Should an EHCP Be Reviewed?

An EHCP must normally be reviewed within 12 months of:

the date the plan was first finalised; or
the previous annual review.

Reviews for children under five may take place more frequently.

Additional or early reviews may also be appropriate where:

needs have changed significantly;
provision is no longer sufficient;
attendance has deteriorated;
the placement is becoming unstable;
the child is approaching a major transition;
professional advice has changed;
the current plan is no longer capable of meeting the child’s needs.

Parents do not necessarily have to wait for the next scheduled annual review before raising urgent concerns.

Why Annual Review Preparation Matters

The annual review provides an important opportunity to examine the EHCP as a whole.

Without careful preparation, the discussion may focus mainly on general progress or school-based targets while overlooking:

missing needs;
provision that has not been delivered;
vague wording;
outdated professional advice;
unsuitable outcomes;
attendance or emotional wellbeing;
changes at home;
transition concerns;
placement difficulties.

Preparing in advance allows you to identify the exact changes you are asking for and the evidence supporting each request.

What Should Be Reviewed?

Section A: Views, Interests and Aspirations

Consider whether Section A still reflects:

your child’s strengths and interests;
their current wishes and feelings;
what they enjoy about education;
what they find difficult;
parental views;
hopes for the next stage;
preparation for adulthood where relevant.

The child or young person’s views should be gathered in an accessible way.

Section B: Special Educational Needs

Section B should describe all current special educational needs.

Check whether:

new needs have emerged;
existing needs are described accurately;
professional findings have been included;
diagnoses are connected to functional difficulties;
communication, sensory, emotional and independence needs are recorded;
the impact on education is clear;
outdated descriptions need to be removed or revised.

Every special educational provision in Section F should respond to a need identified in Section B.

Section E: Outcomes

Review whether each outcome:

remains relevant;
is specific and measurable;
reflects current priorities;
has been achieved;
should be continued, changed or replaced;
is linked to appropriate provision;
supports the next stage of education or adulthood.

Outcomes should not replace clear provision.

Section F: Special Educational Provision

Section F should specify the support required to meet every need in Section B.

Check whether the plan clearly states:

what support must be provided;
who will deliver it;
how often it will be delivered;
how long each session will last;
whether it is individual or group-based;
the maximum group size;
the qualifications or training required;
how progress will be monitored;
who will oversee and review the provision.

The annual review should also examine whether the provision has actually been delivered.

Section I: Educational Placement

Consider whether the existing school or setting:

continues to meet the child’s needs;
can deliver all Section F provision;
provides the right environment and peer group;
is supporting attendance and emotional wellbeing;
remains suitable for the next phase of education.

Placement may become particularly important during phase transfer or where there is a risk of placement breakdown.

Has the Provision in Section F Been Delivered?

Before the annual review, compare the written EHCP with what your child has actually received.

Create a simple provision-delivery record.

EHCP provision	What should be delivered	What has actually happened	Evidence or concern
Individual speech and language programme	Three sessions each week	Usually one session	School timetable and home–school emails
Daily sensory regulation programme	At the start of each morning and after lunch	No consistent programme	Parent observations and child reports
One-to-one literacy teaching	Four 30-minute sessions weekly	Delivered in a group of six	School provision map

Where provision has not been delivered, raise:

what has been missed;
how long the failure has continued;
the impact on the child;
what immediate corrective action is required.

Evidence to Gather Before the Review

Relevant evidence may include:

the current EHCP;
the previous annual review report;
recent school reports;
SEN Support or intervention records;
progress and attainment data;
attendance information;
behaviour or incident records;
exclusion information;
educational psychology reports;
speech and language therapy reports;
occupational therapy reports;
ADHD or autism assessment reports;
health information;
social care advice;
parental observations;
the child or young person’s views;
correspondence concerning missing provision;
evidence relating to transition or placement.

Evidence should be organised around the changes you want to request.

Prepare Your Parent Views

Parents should have an opportunity to provide written views before the review.

Your statement may address:

what is working well;
what is not working;
changes in your child’s needs;
provision that has or has not been delivered;
progress and continuing difficulties;
attendance;
emotional wellbeing;
home impact;
new professional advice;
amendments required;
transition or placement concerns;
your priorities for the next year.

Specific examples are more useful than general statements.

Instead of:

“The support is not working.”

consider:

“The EHCP requires three individual language sessions each week, but school records show that only one group session has usually been provided. Our child continues to be unable to follow multi-step classroom instructions.”

Our Two Levels of Annual Review Support

Parents can choose preparation support or continued support through the meeting and initial response stage.

Compare Annual Review Packages

Feature	Annual Review Preparation	Supported Annual Review
Price	£275	£425
Best for	Parents attending and managing the review themselves	Parents wanting preparation, meeting attendance and initial follow-up
Current EHCP reviewed	✓	✓
Agreed recent evidence reviewed	✓	✓
Provision-delivery analysis	✓	✓
Missing or outdated needs identified	✓	✓
Required amendments identified	✓	✓
Written parent representations	✓	✓
Recommended questions	✓	✓
Preparation consultation	✓	✓
Attendance at one online review meeting	—	✓
Support presenting requested amendments	—	✓
Review of meeting recommendations	—	✓
Initial review of local-authority decision	—	✓
One agreed follow-up response	—	✓
Detailed amended-plan review	—	Quoted separately

Annual Review Preparation — £275

This package is suitable where you feel able to attend the annual review independently but want a clear written position and professional preparation.

It includes:

review of the current EHCP;
review of an agreed evidence allowance;
comparison of Section F with provision delivered;
identification of outdated or missing needs;
identification of amendments required;
consideration of current outcomes;
written parental representations;
questions and requested outcomes for the meeting;
one preparation consultation;
one agreed revision.

Supported Annual Review — £425

This package is suitable where you want support before, during and immediately after the annual review.

It includes everything in the Annual Review Preparation package, plus:

attendance at one online annual review meeting;
support presenting the main concerns and requested amendments;
practical assistance keeping the discussion focused;
review of the school’s meeting recommendations;
initial review of the local authority’s decision;
one agreed follow-up response.

A detailed review of a later amended draft or notice of amendment can be added separately.

What Happens Before the Meeting?

Before the annual review meeting:

relevant people should be invited;
advice and information should be requested;
reports should be circulated before the meeting;
the child or young person’s views should be gathered;
parents should be given an opportunity to submit their views;
the current EHCP and progress towards outcomes should be reviewed.

Parents should read the circulated documents before the meeting and identify:

factual inaccuracies;
missing evidence;
differences between the reports;
recommendations that should be added to the plan;
provision that has not been delivered.

Who May Attend the Annual Review?

People involved may include:

the parent or carer;
the child or young person;
the SENCO;
teachers or support staff;
a local-authority representative;
an educational psychologist;
a speech and language therapist;
an occupational therapist;
health professionals;
social care professionals;
representatives from a prospective setting;
another person invited with the parent’s agreement.

Not every professional will attend every review. Written advice may be provided instead.

Where an important professional recommendation is unclear or disputed, consider asking whether the professional can attend or provide updated advice.

Questions to Ask at the Annual Review

Useful questions may include:

Does Section B describe every current special educational need?
Which parts of Section F have been delivered?
What evidence confirms the frequency and duration of provision?
Which outcomes have been achieved?
Which outcomes should be amended or replaced?
What new needs have emerged?
What professional advice needs updating?
What additional provision is required?
Does the current placement remain suitable?
What will happen during the next transition?
Which amendments will the school recommend?
When will the local authority issue its decision?

Record the answers and ask for clear actions, responsibilities and dates.

What Happens After the Meeting?

Following the meeting, a written report should record:

the matters discussed;
progress towards outcomes;
recommended amendments;
any disagreement;
actions and responsibilities;
the views of the child, young person and parent.

The report should be sent to the local authority and the people invited to the review.

The local authority must then decide whether it proposes to:

maintain the EHCP without amendment;
amend the EHCP; or
cease maintaining the EHCP.

The decision should be communicated within the applicable statutory timeframe.

If the Local Authority Decides to Maintain the Plan

A decision to maintain means that the authority does not propose to amend or cease the EHCP.

You may disagree where:

needs have changed;
important evidence was submitted;
the provision is no longer sufficient;
recommendations from the review were ignored;
placement concerns remain unresolved.

The decision letter should explain any applicable appeal rights.

If the Local Authority Agrees to Amend

Where the authority proposes to amend the EHCP, it should provide details of the proposed changes and give the parent or young person an opportunity to comment.

Do not assume that every recommendation made at the meeting will automatically be included.

Check whether:

all requested needs have been added;
provision has been strengthened;
outcomes have been updated;
professional recommendations are included;
placement is addressed correctly;
vague wording remains.

A separate detailed amended-plan review can be provided where required.

If the Local Authority Proposes to Cease the EHCP

A local authority may decide that an EHCP is no longer necessary.

This may be disputed where:

the child still has special educational needs;
special educational provision remains necessary;
progress depends on the current provision;
the young person remains in education or training;
transition needs remain significant;
ending the plan would place education at risk.

A cease-to-maintain decision may carry a right of appeal. Obtain advice promptly and check the decision date.

Annual Reviews and Phase Transfer

Phase transfer reviews require particular care because the plan will inform the child or young person’s next educational placement.

This may include transition:

from early years to school;
from infant to junior school where relevant;
from primary to secondary school;
from secondary school to post-16 education;
between post-16 settings.

The review should consider:

future needs;
transition support;
environmental requirements;
curriculum access;
staffing;
therapies;
travel;
placement preferences;
whether Section F is suitable for the next setting.

For detailed support, visit our Phase Transfer Support page.

Annual Reviews From Year 9

From Year 9 onwards, the annual review should include preparation for adulthood.

This may cover:

further education;
employment;
independent living;
travel;
community participation;
friendships and relationships;
health management;
communication and self-advocacy.

Preparation-for-adulthood outcomes should be meaningful and supported by specified provision.

Can an Early Annual Review Be Requested?

Parents can ask for an early review where circumstances have changed significantly.

Reasons may include:

a rapid deterioration in attendance;
placement instability;
significant new needs;
a new diagnosis or professional report;
persistent failure to deliver Section F;
increased emotional distress;
exclusion risk;
an urgent transition issue.

The request should explain why waiting for the scheduled review would be inappropriate.

What if the Annual Review Is Late?

Where the review is overdue:

contact the school and local authority in writing;
identify the date of the previous review or final plan;
request confirmation of the meeting date;
retain all correspondence;
explain any urgent concerns;
consider obtaining specialist advice where delay continues.

Where a delayed review affects provision, placement or transition, raise the practical impact clearly.

How Our Support Process Works

1. Book a Free Consultation

Tell us:

the review date;
your principal concerns;
whether a transition is approaching;
whether provision has been delivered;
which documents you hold.

2. Send the Relevant Documents

We may request:

the current EHCP;
previous review report;
recent school evidence;
professional reports;
attendance information;
correspondence;
your proposed amendments.

3. Choose the Level of Support

We recommend either:

Annual Review Preparation; or
Supported Annual Review.

4. Confirm the Scope

You receive a written service schedule confirming:

evidence allowance;
documents included;
consultation;
meeting attendance;
follow-up work;
fee and exclusions.

5. Prepare for the Review

We analyse the plan and evidence and prepare the agreed representations and questions.

6. Complete the Agreed Follow-Up

Where supported casework is selected, we attend the meeting and review the initial outcome.

Who Is This Service For?

Annual Review Support may be suitable where:

the existing EHCP is outdated;
needs have changed;
Section F provision has not been delivered;
outcomes are no longer appropriate;
school progress reports do not reflect the full picture;
attendance or emotional wellbeing has deteriorated;
new professional evidence has been obtained;
the current placement is under pressure;
phase transfer is approaching;
the local authority may propose to cease the plan;
you feel unsure how to request amendments;
previous annual reviews have produced little change.

Why Choose School of Diversity?

Detailed EHCP Review

We consider needs, outcomes, provision and placement together.

Evidence-Led Recommendations

Requested amendments are connected to the available educational, professional and parental evidence.

Parent-Friendly Preparation

You receive clear written representations and practical meeting questions.

Two Levels of Support

Choose preparation-only support or continued assistance through the meeting and initial response.

Transparent Fees

The documents, evidence allowance, meetings and follow-up work are defined before work begins.

Support Across England

Annual review preparation and online meeting support can be delivered remotely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an Annual Review Just a Meeting?

No. It is a statutory review process that includes preparation, reports, a meeting, recommendations and a local-authority decision.

How Often Must an EHCP Be Reviewed?

An EHCP must normally be reviewed at least every 12 months.

Can I Ask for Changes to Section F?

Yes. The annual review should consider whether the provision remains appropriate and whether amendments are required.

Can I Raise Missing Provision?

Yes. Compare what Section F requires with what has actually been delivered and provide specific evidence.

Can the School Amend the EHCP?

The school can make recommendations, but the local authority is responsible for deciding whether and how to amend the plan.

What if I Disagree With the Decision?

Depending on the decision, you may have a right of appeal. Check the decision letter and seek advice promptly.

Can You Attend the Meeting?

Online attendance is included in the Supported Annual Review package.

Does the Supported Package Include a Full Amended-Plan Rewrite?

No. A detailed amended-plan review is a separate service unless expressly included in the written scope.

Can I Upgrade Later?

Where possible, preparation support can be upgraded before the meeting, subject to availability and the case remaining within scope.

Is This Service Available Throughout the UK?

This service concerns the EHCP framework in England. Different statutory systems operate in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Prepare for an Effective Annual Review

Do not wait until the meeting to identify what needs to change.

Send us the current EHCP, review date and principal concerns. We will help you assess the plan, organise the evidence and prepare clear requests for the next stage.

Important Information

School of Diversity provides practical SEND guidance, evidence review, document preparation and parent advocacy support.

We cannot guarantee that the school or local authority will agree with requested amendments, continue the EHCP or name a particular placement.

Unless expressly agreed otherwise, our service does not constitute representation by a solicitor or barrister and is not a substitute for regulated legal advice where this is required.

Parents and young people remain responsible for forwarding correspondence promptly and checking local-authority, mediation and appeal deadlines.