Contents
- What if you are worried that your child is having difficulties?
- What are Special Educational Needs (SEN)?
- Assessments and Statements
- Making a Statutory Assessment of your child's needs
- The Statement of Special Educational Needs
- How long does a Statement last
- What does Delegated Funding mean for your child?
- The Annual Review of your child's Statement of Special Educational Needs
- Changes to your child's Statement of Special Educational Needs
- Preparing for choices after 16
- Transport for children with Special Educational Need
- Parent Partnership Service
- Resolving disputes and your right to appeal
- Solihull Special Schools and Additionally Resourced Centres (ARCs)
Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Assessments and Statements
Information about Special Educational Needs
What is a Statutory Assessment?
It is a detailed investigation to find out exactly what your child's special educational needs are and what special help your child needs. A Statutory Assessment is only necessary if the school or setting cannot provide all of the help your child needs.
Many children, at some time, will have special educational needs of some kind. The law says that all state schools must do their best to see that special help is provided for all children with SEN. Mainstream schools can meet most children's needs, sometimes with the help of outside specialists. In a few cases, the Local Authority will have to make an assessment of a child's need, based on specialist advice. If the LA then decides that the child needs special help, they must write a Statement of Special Educational Needs - usually called 'a Statement'. This describes all the child's needs and all the special help that he or she requires. The child's mainstream school and the LA can usually provide this help.
Your child's school or setting can ask the LA to carry out a Statutory Assessment. They should always talk to you before asking the LA.
Or
If you feel that your child's school or setting cannot provide all the extra help that your child needs, or are not making enough progress and so is falling further behind other children of the same age, you can ask the LA to carry out a Statutory Assessment.
You should always talk to your child's teacher or SENCO before asking the LA. You can always ask them to help you write to the LA, or you can ask the local Parent Partnership Service for help.
When you, the setting or school ask the LA to carry out a Statutory Assessment, the LA has six weeks to decide whether to do so. They will consider very carefully your child's progress and the guidance in the SEN Code of Practice. They will also listen to your views and the views of your child's school about your child's special educational needs. The school or setting will tell the LA about any special help that they have already given your child.
Parental Request for Statutory Assessment