SEND and School Transitions: Moving Schools Without Losing Provision

Changing schools is one of the biggest transitions a child faces. For children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), it can also mean anxiety about whether their support will continue, whether the new teachers will understand their needs, and whether months of careful planning will be undone by a single administrative gap.

The good news is that the law is clear. An EHCP belongs to the child, not the school. That means it travels with them. The bad news is that the system does not always make this easy. Schools change. Local authorities change. Staff turnover, budget pressures, and plain poor communication can all mean that provision slips through the cracks.

This guide covers every type of school transition you are likely to face:

• Primary to secondary
• Moving to a new local authority
• Mid-year moves
• Transition to post-16 education

For each one, we explain what the law says, what the school and LA must do, and what you can do to keep your child's support in place. The tone is plain English, not legal jargon. You have enough to worry about already.

The jump from primary to secondary is the most common transition families face. It is also the one where provision is most at risk, because the support systems in a large secondary school are very different from the close relationships of a primary classroom.

Start planning in Year 5

Do not wait until Year 6. By the start of Year 5, you should be thinking about transition. That means:

• Reading your child's EHCP carefully. Is it up to date?
• Checking whether the outcomes in Section E are still relevant for a secondary setting
• Asking whether the provision in Section F specifies what the child needs, not just what the current primary school happens to deliver
• Thinking about whether the named school in Section I is still appropriate

If the plan is more than a year old, request an early annual review in Year 5. You do not have to wait for the normal review date. Regulation 24 of the SEND Regulations 2014 allows an early review if circumstances have changed — and preparing for transition is a clear change.

The Year 6 annual review is a "transition review"

The law says that the annual review held in Year 6 must focus on the move to secondary school. This is not optional. The review must consider:

• The secondary school that will be named in the plan
• Any changes to the child's needs, provision, or outcomes for the new setting
• Health and social care provision that may need to transfer or be renegotiated

You should receive the review paperwork at least two weeks before the meeting. Read it. If the proposed amendments do not reflect what your child needs in secondary school, say so in writing before the meeting and again during it.

Visiting potential schools

When you visit a possible secondary school, look beyond the marketing:

• Ask to meet the SENCO — not just on open day, but on a normal school day
• Ask how many children with EHCPs the school currently supports
• Ask to see the learning support base or nurture group, if there is one
• Ask how therapy hours (speech and language, occupational therapy) are delivered — in-school, or do pupils miss lessons to travel to appointments?
• Ask about transition days and whether your child can have extra visits
• Ask how the school communicates with parents of children with SEND

Take notes. If a school is reluctant to answer, that tells you something important.

Can you request a specific school in Section I?

Yes. Parents have the right to express a preference for any:

• Maintained school (community, foundation, voluntary)
• Academy or free school
• Independent special school (with certain conditions)

The LA must name your preferred school unless one of three conditions applies:

• The school is unsuitable for the child's age, ability, or SEND
• The child's attendance would be incompatible with the efficient education of other children
• The placement would be an inefficient use of public resources (this is rare and the threshold is high)

If the LA refuses your preference, they must tell you why in writing and name the school they have chosen instead. You can appeal this to the SEND Tribunal.

What information must transfer

The old school must transfer your child's educational records to the new school. This includes:

• The full EHCP
• Any SEN Support plans, Individual Education Plans, or provision maps
• Assessment records and teacher observations
• Exam access arrangements and medical records held by the school

The new school should receive this before your child starts. Do not assume it has happened. Ask both schools to confirm in writing.

Common problems and how to avoid them

• The new SENCO has not read the plan. Email them a copy yourself and ask for a meeting before term starts.
• Provision is described too vaguely. "Access to a quiet space" is not enforceable. "A weekly 45-minute session with the school's learning mentor in the designated nurture room, recorded in the pastoral log" is.
• Therapy stops because the new LA arranges it differently.Check who is responsible for each therapy in the plan and contact them directly.
• Your child is placed in the wrong teaching group.Make sure the new school knows about any specific learning difficulties and has put support in place for core subjects from day one.

Families move. Jobs change, housing needs shift, relatives need support. When a child with an EHCP moves to a new local authority, the plan does not start again. It does not expire. It does not go back to the beginning of the process. The new LA must maintain it.

The notification process

When a child with an EHCP moves to a new LA area, the old LA must tell the new LA. This is called a "young person has moved" notification. It should happen promptly. In practice, it sometimes does not.

Do not wait for the councils to sort it out. As soon as you know you are moving:

• Tell the old LA's SEND team in writing, with your new address and intended move date
• Tell the new LA's SEND team in writing, enclosing a copy of the EHCP
• Tell both schools — the old one and the new one
• Keep copies of every email and letter

The new LA must review within 6 weeks

Regulation 16 of the SEND Regulations 2014 says the new LA must review the EHCP within six weeks of the child becoming their responsibility. This review is not optional. It must consider:

• Whether the plan still accurately describes the child's needs
• Whether the provision is still appropriate and can be delivered in the new area
• Whether the named school in Section I is still suitable
• Whether health and social care provision needs updating

The new LA cannot use this review to strip provision out of the plan. If the old LA was delivering 20 hours of learning support per week, the new LA must arrange equivalent provision. "We do things differently here" is not a lawful reason to reduce support.

What if the new LA wants to change the plan?

If the new LA wants to amend the plan, they must follow the same process as any other amendment: propose changes, consult you, give you at least 15 days to respond, and issue a final amended plan. You can appeal any amendment you disagree with to the SEND Tribunal.

If the new LA wants to cease the plan altogether, they must show that the child no longer has special educational needs, or that the provision can be delivered from within the school's normal resources without an EHCP. This is a high bar. Do not accept a cessation decision without challenging it.

Continuity of therapy and support services

This is where most families struggle. An EHCP can name speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, or physiotherapy in Section F. But the actual delivery is often arranged by the local NHS clinical commissioning group or trust — and those boundaries do not match LA boundaries.

When you move:

• Contact the therapy teams in the new area before you move. Ask how to transfer your child's care
• Ask your current GP to make a referral to the new GP, and ask the new GP to refer to the relevant paediatric and therapy services
• Keep copies of all diagnostic reports and assessment letters. You may need to show these to new professionals
• If therapy stops, write to the new LA and copy in the NHS trust. The LA remains legally responsible for ensuring the provision in the plan is delivered

Health and social care across boundaries

Sections C and D of the EHCP cover health and social care provision. These sections are not appealable to the SEND Tribunal in the same way as education sections, but the duty to deliver them still exists. When you move:

• Ask the old LA for a list of all health and social care services currently involved
• Contact each service directly and ask for their transfer process
• Ask for a "handover" meeting or call between the old and new professionals if possible
• If a service does not exist in the new area, the new LA must arrange an equivalent alternative

Moving in the middle of a school year is harder than moving at the natural transition points. There is less time to plan, the new school may not have a place ready, and both old and new staff may be busy with their own term-time pressures.

The old school's responsibilities

Until the day your child leaves, the old school remains responsible for:

• Delivering every hour of provision in the EHCP
• Passing all records to the new school, including the EHCP, SEN Support plans, and any assessment data
• Telling the LA that the child has left and where they have gone

Ask the old SENCO to confirm in writing that records have been transferred. Keep a copy of that confirmation.

The new school's responsibilities

From the day your child arrives, the new school must:

• Read the EHCP and begin delivering the provision it contains
• Identify a named person responsible for coordinating your child's support
• Arrange any reasonable adjustments needed for the new environment
• Contact you within the first two weeks to discuss how provision is being implemented

Contact the SENCO before the move

As soon as you know which school your child will attend, email the SENCO. Introduce your child, attach the EHCP, and ask for a meeting — by video call if necessary. Ask:

• Who will be your child's key worker or named contact?
• How will the provision in Section F be delivered from day one?
• Are there any gaps — for example, if the new school does not have the same therapy arrangement as the old one?
• Can your child visit before their first day, and can they have a phased start if needed?

What to do if there is a gap in provision

Gaps happen. A therapist is off sick. A teaching assistant post is vacant. The new LA has not yet processed the transfer. If your child is missing provision that the EHCP says they must have, act fast:

• Write to the school and the LA on the first day the provision is missed. Keep it factual: "My child is entitled to X hours of Y provision under their EHCP. It has not been provided since Z date."
• Ask for a date by which the provision will restart. Set a deadline.
• If the gap continues for more than two weeks, request an emergency review of the EHCP under Regulation 24
• If the LA will not act, contact your local SENDIASS for advice on escalation

EHCPs do not end at 16. They can continue until a young person turns 25, as long as they remain in education or training. The move from school to college or sixth form is a legally recognised transition point — and it requires the same careful planning as any other.

The Year 11 review is a transition review

Just as the Year 6 review focuses on secondary transition, the Year 11 annual review must focus on post-16 options. The review must:

• Explore what the young person wants to do next
• Consider all relevant options: sixth form, college, apprenticeship, supported internship, or specialist post-16 provision
• Review whether the outcomes and provision in the EHCP are still appropriate for an adult learning environment
• Invite representatives from the post-16 settings being considered

The young person must be invited to the review and their views must be sought. From Year 9 onwards, the EHCP should increasingly reflect the young person's own aspirations, not just what adults think is best.

Choosing a college or sixth form

Not every college is equipped to deliver the provision in an EHCP. When you visit:

• Ask to meet the SEND team, not just the admissions staff
• Ask how many students with EHCPs the college supports and what their success rate is
• Ask about the learning support available in each subject area
• Ask how therapy and health provision is coordinated — colleges often do not have the same in-school therapy arrangements as schools
• Ask about pastoral support, mental health services, and transition programmes
• Ask about work experience, supported internships, and progression routes

Health and social care changes post-16

After 16, some health services transfer from paediatric to adult services. This is called transition to adult services, and it is separate from the school-to-college transition. But the two overlap, and poor coordination is common.

• Ask the old school's SENCO and the paediatric team for a written handover plan
• Ask the college whether they have links with local adult therapy services
• If social care is involved, ask for a review of the care plan as part of the EHCP review

Training and apprenticeship options

EHCPs cover education and training, not just formal qualifications. Apprenticeships, traineeships, and supported internships can all be named in Section I if they meet the young person's needs. The provider does not have to be a school or college — it can be an employer working with a training provider.

If the young person wants to work, the EHCP should still specify the support they need to access that opportunity. A supported internship, for example, combines work experience with study and can be an excellent bridge to employment.

Preparing for greater independence

Post-16 is often the first time a young person with SEND travels independently, manages their own timetable, or navigates a large campus. The EHCP can include preparation for independence in its outcomes:

• Travel training
• Money management and budgeting
• Self-advocacy and communication skills
• Organisational strategies and time management

These are not soft skills. They are essential outcomes that help the young person make the most of their education and move towards adult life with confidence.

A gap in provision during a school move is not a minor inconvenience. For a child who relies on speech therapy to communicate, or a teaching assistant to access the curriculum, a week without support is a week of lost progress and increased anxiety.

Who to contact first

Start with the people closest to the problem:

• The new SENCO. Email them with a clear list of what is missing and what the EHCP says must be delivered
• The new LA case officer. Copy them in. They are legally responsible for ensuring the plan is implemented
• The old SENCO or LA. If the gap is because records were not transferred, the old side may still be able to help
• Your local SENDIASS or parent partnership. They can advise on your rights and sometimes contact the LA on your behalf

How to escalate

If polite requests do not work, escalate step by step:

1. Formal complaint to the LA. Use their complaints procedure. Set out what has happened, what the law says, and what you want them to do. Give a deadline.
2. Request mediation. A mediator can bring both sides together and often resolves disputes faster than formal routes. Mediation is free.
3. SEND Tribunal. If the LA refuses to maintain the plan, refuses to amend it, or fails to deliver provision for a sustained period, you can appeal. You do not need a solicitor.
4. Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. If the complaint is about maladministration — lost paperwork, delays, failure to follow procedure — this is the right route.

Keeping records

Evidence wins disputes. Keep a simple log of every missed provision:

• Date and time
• What provision was missed
• Who you contacted
• What they said
• What happened next

This log becomes powerful evidence if you need to complain, mediate, or appeal.

Interim provision

While the plan is being reviewed or transferred, you can ask for interim provision. This means temporary support to bridge the gap. There is no formal legal definition of interim provision, but courts have accepted that LAs must act reasonably to avoid harm to the child. If the LA will not provide interim support, ask them to confirm this in writing and explain their reasoning.

Every transition is different, but these timelines are a useful starting point. The earlier you act, the more options you have.

Primary to secondary

• 12 months before: Review the EHCP. Request an early review if needed. Visit potential schools. Start talking to your child about the move.
• 6 months before: Narrow your school choices. Request second visits. Meet the SENCO at your preferred school. Begin any assessments needed to support your preference.
• By February of Year 6: The Year 6 annual review (transition review) should take place. Agree amendments.
• Summer term: Confirm the named school in the amended plan. Arrange transition visits. Share information with the new SENCO.
• Before September: Confirm provision is in place for day one. Attend any summer transition programmes offered.

Moving to a new local authority

• As soon as you know: Tell both LAs in writing. Contact therapy and health services in the new area. Ask about transfer processes.
• Within 2 weeks of moving: Confirm the new LA has received your child's file. Ask for confirmation of the 6-week review date.
• Within 6 weeks: The new LA must have reviewed the plan. Attend the review meeting. Challenge any proposed reductions.

Post-16 transition

• 18 months before: Start visiting colleges and sixth forms. Talk to the young person about their interests and aspirations.
• 12 months before: Request the Year 11 review to focus on post-16 options. Invite college representatives.
• By March of Year 11: Amend the EHCP to name the post-16 setting and update provision for the new environment.
• Summer term: Confirm health and social care transition plans. Arrange any supported internship or work experience placements.

Emergency moves

If you have to move at short notice:

• Contact both LAs immediately, even if you do not yet have a new address
• Ask the old school to transfer records electronically if possible
• Contact the new LA's SEND team to ask for emergency placement support
• Request an emergency EHCP review under Regulation 24 if provision is not in place within two weeks
• Contact your local SENDIASS for urgent advice

Quick-reference checklist

Print this and tick off each item as you go: