If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), the annual review is the most important meeting of the school year. It is your statutory opportunity to ensure the plan still accurately describes your child's needs, that the provision being delivered is the right provision, and that the outcomes your child is working towards are ambitious and meaningful. Understanding the process — and preparing properly — puts you in the strongest possible position to advocate for your child. This guide explains every step, from the legal framework to the practical things you can do before you walk into the room.

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EHCP Annual Reviews at a Glance

Every EHCP must be formally reviewed by the Local Authority at least once every 12 months (every 3–6 months for children under 5). The legal duty is the LA's, but schools usually host and administer the review on their behalf. The process is governed by the Children and Families Act 2014 and SEND Code of Practice (Sections 9.166–9.185). Following the review meeting, the LA must issue its decision within 4 weeks. The entire review cycle — from meeting to final LA decision — must be completed within the 12-month window.

What Is an EHCP Annual Review and Why Does It Matter?

An EHCP is a legal document, and like any legal document it needs to reflect current reality. Children's needs change — sometimes they make progress and need new, more ambitious targets; sometimes new needs emerge that the plan does not yet capture; sometimes the provision being described is no longer being delivered as written, or is simply no longer appropriate. The annual review is the mechanism the law provides to keep the plan accurate and effective.

The review considers:

  • Progress made towards the outcomes in Section E of the EHCP
  • Whether the special educational provision in Section F is still appropriate and being delivered
  • Whether the school or setting named in Section I remains suitable
  • Whether the needs described in Section B still accurately reflect your child's current profile
  • From Year 9 onwards: Preparing for Adulthood planning across employment, independent living, community participation and health

The review is not a formality. It is a legal process with binding timelines, and its outcome can result in the plan being maintained, amended or — in some circumstances — ceased. Understanding what each of those outcomes means for your child is essential.

The Statutory Timeline: Step by Step

The annual review follows a prescribed sequence. Knowing the timeline helps you spot if things are running late — and late running is common, even though it constitutes a breach of the SEND Regulations.

Step Who is responsible Deadline
1. Gather written reports and views from parents, pupil, teachers, professionals School / SENCO Before the meeting
2. Circulate all reports and invite attendees School / SENCO At least 2 weeks before the meeting
3. Annual review meeting held at school School (hosted), with LA, parents, pupil, professionals Within 12 months of previous review
4. School sends meeting report (inc. all advice) to LA and all invitees School / SENCO Within 2 weeks of the meeting
5. LA issues decision: maintain, amend or cease the plan Local Authority Within 4 weeks of the meeting
6. Draft amended plan issued (if amending) with Amendment Notice Local Authority Promptly after the decision
7. Parents respond to draft — comment, request changes, name a school Parents / young person At least 15 days to respond
8. Final amended EHCP issued Local Authority Promptly — total cycle must fit within 12 months
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Section F Must Be Specific — and You Can Push for This

Case law in the SEND Tribunal has consistently established that provision in Section F of the EHCP must be specific, quantified and clear. It is not lawful for Section F to say things like "access to support as appropriate" or "small group help when needed". The provision must state exact amounts: for example, "15 hours per week of 1:1 teaching assistant support" or "30 minutes per week of individual speech and language therapy delivered by a qualified SALT." If your current plan contains vague language, the annual review is your opportunity to push for specificity. The more precise Section F is, the easier it is to hold the school to account for delivering it.

How to Prepare: Before the Meeting

The families who get the best outcomes from annual reviews are almost always those who prepare thoroughly in advance. Here is what to do in the weeks before your review meeting.

1. Read Your Child's Current EHCP Section by Section

Pull out your copy of the current plan and read it carefully — not just the sections you remember from last year. Focus on:

  • Section B (Special Educational Needs): Does this still accurately describe your child's needs? Have new needs emerged that are not mentioned? Have any needs reduced? Section B is the foundation for everything else — if it is out of date, the rest of the plan may not reflect reality.
  • Section E (Outcomes): Have the outcomes been met? Were they achievable in the timeframe? Do they need to be updated to reflect where your child is now and where you want them to be? Outcomes should be ambitious but realistic, and tied to a specific timeframe.
  • Section F (Special Educational Provision): Is the school actually delivering exactly what Section F says? If the plan says 10 hours of 1:1 support but your child has been receiving 6, that is a problem to raise. Is the provision still the right provision, or does your child need something different?
  • Section I (Educational Placement): Is the school or setting still the right place? Is your child thriving, managing, or struggling significantly?

2. Gather Your Own Evidence

Your observations as a parent are evidence. Keep a brief log in the weeks before the review of how your child is doing — at home, during homework, in terms of sleep, anxiety, social interactions. If you have any independent reports (from a private speech and language therapist, paediatrician, occupational therapist, CAMHS, or any other professional), include copies. Schools and LAs cannot dismiss properly evidenced parental views.

3. Write Your Parent / Carer Views in Advance

The school will ask you to submit written views before the meeting. Do not leave this blank or write a single line. Your written views are a formal part of the review record and will be sent to the LA. Structure them clearly:

  • What has gone well this year
  • Your current concerns — be specific and evidence-based, not general
  • Any regression, new difficulties or new diagnoses since the last review
  • What you want to happen differently in the coming year
  • Your aspirations for your child — short and longer term
  • Any specific changes you are requesting to Sections B, E or F
A parent sitting at a kitchen table writing notes in a notebook, surrounded by school documents and a laptop AI-generated image
Writing detailed parent views in advance of the annual review meeting is one of the most powerful things you can do. Your written views form a formal part of the review record and must be considered by the Local Authority.

4. Help Your Child Contribute Their Views

Children and young people have a right to participate in their annual review in a way that is appropriate to their age, understanding and communication needs. Many schools use structured tools — a "One Page Profile", a "What I Like / What I Find Hard" template, or a short video message — to capture the pupil's voice. Help your child think about what they want to say about their school, what helps them, what they find difficult and what they want to do in the future. Even if your child cannot attend the meeting itself, their views must be gathered and represented.

5. Know What You Want to Ask For

Go into the meeting with a clear list of any specific changes you want made to the plan. Do not go in hoping things will naturally come up. If you want Section F to specify a higher number of hours of support, say so — and bring evidence for why. If you want a different school named in Section I, say so and explain your reasoning. If you want an outcome added or updated, say so in writing beforehand.

At the Meeting

The annual review meeting will typically be attended by you, your child's SENCO, relevant class or subject teachers, and any professionals who have submitted reports. The LA does not always send a representative but must be invited.

Key points for the meeting:

  • You are entitled to receive all reports at least 2 weeks in advance — if you have not received them, you are entitled to postpone the meeting
  • You can bring a supporter or advocate with you — a friend, a family member, or a professional adviser from your local SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service)
  • Take notes or ask for a copy of the school's notes at the end — you are entitled to a copy of the meeting report, which the school must send to the LA within 2 weeks
  • If you disagree with something said in the meeting, say so clearly and ask for your disagreement to be recorded in the notes
A group of parents, teachers and a SENCO sitting around a table in a school meeting room reviewing documents together AI-generated image
Annual review meetings typically involve the SENCO, relevant teachers, parents or carers, and the young person (where appropriate). The Local Authority must be invited but does not always send a representative. Parents are entitled to bring a supporter or advocate.

After the Meeting: The LA Decision

Within 4 weeks of the annual review meeting, the Local Authority must write to you with one of three decisions:

  • Maintain the plan as it is — no changes will be made to the current EHCP
  • Amend the plan — the LA will issue a draft amended plan with an Amendment Notice showing all changes (additions in bold, deletions in strikethrough). You will have at least 15 days to comment on the draft and express a school preference before the final amended plan is issued.
  • Cease the plan — the LA proposes to stop maintaining the EHCP. This can only happen in specific circumstances: if the child no longer needs the level of support an EHCP provides, if they no longer attend school in England, or if they have completed a post-16 course without needing to move to another. The LA must give you written notice and you have the right to appeal.

The Year 9 Review: Preparing for Adulthood

From Year 9 onwards (age 13–14), every annual review must also include formal planning for Preparing for Adulthood (PfA). This is a statutory requirement under the SEND Code of Practice. The four PfA pathways that must be discussed are:

  • Higher education and/or employment — career interests, vocational profiles, work experience, supported internships
  • Independent living — housing options, life skills, choice and control
  • Participating in society — friendships, relationships, community involvement
  • Being as healthy as possible — managing health in adult life, transition from children's to adult health services

The Year 9 review is also when schools have a legal duty to provide independent careers guidance tailored to pupils with SEND. From Year 10 and 11, the focus shifts to identifying post-16 options — FE college, sixth form, specialist provision, supported internships. If your child is moving to a new setting post-16, the LA must issue a final amended EHCP naming the new placement by 31 March of the year of transition.

If You Disagree: Your Rights

If the LA decides to maintain the plan without the amendments you wanted, or issues a final amended EHCP that you disagree with, you have the right to challenge this. Your options are:

  • Mediation: Before appealing to the Tribunal, you must consider mediation (you can decline it, but you need a mediation certificate to appeal). Mediation is free to you and is arranged by the LA.
  • SEND Tribunal (First-tier Tribunal): You can appeal to the SEND Tribunal on decisions relating to Sections B, F and I of the EHCP. The Tribunal is independent of the LA and the school and has the power to order changes to the plan. You have 2 months from the date of the LA's decision letter (or 1 month from the mediation certificate, whichever is later) to lodge an appeal.
  • Complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman: If the LA has breached its statutory duties (for example, failed to issue a decision within 4 weeks), you can complain to the Ombudsman after the LA's own complaints process has been exhausted.

Where to Get Help and Independent Advice

  • IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice) — free, legally-based independent advice on EHCPs and SEND law
  • SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service) — every local authority must fund an impartial SENDIASS service; find yours via your council's website or the SEND support guide
  • SOS!SEN — national helpline for parents navigating the SEND system

Frequently Asked Questions

How often must an EHCP be reviewed?

Every EHCP must be formally reviewed by the Local Authority at least once every 12 months. For children under 5, the review must take place every 3 to 6 months. The entire review cycle — from the meeting to the LA's final decision — must be completed within the 12-month window. A common mistake is to confuse the meeting date with the review completion date; the LA's decision and any final amended plan must also be issued within the same 12-month period.

What happens at an EHCP annual review meeting?

The meeting reviews your child's progress towards their EHCP outcomes (Section E), whether the special educational provision (Section F) is still appropriate and being delivered, and whether the school or setting remains suitable. Attendees typically include you, the SENCO, relevant teachers and any professionals who have submitted reports. The LA must be invited but does not always attend. You are entitled to receive all reports and written advice at least 2 weeks before the meeting.

What should I do if I haven't received the reports 2 weeks before the meeting?

You are legally entitled to receive all written advice and reports gathered for the annual review at least 2 weeks before the meeting. If you have not received these, you are entitled to postpone the meeting. Contact the SENCO in writing (email is fine) to request postponement and state the reason. The 2-week advance notice requirement is a statutory obligation on the school, not a courtesy.

Can I request changes to my child's EHCP at the annual review?

Yes — and you should do so in writing in advance of the meeting. Submit your written parent views setting out any specific changes you want made to Sections B, E or F. The school must include your views in the meeting report sent to the LA. The LA must then consider them in deciding whether to amend the plan. If the LA declines to make changes you feel are necessary, you have the right to appeal to the SEND Tribunal (for decisions on Sections B, F and I).

What does it mean if the LA decides to "cease" the EHCP?

If the LA proposes to cease (stop maintaining) an EHCP, it means they no longer consider the level of need to warrant an EHCP. This can only legally happen in specific circumstances — for example, if the child's needs can be met through SEN support without a plan, or if they have completed their education. The LA must give written notice, explain its reasons and inform you of your right to appeal to the SEND Tribunal. You have 2 months from the decision letter to lodge an appeal (or 1 month from a mediation certificate). Do not accept a ceasing proposal without seeking independent advice from IPSEA or SENDIASS first.

What is the Year 9 annual review and why is it different?

From Year 9 (age 13–14), the annual review must include statutory planning for Preparing for Adulthood (PfA). The four PfA pathways — higher education and/or employment, independent living, participating in society, and being as healthy as possible — must be discussed and reflected in updated EHCP outcomes. This is also when schools have a legal duty to provide independent careers guidance tailored to the pupil's SEND needs. From Year 10–11, reviews focus on identifying post-16 destinations. If transitioning to a new setting post-16, the LA must name it in a final amended EHCP by 31 March of the transition year.