EHCP Annual Review Improvement Project - Frequently Asked Questions

An Annual Review is the statutory process of looking at the impact of an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP). The purpose is to review whether the special educational needs, outcomes and provision specified in the EHCP are still relevant to the child or young person to support them to make continued progress towards their aspirations.

The Annual Review process is an important opportunity to work as a multi-agency team with the child/young person and their family to ensure a holistic, integrative approach is taken to preparing for the future.

The SEND Code of Practice 2015 (paragraph 9.166) states:

• They (EHCPs) must be reviewed by the local authority as a minimum every 12 months.
• Reviews must focus on the child or young person’s progress towards achieving the outcomes specified in the EHC plan.
• The review must also consider whether these outcomes and supporting targets remain appropriate.

Education settings in Bromley manage the Annual Review process on behalf of the Local Authority (LA). This means that they:

• arrange and host the Annual Review meeting
• request current professional advice to contribute towards the review of the child/young person’s EHCP.
• request the views of the child, young person and their family.
• send the Annual Progress Review template to the Local Authority within 2 weeks of the Annual Review meeting.

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014, Section 20 (1) states that:

As part of a review of a child or young person's EHC plan, the local authority must ensure that a meeting to review that EHC plan is held and in the case of a child or young person attending a school referred to in paragraph (12), can require the head teacher or principal of the school to arrange and hold that meeting.

In September of each year, the Local Authority provides SENCos, Headteachers, setting managers are provided with a list of all Annual Reviews, for their students with an EHCP, due throughout the academic year.

The Local Authority is responsible for deciding whether to leave the EHCP unchanged, amend or propose to cease the EHCP. The Local Authority must inform the child/young person, family and education setting of the decision within 4 weeks from the date of the meeting. It must then issue the plan within 8 weeks of informing the family.

Through the Annual Review project, a series of training materials has been developed to support knowledge of key aspects of the process.

• Approach 1 – is for child or young person (CYP) approaching a phase transfer (e.g. primary to secondary or preparing for adulthood) or where significant changes are needed.
• Approach 2 – is for CYP whose provision is stable and appropriate, with no major changes expected (e.g. moving from Year 3 to Year 4 with no concerns).

The type of Annual Review and resulting report is key to the Local Authority’s decision-making process on whether to:

• Maintain the EHCP without any amendments (Annual Progress Review)
• Maintain and amend the EHCP (Transition and Change Review)
• Cease the EHCP

Your EHCP Coordinator will work with you and the school/setting to determine the most suitable approach. Your views are important and will be considered.

Yes. This is clear in the Code of Practice. There is no requirement however that an EHCP be amended every year.

The Local Authority (LA) can request the school to hold a meeting on its behalf to review the EHCP. The school can then gather information, chair and convene the meeting, and prepare a report with recommendations.

However, the LA remains legally responsible for the entire annual review process and for making the final decision on whether to maintain, amend, or cease the EHCP within the statutory timescales.

We know that Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) is a significant part of a young person’s education, and a period of change for them and families too.

The Local Authority is focussing on PfA, and our new Annual Review process lends clarity to this, including outcomes for independence, post-16 education, future employment and achievement, and a sense of self, with the young person having a louder and clearer say in their Plan.

Parent carers and CYP are invited to complete a parental contribution form and the ‘My Life, My Review’ booklet. These are discussed during the review and help shape future outcomes.

Parent carers should think about the way their child or young person wants to join in/contribute to their review meeting. The meeting is about them, so it is important that they are able to share their views in a way that they choose.

There are no plans to move to a digital only system. Forms can be downloaded and shared with families who would prefer a paper copy. You can request copies from your school or EHCP Coordinator.

The Local Authority has a Quality and Assurance Framework which drives continuous service improvement. Through quality checks, plans are rated green, amber or red. Actions are taken to improve any areas flagged as areas for development. Documents have been produced to assist education providers (and all advice givers/ contributors) to ensure contributions given as part of the Annual Review are meaningful to the CYP, adhere to statutory guidelines and support effective and timely completion of the amended Plan (where relevant).

Education settings in Bromley manage the Annual Review process on behalf of the local authority. The Local Authority is responsible for the Annual Review process and will monitor and review the new system.

Parents, carers, and young people can complete their sections however they wish, and this will be returned to the Local Authority (LA) via the SENCO / SEN lead of the school or setting. If not completed electronically, it is expected that this will be scanned and returned to the LA by email.

Going forward, schools and settings will complete the appropriate Annual Review form and return these by email to the LA by email.

Reasonable adjustments can be made to accommodate needs throughout the Annual Review process. These should be discussed with the SENCO / SEN lead, who can raise the matter with the LA.

All schools and settings have a caseworker allocated to them. You can contact the SEN Admin Team at senadmin@bromley.gov.uk or call 020 8313 4739.

A list of EHCP Co-ordinators is also published on the SEND Local Offer website.

You should discuss your child’s needs with the school SENCO in the first instance, who can then raise with the Local Authority the appropriateness of bringing forward the Annual Review, and whether there is agreement for this to happen.

The Local Authority is working, through this new process, to bring as many Plans as possible up to date, with an initial focus on the most vulnerable learners, and those who are going through Transition to a setting (nursery to primary, primary to secondary, secondary into post-16).

This is a focused review when a child is moving between key stages (e.g. Year 6 to Year 7). It ensures the plan reflects future needs.

A new phase of education is defined in regulation 2 of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Regulations (SEND regulations 2024) as a transfer from:

a. Early Years education to school
b. Infant school to junior school
c. Primary school to middle school
d. Primary school to secondary school
e. Middle school to secondary school or
f. Secondary school to a post 16 institute

Yes. The Local Authority is committed to an Annual Review for every EHCP, but recognising that Plans do not require amendment each year, focus is first on the most vulnerable learners, and those who are going through Transition to a setting (nursery to primary, primary to secondary, secondary into post-16).

They will be reviewed under Approach 1 to prepare for their next placement.

• Start with your school SENCo. You can also contact:
• Bromley IASS (Information, Advice and Support Service)
• SEND Local Offer
• SEN Admin Team – senadmin@bromley.gov.uk Tel: 020 8313 4739

Yes. Your EHCP Coordinator or SENCo can help. As part of the Annual Review project, Bromley Council is working to improve clarity and access to support.

Only authorised staff involved in the EHCP process. Data is handled in line with GDPR and Bromley’s privacy policies.

Data Protection and Confidentiality Policy

Education privacy notice - Education privacy notice and GDPR statement

Only what is necessary to support the review and planning process. You can ask for details from your EHCP Coordinator.

You should raise your concerns with the SENCo and EHCP Coordinator in the first instance. Bromley Council will work with the school to address your concerns.

Yes. Bromley Council is working to strengthen connections with external services to improve reporting and outcomes.

Yes. Their EHCP Coordinator remains the main point of contact.

Yes. Schools with Bromley-resident children, and young people will be informed.

We try to offer a mix of daytime and evening in person and online sessions. Daytime events are usually 10am - 2pm to fit around school runs. We recognise that the need to offer evening sessions for working parents.

Bromley is reviewing communication systems to improve access and responsiveness as part of the Communication Charter and is increasing our service capacity.