Transition through education - planning from year 9
Being supported towards gaining greater independence and learning skills towards employment can be life-changing for children and young people with SEND.
Year 9 annual review will be the first of several transition/planning meetings that take place every year with the young person until they leave school in Year 11 or Year 14.
Whether the child or young person has an EHC plan or is on SEN support, all reviews and plans should be centred around their needs, hopes and aspirations for their future.
Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) annual reviews
Year 9 annual review (age 13 to 14)
A young person with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan must have an annual review at Year 9, that focuses on preparing them for adult life across four key pathways:
- Employment - preparing for further/higher education and/or employment
- Independence - gaining skills for independent living
- Staying healthy - maintaining good health in adult life
- Community inclusion - participating in society, developing and maintaining friendships and relationships
Person centred planning
It’s vital that the needs, hopes, aspirations and wishes for the future of children and young people are at the centre of all of these discussions.
Having their voice heard and wishes known is essential in the planning process. Discussions about developing their independence, making friends and feeling positive about being in their local community should all be at the centre of planning to enable support to meet their current and future needs.
Our my life my review workbook (PDF - 377.21 KB) will help to capture the child or young person’s feelings and aspirations.
Discussions at the SEN Support or Annual Review meeting should result in a transition plan that records clear objectives, the provision needed and clear outcomes.
Throughout the transition to adulthood process young people will have their needs assessed and plans will be updated to help ensure that their needs as adults are identified, and services put into place. EHC plans are reviewed annually, or when required, to reflect their changing needs as they grow older.
Year 10 to 11 (age 14 to 15)
At the end of year 11, some children with SEND will need extra help to help them successfully take the GCSE exams that will help them to go on to further education. Some may need extra time, a computer or a smaller/ individual room where they have fewer distractions.
If you are concerned talk to the SENCO or examinations officer at school as soon as possible about access arrangements.
Remember to raise any concerns you have at the annual review of the EHC plan.
Year 11 (age 15 to 16)
Year 11 is the last year of compulsory schooling.
If your child or young person wants to apply for a school 6th form or college place, check websites for open evenings/days. You can use the search facility on www.ucasprogress.com to find courses and apply online. The deadline for applications for sixth form and college courses is 31 January.
Remember to check the grades that are needed to access sixth forms. The entry requirements for students with EHC plans, where it is expected that they will cope with the course and it meets their needs can be more flexible.
If your child is moving to college after Year 11, their course may not cover five full days, so it is important to think about what other provision may be available to support young people. If a young person has an EHC Plan, their allocated EHCP coordinator can provide support for this.
Our post 16 education and training page gives more information about the range of education, training and pathway to employment options available to young people.
Decisions about EHC plans
When a young person reaches the end of compulsory school age (defined as the last Friday in June of the school year in which they turn 16), some rights related to EHC plans transfer from the parents to the young person.
These are: the right to ask for an EHC needs assessment, the right to make representations about the content of their EHC plan, the right to ask that a particular education setting is named in their plan, the right to request a personal budget, and the right of appeal to the SEND tribunal.
If you think your young person lacks mental capacity to make these decisions, you should alert the local authority and inform them that you want to act as your child’s representative. When making decisions on behalf of your young person, you must comply with the Mental Capacity Act.
Post 16 education and training
Need more help?
Contact the Information, Advice and Support Service for free, impartial information, advice and support for parents and carers of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Support is also offered to children and young people with SEND. They can also help provide information in a non-web format.
Useful resources
You can request the Preparing for Adulthood Pathways, reference guide for young people aged 14 to 25 years using our local offer feedback form to make your request.
Learn more from the council for disabled childrens Year 9 annual review guide and their key topics to cover at annual reviews from Year 9 guide.
See also the final annual review guide.