An Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is reviewed at least once a year. This is important because:
An EHCP review meeting will be arranged by the school or setting. They will ask for information from you and other professionals. The review normally happens at the school or setting. However, a suitable location will be found if the child or young person is not in education.
During an EHCP review, you can also share your preference for a school and request a Personal Budget.
Short term goals and progress can be discussed at your termly SEN support meetings.
In most cases, no changes will be needed and the EHCP will be maintained.
Changes to the plan that are made in the Annual Review meeting are proposed changes, it is the Local Authority's decision whether to agree those changes based on advices and information received.
When does an EHCP review happen?
This will happen at least once every year.
For children aged 0 to 5, we recommend having a review every 3 to 6 months.
Parents, carers, young people, schools and settings can request an early or emergency review meeting. This could be because significant changes have occurred. An early review is very rare and must be agreed with Newcastle City Council.
As an EHCP is a legal document, how and when it is reviewed must follow a statutory process. You can read about this process in the SEND code of practice.
What if the child or young person is moving to a new school or setting?
An EHCP review is particularly important when changing schools or settings. There should be enough time for:
To allow us to do this, below are the dates we recommend you complete your age phase review by.
Age phase means when moving from one phase of education to another. For example primary to secondary school.
Action when moving to a different school
Schools and settings are responsible for age phase reviews. However, both Newcastle City Council and the school or setting are responsible for finalising the EHCP that names the transitioning school or setting.
If you are worried about meeting these deadlines, please let your SEND Caseworker know as soon as possible or email sencaseworkers@newcastle.gov.uk
What happens during an EHCP review?
An EHCP annual review will usually take around 12 weeks.
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Timeframe |
Outcome |
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Throughout the year |
Information is gathered throughout the year. This forms part of the asses, plan do review cycle. |
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At the start of the academic year |
Newcastle City Council shares a list of upcoming review meetings with schools and settings. Reminders are also sent each term |
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In advance of the Annual Review meeting (at least 10 weeks) |
School or setting asks for updated information from the following people:
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At least 2 weeks before the Annual Review meeting |
The meeting organiser (usually the school or setting) invites and reports to the following people:
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Annual Review meeting takes place |
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Within 2 weeks of the meeting |
The meeting organiser completes the annual review report. This report is shared with Newcastle city Council along with the annotated EHCP and any supporting documents or reports. |
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Within 4 weeks |
Newcastle City Council tells parents, child or young person and educational setting our decision. This could be either:
We will write to you to explain our decision. We will also send you a copy of this decision letter. If you are unhappy with a decision, you can contact us to address your concerns or appeal. |
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A final amended EHC Plan must be issued within 8 weeks from the date of the amendment notice. |
The assess, plan, do, review cycle starts again |
From year 9, reviews must include a focus on getting ready for their next steps. Learn more about what topics might be discussed at an EHCP review from year 9.
What changes might be made to an EHCP?
An EHCP will always be updated if new outcomes or support is needed. If only small changes are suggested, we may decide not to update it.
Click on the boxes below for examples of when changes to an EHCP might be needed.
Supporting evidence is required before changes can be made to this section of plan.
Outcomes should last around 2 to 3 years. However, they still need to be reviewed. They could be changed because the following reasons:
Short-term targets will also be reviewed as part of the child or young person’s SEN support plan. These will not be added to the Final EHCP. Short-term goals should feed into longer term goals.
For children under two, it is any form of educational provision
For children over two, it is education or training or anything that is different, or additional to that is normally available in a mainstream setting.
Anything included here requires agreement by the LA from the Intergraded Care Board (ICB). Any health provision, such as Speech and Language Therapy, that educates or trains must be included in Section F.
If changing schools, there may be discussions about how suitable a school, setting or placement is.
You or your child may want to ask for a different school or type of school. You may think that it will better meet their needs. These views can be shared at the meeting.
Newcastle City Council will make the final decision for the school, setting or placement.
If you have a Personal Budget, this should be reviewed particularly if provision has been changed. You can also request a Personal Budget at the meeting if you would like one.
Things to consider if no progress is made towards an outcome:
Getting ready for next steps
Reviews are a great opportunity to think about independence and adulthood. In Newcastle, we call this 'Getting ready for next steps'. You may also hear this called 'Preparing for Adulthood'. The four areas are:
Take a look at PFA outcomes for your child for suggestions about what to focus on. There are examples for children and young people of all ages.
Some young people may be interested in attending a post-16 setting. A representative from this setting can be invited to the EHCP review meeting.
Some young people may move from children's to adult care and health services. This should be planned for at reviews as well.