Transitions for children and young people with an EHCP

Children and young people with EHCPs have a separate school admissions process for moving to a new school or education setting. This process is known as a phase transfer and includes the following steps.

1. Phase transfers are discussed at your child or young person’s EHCP annual review meeting. This will happen in the year before they are due to transfer to a new education setting.
2. We will speak with your preferred school, and other schools in your area, to find out whether they will be able to meet your child’s needs.
3. By 15 February, we must tell you which school or type of school we will be naming and issue you with an amended final EHC plan. Your child will then transfer to their new education setting in September.
4. If your young person is moving to a post-16 setting, we must tell you which setting we will be naming and issue an amended final EHC plan by 31 March. Your young person will then transfer to their new setting in September.

In some cases, we will name a type of school or setting, but will not be able to name a specific school or post-16 setting by 15 February or 31 March.

If this happens, we will continue to speak to education settings and will give you regular updates while we find the right setting for your child or young person.