Young person with EHCP due to move into post-16 education

Phase transfer guidance for a young person with an EHCP

This guidance is for young people and their families who:

• have an education, health and care plan (EHCP)
• are due to move to post-16 education in September 2026

If this applies to you, the process of moving to a new school or college is known as a phase transfer.

Phase transfer timeline

By end of July 2025

Phase transfers will have been discussed at your EHCP annual review meeting in Year 10. 

September 2025

We will write to you and ask you to choose the school or college you would prefer to attend.

November 2025

Please tell us your post-16 preference by 21 November 2025.

As well as telling us your preference, you also need to apply to the school sixth form or college directly through their website. (If you already attend the school you are choosing for sixth form, you don’t need to apply on their website.)

We will then start consulting with the school or college you have told us you would prefer.

If you do not have a preference or the preference would not be appropriate, we will speak with the closest appropriate education provider we have identified for you. 

March 2026

By 31 March, we must tell you which post-16 setting we will be naming and issue you with an amended final EHC plan.

April to August 2026

In a small number of cases, we will name a type of setting but will not be able to name a specific school or college by 31 March. For these young people, we will continue to speak to education settings and will give you regular updates while the right setting is identified.