Please could someone advise?
My DD passed second stage and was given extra time due to her special needs
She receives higher rate DLA for care and mobility and she is a blue badge holder
She currently attends an independent school but her preferred school is nonsuch. She has always had a care plan in place at her current school but because it's independent ive never approached the local authority for anything although they do see her regularly for Physio.

Am I too late to apply for an EHCP because I read it takes 20 weeks whilst the CAF is asking if she has one and deadline is 31st. Also how do you get the EHCP to mention the school?

Good morning forum
Any advice would be gratefully received
I'm new to the whole 11+

Might become useful if Appeal is needed.

It's never too late to apply!

If you have an ECHP you are entitled to name a school. It's a very clear process, you name the school near the end of the process once you have received the draft plan.

Suggest you read this: https://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSs ... carers.pdf

Then search up and contact your local authority parent partnership or Independent advice service (IAS) - they are very knowledgeable and supportive.

Then, armed with all your information, ring the LA to start the process off.

I would imagine, in case your daughter is lower down the ranks and wouldn't get a place in the first round, but this is just my guess and you should confirm that with either your LA or Nonsuch, that if your daughter qualified, and you have an EHCP plan in place before March 1st, and have named Nonsuch first on your CAF, that they would have to admit her.

If she is high up enough to qualify anyway, then an EHCP in place will ensure she receives the support she needs.

Good luck - and ring your LA's IAS or parent partnership as soon as you can. They will know what to do.

Children with EHCPs are mentioned in the Nonsuch Admissions Policy:

3.4. Children of selective ability with an Education and Health Care Plan that names Nonsuch
will be allocated a place before other applicants are considered. In this way, the number
of places to be offered, as set out in section 3.3 and in section 5, will be reduced by the
number of children with an Education and Health Care Plan that names Nonsuch.
3.5. Children with an Education and Health Care Plan that names Nonsuch and who arrive
outside the normal admission round will be admitted to the School even if the School is
full, provided that they are of selective ability as determined by the Entrance Tests
referred to in section 4.1.

Good luck applying for EHCP

One of my daughters has an EHCP. (she is not in a grammar school) Part of the planning process is to find a school which best meets the child's needs identified on the plan.

thank you slugterra mum and gringo64
very helpful information
i made a note on the CAF that we are in the process of applying for it so fingers crossed now!

Good luck firsttime11plusmum! We went through the whole process several years ago with my oldest DC (at the time it was still called a SEN statement) and the hardest and most time consuming part was getting a diagnosis... doctors couldn't agree on what was wrong with my DC and we had to go from pillar to post and see various doctors and experts before we got a diagnosis.

Sounds to me like your DD already has a diagnosis, so that should speed the EHCP process up somewhat.

It might be worth looking at the IPSEA foundation law course. They've added an extra london date in December. It's really worth doing.

I assume you are applying as parents and your indie school isn't applying for you? I'd say it's best to apply yourself as some schools have terrible track records for failed applications.

Take the IPSEA model letter and expand it massively. Their single page increased to 5-6 pages with all your reports/evidence in Appendices. Say a total of 50-60 pages - but only include the most salient stuff - don't bulk for the sake of it. Aim to get "agree to Assess" first time to avoid delays and appeals. Submit the best evidence you can.

You need to pass the 2 part test: 1) May the child have Sen? And 2) May they benefit from a plan?

It sounds like you can deal with part 1. Your problem is part 2. Your LA is going to struggle with the idea that she needs a plan when she's (presumably) been ok at the indie with only slight help. Also she's passed the 11+ so isn't failing academically? The easiest way to show significant need is if the IEP support she's on costs > £6k per annum. Failing that you need to show significant other needs beyond what a mainstream school can provide. The catch 22 to dodge is that you should be careful not to state so much that Nonsuch will say they can't take her... I assume your DLA case/info might help here?

If you can deal with that you should get on fine - good luck

Oh wow! This doesnt sound easy at all.
Yes my daughter has been diagnosed since two years old with cerebral palsy.
Yes we are applying as parents and havent really consulted our indie because they are only trying to persuade us to stay on at the school. I dont know what help they would be really.
I completed a RA1 form, child's views form and sent it with my daughter's assessments, hospital letters etc to the local authority and they replied that my request for an EHC assessment will go forward for consideration at the next Statutory Assessment Panel which is due to take place on Tuesday 14 November. I have been allocated a caseworker.

Now I am wondering whether the information I sent was enough. I had no idea about the IPSEA. I may need to contact the caseworker and advise her that I need to submit more info after contacting IPSEA.

I didnt include anything to convince them how she may benefit from the plan. I only submitted info about her current condition but you're right exam 2019, they may think shes been ok so far and so doesnt need it.

I dont undertstand the part you wrote on costs. Please could you explain that part. What do you mean about the £6k pa?

Re the £6K:

In the state system, from reception up to yr 11, a school receives £4,000 funding for every child. If SEN support is needed in addition to this, the child is also entitled to an additional £6,000 to provide that SEN support. This comes from the school's delegated budget for SEN.

If, after a school has exhausted that budget for the child, and the child's needs are still not being met, then you go for an EHCP plan. You have to demonstrate that more than £6000 of support is required in order to get an EHCP plan. That figure can be made up through items such as individual support staff costs, equipment costs for access/to aid learning, external support e.g. physio etc.

Hope that clarifies.