Education, Health and Care Plans
An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), sometimes called a statutory plan, is a legal document. It sets out the:
- child or young person's needs
- outcomes for that child or young person
- provision needed to meet their aspirations, needs and outcomes
- most appropriate educational placement
EHCPs cover the age range 0 to 25 years.
Your duties under the SEND code of practice
The SEND code of practice explains the duties of schools to provide for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This is under part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Schools are required to meet the special educational needs of the pupils that they support. Each school must do the following:
- Ensure that the necessary provision is available for any individual who has SEND.
- Ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to engage in activities alongside their peers.
- Name a teacher to be the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO).
- Inform parents when they are making special educational provision.
- Help parents feel confident in the quality of the school's SEN provision.
Quality-first teaching and a graduated approach are embedded throughout the code. It states that SEN provision goes beyond the differentiated approaches and learning arrangements normally provided as part of high-quality personalised teaching.
The code calls for the use of appropriate evidence-based interventions. It states that SEN support in schools is based on the assess, plan, do and review cycle.
Schools should use the additional needs plan to support this process.
Guidance on SEN support
Those responsible for providing SEN support should read:
Best practice guidance: Use of delegated funding and the role of the SENCO [137.0 KB] [docx]
If you need this document in an alternative format, contact Assessment and Planning:
Phone: 01273 336740
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