Annual Review Support
Use the annual review to secure the changes that are now required
An annual review is not simply a progress meeting. It is the formal opportunity to consider whether the EHCP remains accurate, whether the provision is working and whether the placement is still appropriate.
I prepare the case before the meeting, attend remotely and ensure the amendments requested are clearly recorded and supported by the available evidence.
When an annual review needs careful preparation
This service is particularly suitable where:
The child’s needs have changed or new professional evidence is available;
Sections B or F no longer reflect the child’s needs and provision;
Support written into the EHCP is vague, inconsistent or not being delivered;
Progress, attendance, anxiety, behaviour or engagement has deteriorated;
The school says it can no longer meet need or the placement is becoming unstable;
A change of school, specialist placement or different type of provision is being considered;
The child is approaching a phase transfer; or
Outcomes and preparation for adulthood need to be reconsidered.
What the review should examine
The review should connect the evidence to the EHCP itself. I consider whether the description of need is current, whether every required provision is specific and measurable, whether the outcomes remain appropriate and whether the placement can actually deliver what the plan requires.
Where placement is disputed, the review should also identify the type of environment required and the evidence showing why the present or proposed setting is no longer suitable. A general request for a different school is rarely enough.
Before the meeting
review of the current EHCP and agreed recent evidence;
comparison of the plan with the child’s present needs, progress and difficulties;
identification of missing, inaccurate or outdated wording;
preparation of the parental contribution;
a schedule of proposed EHCP amendments; and
a clear list of the decisions and actions required from the meeting.
At the meeting
I attend one annual-review meeting remotely for up to two hours. I present the amendments sought, relate them to the evidence, ask the questions needed to clarify the school’s position and help ensure that areas of agreement and disagreement are accurately recorded.
The aim is not to dominate the meeting. It is to keep the discussion focused on the needs, provision, outcomes and placement decisions that must be addressed.
After the meeting
review of the school’s annual-review report or the local authority’s decision;
identification of material omissions, inaccuracies or unresolved issues; and
one written response setting out the corrections or next action required.
What should happen after the review
The written review report should normally be completed and circulated within two weeks of the meeting. The local authority must then notify the parent or young person within four weeks whether it will maintain the EHCP unchanged, amend it or cease to maintain it.
If amendments are proposed, the parent or young person must be given at least 15 days to comment on the proposed changes and request a particular school. If the authority decides to amend the plan, the amended final EHCP should normally be issued within eight weeks of the amendment notice.
Services and Fees
Fixed fee £1,795
The fee covers the preparation, one remote annual-review meeting of up to two hours and one post-meeting written response described above.
It does not include repeated meetings, travel, continuing negotiation after the written response, review of a later proposed amended plan, professional assessments, school-search work or a Tribunal appeal. Any further work is agreed separately before it begins.
Timing
Instruction should normally take place at least ten working days before the meeting. Where less time is available, the urgent service price may apply and acceptance will depend on capacity.
You will know what you are paying for before you commit.
Before you instruct me, you receive a written proposal stating the stage your case has reached, the work I recommend, what it includes, the fee and any later stages that may be required. Hourly work is agreed in blocks. No additional work is undertaken and no additional fee is incurred without your written approval. Fees cover my work; independent reports and separately instructed legal advice are not included.
What happens after you enquire
I confirm whether the dispute falls within my placement work and whether I have capacity
I identify the stage your case has reached and the immediate priority
You receive a written proposal and fee before deciding whether to proceed
If you instruct me, I take responsibility for the agreed work and map the next deadlines
No responsible adviser can guarantee a Tribunal outcome. I will give you an honest view of the evidence, the risks and what would need to improve. If I do not believe my involvement can make a material difference, I will tell you.
A recent placement outcome
A specialist placement agreed within two months
“I can’t praise John-Paul highly enough. He walked me through the steps of taking a case to tribunal. We were hoping for an alternative school placement which was refused on the grounds of inefficient use of funds. Once John-Paul got involved, my arguments were taken much more seriously by the LA and my daughter was given a place at our preferred school within two months.”
Parent, Buckinghamshire
Tell me about your situation
You do not need to explain everything perfectly.
The information below allows me to understand the decision, the stage your case has reached and whether a deadline requires immediate attention.
Before you begin
There is no charge to enquire and no telephone call is required. You do not need to upload the full evidence bundle at this stage. If documents are needed, I will request them securely after reviewing your enquiry.
What happens after you submit
I reply personally by email within one working day. My reply will confirm whether the matter falls within my placement work, whether I have capacity, what stage the case has reached and what I recommend as the next paid service. If I cannot help, I will tell you clearly.
Prefer email? hello@johnpaulinglis.co.uk
Documents are handled securely and confidentially.
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