How a school can request an EHC needs assessment

A school can request an EHC needs assessment where a child or young person has or may have special educational needs and it may be necessary for provision to be made through an EHC plan. The local authority, not the school, decides whether to assess.

A strong request addresses that legal test directly and uses evidence the school should already hold.

Start with the statutory test

Section 36(8) of the Children and Families Act 2014 asks whether:

1. the child or young person has or may have SEN
2. it may be necessary for special educational provision to be made through a plan

The test does not require a diagnosis, a fixed number of APDR cycles or proof that the school has spent exactly £6,000. Local forms can organise information, but local criteria cannot replace the statutory test.

Involve the family and pupil

Discuss the proposed request with the parent or young person. Record their views, aspirations and concerns in their own words. Explain what assessment can and cannot decide, the likely process and how they will receive updates.

A parent or young person can also make the request directly. The legal test is the same regardless of who submits it.

Evidence checklist

Include focused, current evidence such as:

• a concise chronology
• description of strengths and needs
• attainment and progress over time
• APDR plans and reviews
• a costed provision map
• delivery and impact records
• attendance, suspension or reduced-timetable information where relevant
• professional reports and recommendations
• pupil and family views
• current timetable and reasonable adjustments
• reasons provision through a plan may be necessary

Explain gaps. If specialist advice is unavailable because of a waiting list, record the referral and waiting status rather than delaying indefinitely.

Show what has happened, not just what was offered

For each significant intervention, state:

• intended outcome
• type and frequency
• dates and actual delivery
• baseline and review measure
• pupil response
• next decision

This helps the authority distinguish lack of impact from lack of delivery.

Explain why a plan may be necessary

Bring the evidence back to the second limb of the test. Relevant reasons can include:

• specialist provision that needs statutory coordination
• support beyond what the setting can reliably arrange
• persistent need despite well-delivered SEN support
• uncertainty requiring multi-agency statutory assessment
• significant mismatch between recommendations and current provision

Do not imply that an assessment request is a funding application. The assessment considers needs and necessary provision.

Submit and track the six-week decision

Keep proof of the date the local authority received the request. It should notify its assess-or-refuse decision within six weeks, subject to limited exceptions.

If it requests a local form, complete reasonable administrative information without accepting a new receipt date. Ask for written confirmation of the statutory request date.

If the authority refuses, the parent or young person has the appeal right. The school should preserve the evidence and help the family understand the decision, while remaining clear that it does not provide legal advice.

Final quality check

• Request states the section 36(8) test
• Pupil and family views are included
• Needs are described individually
• APDR delivery and impact are evidenced
• Professional advice is attached or gaps explained
• The need for possible statutory provision is clear
• Receipt and six-week deadline are logged

Unisen helps schools assemble routine evidence into one clear assessment timeline.

Explore the school workflow.