SEN review

Thank you Lynn, this has given me some thoughts.

Hi Lorraine. Is this an annual review? If so, the SEN Code of Practice says:

9:13 In preparing for the review meeting, the head teacher must request written advice from: 

● the child’s parents  

● anyone specified by the authority  

● and anyone else the head teacher considers appropriate.  

The head teacher must also:  

● circulate a copy of all advice received to all those invited to the review meeting at least two weeks before the date of the meeting, inviting additional comments, including comments from those unable to attend the review meeting. 

The annual review meeting 

9:16 Before producing the review report, the head teacher must convene a meeting. The head teacher must invite:  

● the child’s parents, ( if the child is looked after by the local authority, under a care  

order , the child’s social worker and the residential care worker or foster parents,  

should be invited as appropriate)  

● a relevant teacher, who may be the child’s class teacher or form/year tutor, the  

SENCO, or some other person responsible for the provision of education for the child, the choice resting with the head teacher  

● a representative of the placing LEA  

● any person who the LEA considers appropriate and specify in a notice  

● any other person the head teacher considers appropriate. 

9:20 Where appropriate, the LEA should tell the head teacher that representatives of the health services or social services department or other professionals closely involved with the child must be invited to contribute to the review and attend the meeting. The head teacher may also invite such representatives and professionals as they see fit, even if not asked to do so by the LEA. In some cases the professionals may themselves suggest that it could be appropriate for them to attend, or consider it necessary to provide a report on their involvement with the child over the past year. 

9:21 It is unlikely that all relevant professionals will be able to attend all review meetings. It may therefore be helpful when inviting them to indicate the priority attached to their attendance. Liaison between the respective parties, over time and well in advance of the meeting, should help professionals decide whether it is appropriate to attend and also give them adequate prior notice. Schools should explain to parents that professionals will not always be able to attend all review meetings and that, if after the review meeting, parents wish to further discuss matters of concern in the professionals’ reports, they should first approach the Named LEA Officer. This should be explained to the parents at the review meeting. 

I'm not up-to-date on this these days, so you could check this with the Parent Partnership Service or call the Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) advice line on 0800 800 5793.Hope that helps?