What an EHCP assessment does — and does not — mean

An EHC needs assessment looks at a child’s education, health and social-care needs and whether special educational provision may need to be made through an EHC plan. A request can be made by a parent, young person or someone acting for a school or post-16 institution under section 36 of the Children and Families Act 2014.

Starting an assessment does not itself mean that an EHCP will be issued, that a particular school will be named or that an online provider will be funded. While the process is under way, keep working with the current school and local authority about reasonable support, attendance, safety and an education that the child can access. If the present arrangement is breaking down, explain what is happening in writing and ask for a meeting or review rather than letting the child disappear from education without a plan.

Know the statutory timetable

The SEND Regulations set a general timetable. Regulation 13 says the finalised EHC plan should be sent within 20 weeks of the local authority receiving the request for an assessment, subject to the exceptions in the regulations. When a draft is sent, parents or the young person must be given at least 15 days to make representations and request a particular school or institution.

These are legal timescales, not a promise that the family’s experience will feel quick. Keep a dated record of the request, decisions, reports, meetings and missed deadlines. If you are concerned about delay, ask the local authority what stage the case has reached and seek independent SEND advice. The SEND Code of Practice is statutory guidance for the system in England.

Could online school be a temporary bridge?

For some families, a full-time online school creates structure while a child is unable to manage a physical site. Live lessons, predictable routines, smaller groups and a quiet environment may reduce particular barriers. For others, online learning adds screen fatigue or demands independence the child does not yet have. Ask the child what is difficult and test the proposed arrangement against a normal day.

A tutor, reduced timetable, reintegration plan or alternative provision may be more suitable in some cases. An online school should explain its lesson format, pastoral support, SENDCo access, attendance expectations, recording policy and how it communicates concerns. Ask for a trial or detailed written plan where available, and avoid describing a provider as “EHCP-approved” unless you have checked exactly what that means.

Funding and EOTAS: avoid the common misunderstanding

Parents often hear the term EOTAS, meaning education otherwise than at school, and assume that any online tuition will be paid for once an assessment starts. That is not the legal position. Under section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014, a local authority in England may arrange special educational provision outside a school or post-16 institution only if it is satisfied that school-based provision would be inappropriate, and it must consult the parent or young person.

That is a specific decision based on the child’s needs and evidence. It is not automatic, and a parent choosing to deregister and buy an online school does not automatically create a duty for the local authority to reimburse fees. Before changing the school roll, ask the local authority how it wants the child’s education managed and obtain independent advice from a specialist SEND organisation or education solicitor if funding, placement or an EHCP dispute is involved. This article is general information, not legal advice.

What evidence is useful while you wait?

• Child’s voice: record what makes lessons, travel, noise, social situations or tasks difficult.
• Pattern of access: note attendance, reduced days, distress, recovery time and what happens before and after school.
• Strategies tried: keep copies of support plans, reasonable adjustments, seating or sensory arrangements and their results.
• Professional information: share reports from educational psychology, health or therapy professionals where relevant.
• Academic evidence: keep work samples, reports and subject information, including what the child can do in a calm setting.
• Provider questions: ask any online school to state exactly what it can deliver and what it cannot.

Evidence is not about building a case for one commercial provider. It helps the local authority understand the child’s barriers and decide what provision is appropriate. It also helps an online school avoid promising support outside its capacity.

Deregistration is a separate decision

If your child is on a school roll, do not confuse an EHCP request with permission to stop attending. Read current GOV.UK guidance and our deregistration guide. Special-school arrangements require particular care. A mainstream school child with SEN may have different options from a child placed in a special school, and the local authority’s responsibilities need to be understood before any withdrawal.

If your child is unsafe or unable to attend, tell the school and local authority promptly. Ask what education and support can be put in place while the assessment continues. The SEN guide compares questions for online schools; the legal guide explains the general education framework.

A calm next step

Online Schools is an independent matching service, not a local authority, school or legal adviser. If you are exploring an online school, tell us the child’s year group, current situation, assessment stage, support needs, preferred start date and budget. We can discuss providers that may be suitable while you continue the official conversation about provision. There is no obligation to enrol.

The most useful plan is specific: who teaches, when lessons happen, how progress is checked, what support is available, how exams would work and who pays. Keep those questions separate from the important legal question of what the local authority must arrange.