Statement of SEN and school placements
The local authority (LA) must determine whether to issue a statement of SEN or a Note in Lieu of a statement within 18 weeks of initiating the assessment process. A Note in Lieu will be issued when it is determined that a pupil’s needs can be met by Early Years or School Action or Early Years Action Plus or School Action Plus.
The purpose of the statement of SEN is to set out the pupil’s educational entitlement and ensure that it is provided. All statement of SEN should be:
- clear and specific in the identification of the pupil’s needs
- contain clear and measurable educational objectives
- set out the level of intervention and support required to meeting those needs.
The LA will expect these measurable objectives to relate entirely to the pupil’s ability to access the curriculum irrespective of the pupil’s age. Where appropriate the statement will continue to include success criteria, so that pupil’s progress and the use of targeted resources can be monitored at annual reviews.
When the LA decides to issue a statement of special educational needs parents and carers will be invited to express a preference for the school for their child.
When a proposed statement of special educational needs is issued, the LA is legally obliged to make available to parents a list of all maintained schools in the area together with lists of all non maintained and independent schools in England and Wales approved by the Secretary of State for pupils with a statement of special educational needs. This is to assist the parents in making an informed choice in regards to schools.
Placement of children is in line with the Education Act 1996 and the SEN Code of Practice. The LA is required to meet the parent’s school preference unless:-
- attendance at the school would be incompatible to the efficient education of other pupils
- efficient use of resources would be jeopardised
- it would not be appropriate to the needs of the child
When parent’s expressed preference is a mainstream school, the statement might provide additional funds to supplement the provision already available to the school through its delegated budget. This is to ensure that the pupil maintains continuous progress at school.
When the pupil’s needs may not be fully met in a mainstream setting or the parent expresses a preference for a specialist school, pupil may be placed at one of Lambeth’s special schools or centres.
Periodically pupil’s needs cannot be met from either Lambeth maintained mainstream or special schools, because of the specialist provisions needed or parental choice.
It may be necessary to place the pupil in a school outside the borough. Additionally, provision may need to be made in non-maintained or independent schools either in or out of the borough. These are exceptional cases, when the pupil’s needs are so severe or usually it may necessitate a placement in a residential school. These schools will always be drawn from the list approved by the Secretary of State of Education.