Finding the right school
Parents can tell us which school they’d like their child to go to when we create an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. The SEND Team will talk to the nearest school to the child's home, and the chosen school if it is different from the nearest one.
The parents' chosen school may not always be named for their child. If parents choose a school farther away from home than the nearest school that can meet the child's needs, and that school is named, they will have to pay for transport.
How we decide which school is right for a child
The right school will depend on:
- its suitability for a child’s age, ability and special educational need
- whether it has the resources and ability to teach the child alongside others in their school
- if there is a school closer to the child's home
- the cost of the fees if the preferred school is an independent school.
We will name the school we think is best for the child on their EHC plan.
Parents who disagree with the school named in a child’s EHC plan have the right to appeal. Find out how to appeal.
Choosing a school
When choosing a school, it's useful to know what each school can offer. All maintained and academy schools say how they support pupils with SEND in their SEND information report.
Use our map of schools in Lambeth to find a school, and link to their website to find their information report. It’s a good idea to contact schools to learn more about how they support children with different special educational needs or disabilities.
Resource bases and special schools
Most children and young people with special educational needs or a disability (SEND) will attend a mainstream school. A small amount of children may need a more specialist setting. This might be a specialist resource base in a mainstream school, or a special school. Only children with an EHC plan can go to specialist settings.
Parents can tell us if they want their child to go to a special school when we're creating an EHC plan. We will name a special school on the child’s plan if we think it’s best for their education. The assessment for the EHC plan includes considering the most suitable Lambeth special school or resource base for them.
Search for specialist education providers in Lambeth
You can search the Family Information Directory to find resource bases and special schools in Lambeth by following these links:
If their needs cannot be met in Lambeth, we may need to look for a place in a school in another borough.
Search for specialist education providers in other boroughs
Section 41 approved settings
Sometimes we may need to look for a place in an independent school or college. Parents may also think an independent school would be the best place to meet the needs of their child.
Independent schools, also known as ‘private schools’ or fee-paying schools, are not funded by the government. Pupils who go to an independent school don’t have to follow the national curriculum. All private schools must be registered with the government and regularly inspected.
The Department for Education has a list of registered independent special schools and specialist post-16 institutions approved under section 41 of the Children and Families Act.
Search the Section 41 list of approved independent special schools and colleges
Moving from nursery to primary, primary to secondary, or secondary to post-16
Moving to a new phase of education is an important time for all children, young people and their families. Responsibility for managing school placements for children with EHC plans lies directly with the Lambeth SEND Team and not Lambeth General Admissions Team.
You should not complete the general admissions application forms for your new school placement if your child has an EHC plan.
The deadlines for these applications is earlier than the deadline for children who do not have an EHC plan. This gives the SEND Team as much time as possible to find the right placement for your child.
If you feel that you may not be able to complete the form by the deadline, it is important that you notify us by email at sendsupport@lambeth.gov.uk.
We will begin consulting with placements in the autumn term and will work closely with schools to secure a placement for a smooth transition the following September.
The placements will receive a copy of the EHC plan so that they can consider whether they are able to meet needs. Consultations will be sent to your preferred placement choices as well as any others we feel might be appropriate.
Decisions about placements take into consideration parental and student preference, as well as whether the school can provide a suitable education which is compatible with the efficient use of resources and education of others.
Once a place has been confirmed the EHC plan will be amended to name the September placement in Section I. In some cases we may issue an amended EHC plan naming a type of setting whilst we continue to consult with schools.
Please note: parents of children who do not have an EHC plan must apply to a school place in the same way as other parents, even if their child is being assessed, via school admissions and appeals.
Primary school transfer
Apply for a primary school place with an EHC plan
The deadline to submit your application form is 30 September 2024.
An amended EHC Plan naming the new placement or a type of placement will be issued by 15 February 2025.
Secondary school transfer
It is important that you take the time to visit a range of secondary school settings prior to making your preferences. You may also want to seek support from the current school SENCO or Lambeth’s IASS Team.
Apply for a secondary school place with an EHC plan
The deadline to submit your application form is 30 September 2024.
An amended EHC plan naming the new placement or a type of placement will be issued by 15 February 2025.
Post-16 transfer
Young people should be doing one of the following until they are aged 18:
- Stay in full-time education, for example at a college or sixth form. Find out more about what post-16 education is like, where your child can go, and how to prepare for this new stage in their life
- Start a supported internship, a college course that is set in a workplace where your child can get real experience of work.
- Spend 16 hours or more a week working or volunteering while in part-time education or training. Find out about apprenticeships and get some ideas about volunteering.
We want to know what your child is planning to do next year to help us make sure everyone gets to do one of their post 16 choices. Visit the Lambeth Back on Track Service, where you can get support if you are under 18, let us know your plans and download After Year 11: A guide to planning your future.
Apply for post-16 education with an EHC plan
The deadline to submit your application form is 31 October 2024.
An amended EHC plan naming the new placement or a type of placement will be issued by 31 March 2025.
Transport to the new placement
Once a placement has been named you can apply for travel assistance. Students with EHC plans are not automatically entitled to travel assistance. Each case will be considered on an individual basis to see if eligibility criteria are met. For further information on how to apply, please visit apply for help with home-to-school transport.
If you have any questions about the transition process, please contact your EHC coordinator or email AnnualReviews@lambeth.gov.uk