Annual reviews for children with special educational needs

An annual review helps to make sure a child, with special educational needs, is getting the right help and support.

The family, school and local authority, plus any other professionals involved, all get together to review a child's progress. The review should happen at least once a year. Reviews are a really important opportunity for parents to share their views and for changes to be made - which could include changing schools.

Year 9 Annual Review

For young people who have an Education Health and Care Plan the Year 9 annual review is important as the planning for adulthood starts here.

This is the time to start talking about further education, what sort of career they want, where they will live, what ongoing support or health needs they may have. High goals are important and starting to plan now helps to identify the most suitable pathway.

Questions to think about include:

what is already in place to help your child or young person?
what needs to be put in place?
who needs to be involved?
what is working well?
what needs to change?

People involved in the Year 9 annual review meeting

Your child or young person
You as the parent or carer
A social worker
A member of the school staff
Careers South West Advisor

Year 10 Annual Review

The plan for education, employment, or training is reviewed to make sure it is still correct.

During Year 10 you may want to explore the options open to your young person to help them reach their goals. You may want to:

look on college websites for prospectuses.
visit colleges on their open days
consider an apprenticeship
consider other work-based learning or employment.

Having an Education, Health and Care Plan does not mean having an indefinite Post 16 education. However, it may be possible for a pupil with special educational needs to stay on in education beyond their 19th birthday in certain circumstances.

If the young person's further educational needs cannot be met at a local college, different providers may be considered. Plymouth City Council will review each application on a case-by-case basis.

Year 11 Annual Review

This is a very important year for your young person where decisions about future education and employment will need to be made. They will need to decide what type of course they want to do and how that links to their future career pathway.

The Year 11 Annual Review will need to be held in the autumn term before the young person leaves compulsory education.

If the young person has a learning difficulty/disability, and will be leaving school to enter college or a work based learning programme, an advisor from Careers Southwest will attend the annual review meeting.

From the age of 16, your young person can start to make the decisions about their future themselves.

Now is the time for your young person to give information about the difficulties they experience, which they may need help to overcome. Using the information in the young person's Education, Health and Care Plans from Year 9 and Year 10 will help the young person move towards their goals.