Don’t miss this deadline if your child is moving school

2 mins read

Thursday 6 February 2025

Tags: transfer deadlines, EHC plans

This advice applies in England only.

Does your child have an Education Health Care (EHC) plan? Are they transferring to another school later this year?

If so, this coming 15 February is an important deadline. By this date, local authorities must have reviewed, amended (if necessary), and finalised the EHC plans for children transferring between different phases of education.

This includes transfers between:

  • Early years to school.
  • Primary school to middle school.
  • Infant to junior school.
  • Junior to secondary school.
  • Middle to secondary school.

15 February is a legal deadline, which means the local authority must comply with it. The deadline is set out in Regulation 18 of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014.

What must the local authority do to finalise an EHC plan?

Before the local authority issue the final plan, they must send you a draft EHC plan and ask for your views. The local authority must also ask you to say which school you would like your child to go to. To meet the deadline, your local authority should already have done these steps.

If the local authority misses the 15 February deadline for finalising an EHC plan, contact the local authority to remind them of their legal obligation and request immediate action.

Where can I find more information?

See our admissions webpage for more information about this process. If you are worried about your situation, contact our helpline for advice.

If your local authority does not name the school you want in the EHC plan, you have the right to appeal to the First Tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability). Contact our helpline for further advice and information.