Admissions process for special schools and specialist colleges

Special schools are for children and young people who have a significant barrier to learning possibly with other challenges and diagnoses.

A parent can only request a place at a special school or specialist college if they have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. The schools admissions process is different to usual.

Our special schools usually already have the maximum number of children on roll. This means in-year admissions are unusual. Most admissions take place in September when older pupils leave.

You can request a special school or specialist college to be named in an EHC plan.

This can be done when it is being written, or when it is being reviewed at an annual review, interim review or emergency review.

It is important that you invite your child's education, health and care plan (EHCP) coordinator to any meeting where a potential special school place is discussed. They are experienced and knowledgeable and can offer advice.

There are several types of specialist education:

• Maintained special schools and academies. There are schools for different needs and different levels of need
• Non-maintained special schools. These are independent schools but are not generally run for profit
• Independent special schools or specialist colleges
• Specialist resource bases (SRBs) are another option

You can request a special school or specialist college when an education, health and care (EHC) plan is being written, or at an EHC plan review.

Your EHCP coordinator will prepare paperwork. It will be sent to one of the following places:

• If you have requested a complex needs special school in Norfolk special school in Norfolk for children and young people with a significant learning disability, or a single need special school for autism or social emotional and mental health difficulties, the paperwork will be sent to the headteacher of the school. They are asked to consider if the school is suitable for your child and if they have spaces. 
• If you have requested an independent school the LA will ensure that a state special school has also been consulted either previously  or at the same time. This ensures any offers from either sector which are received can be considered, in relation to quality, distance and cost, at the same time. 

Independent schools are considered first at SENRAP (SEN Referrals and Placements Panel) by LA officers to ensure that the schools requested are potentially suitable and whether  current school or state special school can already meet need. If agreed the consultation will be actioned.

Independent schools recognised by the government (DfE) and subject to what is known as s41 will always be consulted if requested. 

• If you have requested a Specialist Independent College, the paperwork is sent to the High Needs Funding Panel for consideration.  The High Needs Funding panel is a group of local authority professionals
• Offers are made to the LA and not to families. Once received the LA will then  make a decision whether to accept the offer

For maintained complex needs and single special schools and academies in Norfolk 

As demand for special school places for children and young people is so high, we want the allocation process for places to be as fair as possible. We follow an admissions process in Norfolk, which is often known as the panel process, panel meeting or just 'panel' where all requested consultations are considered at the same time and not on a first come first served basis. It allows those most suitable to be placed.

For independent and non-maintained schools

We will consider your request at our SEN Referrals and Placements panel (SENRAP). The panel is made up of a group of SEN LA officers. They will consider whether the school is appropriate and other school options. If the request is agreed we will consult with the school.

The school should respond to us within 15 days after we have consulted with them. However, the amount of time can vary as these schools have their own independent admission procedures to follow. We should receive either an offer of a place with the costs, or reasons why an offer is not being made from the school. We will discuss the offer by considering:

• If we believe the school can meet need
• If there is another suitable school that can meet need at a lower cost or closer to home

A decision will then be made as to whether the offer will be accepted.

For special schools in another county

If you have requested a place at a special school or specialist college in another local authority, we need to follow their local admissions arrangements. Your EHCP coordinator will send the request to the Norfolk SEN placements team. The team will pass information to the school concerned and its local authority. They should respond within 15 days.  

For maintained mainstream schools and academies

If you have requested a place at a maintained mainstream school or academy, the school should respond within 15 days after receiving our paperwork. They will let us know whether they can meet your child's needs or not.

For independent specialist colleges

Young people over 16-years-old with very complex specialist educational needs (SEN) and disabilities, might need specialist education over and above what is available in a mainstream college. It is essential to always look at and explore all local and state funded options first.

These young people might go to a state funded special school or college. In a very small number of cases, we may need to place young people in a different type of specialist college in the independent (private) sector.

The specialist college you have requested will decide whether they can meet your young person's needs and whether they could offer a place.

We (the local authority) must name your young person/parental preference unless:

• The college is unsuitable for your young person's special educational need, gender, age and/or ability
• To admit your young person, it would be incompatible with the efficient education of others. For example, the college is at capacity. If your young person was admitted the quality of teaching and learning would be affected
• It would be an inefficient use of resource. This would only apply if there is an equally suitable offer available, with less cost to public funds

The application will be considered at a high needs panel and the outcome of this will be recorded in the minutes.  These minutes will be sent to your EHCP coordinator within 15 working days.

We hold large admissions meetings to discuss all requests for maintained special schools and academies.

These are held every term. 

Meetings for admissions to complex needs special schools for children and young people with a significant learning disability are held every term. Meetings for admissions to special schools for children and young people with a specific special educational need are held every half term.

This is the most efficient way to manage the number and range of requests that we receive. We will tell you the date your request will be discussed.

The people at the admissions meeting

A small group of people will get together at the meeting:

• Headteachers and senior school leaders of special schools of the same type within an area or across Norfolk 
• LA Officers 

This small group of people is called a panel. Therefore, it is known as the panel process, panel meeting or just 'panel'. We (the local authority) will lead the meeting.

The discussion at the admissions meeting

The panel will discuss all admissions requests for the relevant school that have been received since the last meeting. If there are vacancies, the panel will also discuss all the cases which have remained on the agenda. 

We will have an in-depth discussion about your child to decide if the school can meet their needs. Everyone will decide together, using the paperwork that has already been prepared and circulated.

We will consider:

• Whether the school you requested is suitable
• If the school is not suitable, the reasons why
• If the school is suitable, can they offer a place now? 
• If the school is suitable but currently full, whether there will be a place in the near future?
• Whether your request should be reconsidered at the next meeting, if a vacancy becomes available

Other children outside of Norfolk who have requested special school places will also be discussed. We always want to find a school place that will best meet a child's needs.

The school you have requested will decide whether they can meet your child's needs and whether they can offer a place to your child.

We (the local authority) must name your parental preference unless:

• The school is unsuitable for your child's special educational need, sex, age and/or ability
• To admit your child would be incompatible with the efficient education of others. For example, the school is at capacity. If your child was admitted the quality of teaching and learning would be affected
• It would be an inefficient use of resource. This would only apply if there is an equally suitable school available, with less cost to public funds

The minutes and outcome of the admissions meeting are sent to your EHCP coordinator.

Timescales

Your EHCP coordinator should let you know the outcome of the panel decision within 10 working days. We will always try to inform you as quickly as possible.

If an offer is made we will email you a letter to respond to with the school start date. If you accept the offer, the school will be named in your child's EHC plan.  

We must find another suitable school place if your child's current school can no longer meet their needs. We must consult with other schools until a suitable school is found. This may include schools in the independent sector. We will have discussed other schools to consult with during the panel meeting.

Your EHCP coordinator will share minutes from the meeting with you to explain why an offer has not been made.

You child will be discussed again at the next scheduled panel meeting. We will let you know when this is.

You can appeal if you are not happy with the school named in your child’s education, health and care (EHC) plan.

You will receive a letter with the EHC plan or following an annual review, which explains how to appeal via a tribunal. The letter also explains how you can request mediation or dispute resolution.  

This must be done within two months of the date the final EHC plan is issued.