In this section
Information for parents
Case statements
If we accept your SEN appeal, we will send a copy to the LEA. We will also tell you when your hearing is likely to be and ask you for dates when you cannot come to a hearing. You and the LEA will then have six weeks to prepare a case statement explaining your views and the facts.
We will send you guidance on how to prepare a case statement. These are the main points. Every child is unique so the facts of every appeal to the tribunal are different. For that reason, the information parents who appeal need to give us will be different too. But in almost every case, there's general information we need to know. Of course, if we've already received it, either from you with the notice of appeal or from the local education authority (LEA), you don't have to tell us again.
What we need to know
You should tell us:
- what you want for your child, and why; and
- what you disagree with in the local education authority's proposals, and why.
Here are some of the things you may want to tell us;
Special educational needs
- What special educational needs does your child have?
- What has already been done to help, and what progress has your child made?
School
- What does your child find most difficult at school?
- What help is your child receiving at the moment - for example, from specialist teachers or assistants?
- Does your child have an individual education plan and what does the school say about progress? Copies of reports can help us.
Medical
- How does any medical condition your child has affect his or her education?
Therapy (Speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and so on)
- If your child has been receiving therapy, please let us have copies of any professional reports or assessments.
- What changes do you want, and how do you expect the therapy to help?
- What have therapists said about what will be needed in future?
Changing schools
- If you want your child to go to a new school, tell us why.
- How will it meet your child's needs? Send us a copy of the school's prospectus.
- If your child would live at the school, is there an educational reason for that?
- If the school is an independent (private) school, how much will it cost?
- How long would it take to get to and from school and what would it cost?.
Education at home
- If you wish your child to be educated at home, tell us how this would work and the costs involved.
The decisions you want
- The Tribunal can only make decisions on certain matters.
If you want changes to your child's statement, please tell us what changes you'd like to see and why. Please read the guidance we send you for more detail. At the hearing, you and any witness you bring will have a chance to explain the facts and give your views to the tribunal members face to face.
