v3.01a May 5, 2008

First Floor, Greenwich Station, 187 Greenwich High Rd., London SE10 8JA

020 8858 9180

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Preparing for Secondary School

> LEAs and the London-wide admissions process

> Different types of school

> Key dates

> Finding the right school

> Applying for a place

> Completing the application

> Not happy with the offer?

> Children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs

> Fact file and useful links

 

 

Children with a statement of Special Educational Needs

The arrangements for finding a secondary school place for a child with a statement of special educational needs are different to those for children without a statement.  It is the responsibility of the council’s special educational needs team to consult with parents of children with statements  and with schools to agree the most suitable placement.

Start the process early

The process of identifying a suitable secondary school for your child will start at the child’s annual review meeting.  This is usually held at the child’s primary school in Year 5, in consultation with the special educational needs team.  The review meeting will discuss the secondary school options for your child.  It is important that you attend this review to express your views.

The review meeting

At the review you will be able to tell the council which secondary schools you would like your child to attend.  The council must then consult with these schools to agree a placement that is suitable to meet your child’s special educational needs.  However, if the placement of your child at your preferred school meant that it would be prejudicial to the education of other children on the school roll, or that it would not be an efficient use of the council’s funds to provide a place at the school, then the council would not be able to agree to the placement of your child at your preferred school.

Please note that the council is not able to name a college or academy in the statement unless there is prior agreement by the school governors to the placement.

Important dates

If you do not attend the statement review, the special educational needs team will contact you to discuss the arrangements for your child’s transfer to the secondary school.  The special educational team must finalise the arrangements for your child’s transfer to secondary school before February in the year of your child’s transfer.

Appealing the decision

If you are unhappy with the school named in your child’s statement of special educational needs, you have the right to appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.  For more information on this procedure contact the Parent Partnership Team.

The schools

Most children will move from primary school into a mainstream secondary school but the council and other local authorities also run a number of special schools designed to meet the needs of some children.  If you feel that your child would benefit from special school provision you may express a preference for a special school place for your child in the same way as described for a mainstream school.

Further information on the admissions process for children with statements of special educational needs can be obtained by contacting the council’s special educational needs team.

The Parent Partnership Service is for any parent or carer who has a child with special educational needs, with or without a statement, and aims to provide parents and carers with information, help, and support on any education-related issue.