EHCP Transition Planning: Moving from Primary to Secondary School

The transition from primary to secondary school is significant for any child. For children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), this transition requires careful planning, coordination, and advocacy to ensure the support that’s been working continues seamlessly in their new environment.

If you’re the parent of a Year 5 or Year 6 child with an EHCP, this guide will help you navigate the transition process. We’ll cover the legal framework, practical strategies, and common pitfalls to avoid as your child moves to secondary school.

The good news? When transition is managed well, it can be an opportunity to update your child’s EHCP to better reflect their needs, secure appropriate placement, and set them up for success in their secondary education.

Understanding the EHCP Transition Timeline

The SEND Code of Practice requires local authorities to conduct an annual review in Year 5 (the year before transfer) to allow sufficient time for planning. This is earlier than the standard annual review to give you time to explore options, visit schools, and amend the EHCP if needed.

The Official Timeline

EHCP Transition Timeline:

• Year 5 (by 15 February): Local authority must initiate annual review process for children transferring to secondary school
• Year 5 Spring/Summer: Annual review meeting held to discuss secondary school options and any EHCP amendments needed
• Year 5 Summer Term: Visit potential secondary schools, discuss with SENCOs about provision
• By 15 February of Year 6: LA must name the secondary school in Section I of the EHCP
• Year 6 Spring/Summer: Transition planning meetings with primary and secondary schools
• Year 6 Summer Term: Transition visits, handover meetings, preparation activities
• September Year 7: Child starts secondary school with EHCP provision in place

Important: These are legal deadlines. If your LA is running behind schedule, chase them firmly. Delays can mean rushed decisions and inadequate preparation time.

Starting Early: The Year 5 Annual Review

The Year 5 annual review is more significant than standard reviews because it focuses specifically on transition planning. Use this meeting strategically.

Preparing for the Year 5 Annual Review

Before the Meeting:

• Research secondary schools: Start visiting schools early to understand what’s available
• Review the current EHCP: Identify what’s working and what needs updating before secondary school
• Consider changing needs: How will your child’s needs differ in a larger, more complex secondary environment?
• Gather evidence: Collect recent assessments, progress reports, and examples of what support is currently effective
• Prepare questions: What do you need to know about secondary provision to make an informed choice?

Key Topics for the Year 5 Annual Review

Discussion Points:

• Progress and outcomes: How is your child progressing against current outcomes?
• Current provision effectiveness: What’s working that needs to continue? What isn’t working?
• Secondary school needs: What additional support will secondary school demand (e.g., navigating larger site, more teachers, increased independence)?
• School preferences: Discuss which secondary schools you’re considering and why
• EHCP amendments: Identify any changes needed to Sections B, F, H before transition
• Preparation activities: What can be done in Year 5 and Year 6 to prepare your child for transition?

Choosing the Right Secondary School

Choosing a secondary school for a child with an EHCP involves more than catchment areas and exam results. You need to find a school that can meet your child’s needs and is committed to implementing their EHCP.

Mainstream, Specialist, or Alternative Provision?

This is often the first question parents face. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer—it depends entirely on your child’s individual needs and what’s available locally.

School Options to Consider:

• Mainstream secondary: With SEN support and EHCP provision. May offer specialist resourced provision or enhanced mainstream settings.
• Special schools: Designed for children with complex needs, smaller classes, higher staff ratios, specialized environments.
• Alternative provision: Smaller settings for children who struggle in traditional schools (e.g., PRUs, independent special schools).
• Hybrid models: Part-time mainstream, part-time specialist provision in some areas.
• Out-of-borough placements: If local schools can’t meet needs, you can request placement in another LA’s schools.

What to Look for When Visiting Schools

Visit schools with your child if possible, and meet with the SENCO and, ideally, the head teacher. Don’t just accept the official tour—ask specific questions about how they’ll meet your child’s needs.

Questions to Ask During School Visits:

• How many children with EHCPs do you currently support? What are their primary needs?
• Can you describe a typical day for a child with needs similar to my child’s?
• What specific interventions and therapies can you provide on-site?
• How do you support sensory needs / anxiety / social communication / [your child’s specific needs]?
• What is your approach to behavior management and reasonable adjustments?
• How do you structure transitions between lessons and support organization skills?
• What’s your experience implementing provision similar to what’s in my child’s EHCP?
• Can you guarantee the specific provision in Section F? If not, what alternatives can you offer?
• What’s your policy on reduced timetables or alternative arrangements if needed?
• How do you communicate with parents about SEN progress and concerns?

Take notes during visits and ask if you can see their SEN facilities, such as sensory rooms, nurture spaces, or intervention rooms. Trust your instincts—how does the school feel? Does the SENCO seem knowledgeable and supportive?

Naming a School in Section I

By 15 February of Year 6, your LA must amend your child’s EHCP to name their secondary school in Section I. This can be contentious if you and the LA disagree on placement.

Your Rights Around School Naming

Key Legal Points:

• Parent preference: You have the right to express a preference for any state-funded school, and the LA must comply unless specific exceptions apply
• Exceptions: LA can refuse if the school is unsuitable for your child’s age, ability, aptitude, or SEN; if attendance would be incompatible with efficient education of others or efficient use of resources
• Burden of proof: If the LA refuses your choice, they must prove one of the exceptions applies—not just state resource concerns
• Independent schools: You can request an independent or non-maintained special school if mainstream or state special schools can’t meet needs, but the bar is higher
• Consultation: The LA must consult with your preferred school and consider their response

If the LA Names a Different School

If your LA names a school you disagree with, you have options:

Steps When You Disagree with School Placement:

• Request detailed reasons: Why did they refuse your choice? Why is their choice appropriate?
• Challenge the reasoning: Provide evidence why your preferred school can meet needs or why their choice is unsuitable
• Engage mediation: Free mediation can sometimes resolve placement disputes
• Appeal to tribunal: You can appeal the school named in Section I to the SEND tribunal
• Seek expert support: IPSEA, SENDIASS, or education solicitors can advise on your case strength

School placement disputes are some of the most common SEND tribunal cases—and parents have a reasonable success rate when their evidence is strong. Don’t be afraid to challenge if you genuinely believe the LA’s choice won’t meet your child’s needs.

Preparing Your Child for Transition

While you’re navigating the administrative and legal aspects of transition, don’t forget the most important person: your child. Moving to secondary school is emotionally and practically challenging for neurodivergent children.

Practical Preparation Strategies

Supporting Your Child’s Transition:

• Extra visits: Arrange additional visits to the new school beyond standard transition days, ideally when it’s quieter
• Photo books: Create a visual guide with photos of classrooms, key staff, toilets, the lunch hall—anywhere your child will need to navigate
• Meet key staff: Introduction to SENCO, form tutor, and any TAs who will work with your child
• Map out routines: Practice the route to school, understand the timetable structure, discuss what to expect
• Social stories: Create narratives about what secondary school will be like, addressing common worries
• Summer school programs: Many schools offer summer transition programs for vulnerable students
• Peer support: Connect with children from primary who will also attend, if appropriate
• Gradual exposure: Start practicing independence skills at home (managing equipment, timetables, multiple teachers)

Common Transition Anxieties to Address

Most children with SEN have specific worries about secondary school. Address these directly and practically:

Typical Concerns and Solutions:

• “The school is too big, I’ll get lost”: Practice using the map, identify key landmarks, arrange for buddy support initially
• “I won’t have any friends”: Identify which primary friends are attending, discuss making new friends, explore lunch clubs or structured social opportunities
• “The work will be too hard”: Reassure about continued support, discuss how to ask for help, ensure differentiation is in place
• “What about toilets/lunch/changing for PE?”: Visit these spaces specifically, discuss strategies, arrange reasonable adjustments if needed (e.g., accessible toilet, lunch pass to eat in quieter space)
• “I don’t like change”: Emphasize what will stay the same (people who support you, your safe strategies), create countdown calendars, allow extra processing time

The Transition Plan: Coordinating Between Schools

A good transition involves coordination between primary and secondary schools, with you at the center ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.

Key Transition Meetings

Essential Transition Meetings:

• Year 5 Annual Review: Initial transition planning and school discussion
• Year 6 Annual Review: Final check before transition, confirm secondary school provision
• Handover Meeting: Primary SENCO, secondary SENCO, key staff, parents, and ideally your child—sharing what works and what support is needed
• Pre-Start Meeting: Just before September, meet with secondary school to finalize arrangements and introduce key staff
• Early Review: Within first half term of Year 7, check how transition is going and make any necessary adjustments

Information That Must Transfer

Ensure the secondary school receives comprehensive information about your child:

Critical Information to Share:

• Complete EHCP with all appendices
• All recent professional reports and assessments
• Details of interventions that have been effective (and those that haven’t)
• Sensory profile, behavior support plan, risk assessment if applicable
• Communication passport or one-page profile
• Medical needs, care plans, medication protocols
• What helps when your child is dysregulated or in distress
• Contact details for external professionals (SALT, OT, CAMHS, etc.)

Common Transition Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Pitfall 1: Starting Too Late

Some parents don’t start thinking about secondary school until Year 6. By then, you’ve missed the Year 5 annual review deadline and have less time for preparation. Start researching schools in Year 5 at the latest.

Pitfall 2: Assuming Provision Will Transfer Automatically

Just because your child received 1:1 TA support in primary doesn’t mean it will automatically continue in secondary. The EHCP must specify provision clearly, and the secondary school must have capacity to deliver it. Confirm provision explicitly during the transition process.

Pitfall 3: Not Updating the EHCP

Your child’s needs at age 11 are different from age 7. Use the transition annual reviews to update Sections B and F to reflect current needs and the secondary school environment. Don’t let an outdated EHCP go to secondary school.

Pitfall 4: Accepting “Wait and See” Approaches

Some schools suggest starting without certain provision to “see how they get on.” For children with EHCPs, this is inappropriate. Provision should be in place from day one based on identified needs, not introduced reactively after things go wrong.

The First Term of Year 7: What to Monitor

Transition doesn’t end on the first day of secondary school. The first term is critical for ensuring provision is being implemented and your child is settling.

Red Flags in Early Year 7

• EHCP provision not being delivered as specified (e.g., therapy sessions not happening)
• Your child becoming increasingly anxious, refusing school, or experiencing emotional dysregulation
• Reports of behavior incidents without discussion of underlying needs or reasonable adjustments
• Reduced timetable implemented without proper process or your agreement
• Exclusions or isolation being used for SEN-related behaviors
• Lack of communication from school about how your child is settling
• Evidence that reasonable adjustments aren’t being made

If you notice these red flags, act quickly. Request a meeting with the SENCO, ask for evidence that the EHCP is being implemented, and escalate if necessary. Early intervention prevents crises later.

How Tediverse Supports Transition Planning

Managing a successful EHCP transition requires organization across multiple dimensions: tracking school visits, monitoring preparation activities, ensuring annual reviews happen on time, and gathering evidence of how your child is settling into secondary school.

Tediverse Transition Features:

• Transition Timeline: Track all key deadlines and ensure annual reviews happen when required
• School Visit Notes: Record observations and questions from each school visit in one organized place
• Document Hub: Store all transition-related documents, handover notes, and new school information
• Progress Tracking: Continue monitoring your child’s wellbeing and regulation through the transition period to identify any emerging concerns early
• Communication Log: Track all correspondence with primary school, secondary school, and LA during transition
• Preparation Checklist: Manage all the practical preparation tasks leading up to September

Final Thoughts: Transition as Opportunity

While transition can feel daunting, it’s also an opportunity. It’s a chance to reset, to update your child’s EHCP to better reflect their current needs, to find a school that’s the right fit, and to start fresh with new staff who see your child’s potential.

With early planning, clear communication, and strategic advocacy, you can navigate this transition successfully. Your child may surprise you with how they adapt and grow in their new environment—especially when the right support is in place from day one.

Start early, stay organized, advocate firmly, and trust that with the right preparation, your child can thrive in secondary school.

Related Resources

• Navigating SEN Support During Key Stage Transitions
• School Placement Appeals: Fighting for the Right Environment
• EHCP Application Guide: Complete UK Process
• Building Your Child’s SEN Support Team