A Parent’s Guide to Timing, Purpose & Power

Understanding when to call one, what to expect, and how to use them as a springboard for change!

Annual Reviews are one of the most misunderstood parts of the EHCP process yet they’re also one of the most powerful. For many families, they become a lifeline: a moment to pause, reflect, and push for the provision, placement, or support their child actually needs.

SEN Parent Support Group breaks down Annual Reviews from a parent’s perspective, using the law, timelines, and lived experience to help you understand not just what they are, but how to use them strategically.

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What is an Annual Review?

An Annual Review is a statutory process required under the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND Regulations 2014. Every EHCP must be reviewed at least once every 12 months.

The purpose is simple but powerful:

• Check whether the EHCP still reflects your child’s needs
• Review whether the provision is being delivered
• Assess whether outcomes are still appropriate
• Decide whether the plan should be maintained, amended, or ceased

It is not just a meeting.
It is a legal process with strict timelines and duties on the Local Authority.

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When Should You Call an Early Annual Review?

Although the law requires a review every 12 months, parents can request an early Annual Review at any time if circumstances change.

You should consider requesting one when:

Needs have changed

This includes:

• New diagnoses
• Regression or deterioration
• Increased anxiety, behaviour, or sensory needs
• Puberty‑related changes
• Mental health concerns

Provision is not being delivered

If the school is unable or unwilling to deliver Section F, an early review is appropriate.

Placement is breaking down

Signs include:

• Repeated exclusions
• Reduced timetables
• “Informal” send‑home requests
• School saying they can’t meet need

You are considering a change of placement

An Annual Review is the mechanism to request a new school or EOTAS package.

The plan is outdated

If the EHCP no longer reflects your child’s lived reality, you don’t need to wait 12 months.

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How to Request an Early Annual Review

Keep it simple and statutory.

You can write:

“I am requesting an early Annual Review under Regulation 18 of the SEND Regulations 2014 due to significant changes in my child’s needs / provision / placement. Please confirm a date within the statutory timescales.”

This puts the Local Authority on notice and anchors your request in law or you can use our prewritten template here

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What Happens Before the Meeting?

The LA must:

• Gather advice and information from professionals
• Circulate all reports at least two weeks before the meeting
• Invite you, the school, and relevant professionals

If you don’t receive the paperwork in time, you can ask for the meeting to be rescheduled you are entitled to meaningful participation. To help you prepare use our guidance here

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What to Do During the Annual Review

This is your opportunity to bring clarity, evidence, and lived experience into the room.

Bring:

• A parent report
• Evidence of unmet needs
• Examples of provision not being delivered
• Any new assessments or medical letters
• A clear ask (placement, provision, therapies, assessments)

Focus on:

• Needs first (Section B)
• Provision second (Section F)
• Placement last (Section I)

This order matters.
Placement must follow need not the other way around.

Want to check your plan – use our checklist here

Ask for:

• Specific, quantified, and enforceable provision
• Updated outcomes
• Clarity on who is delivering what, when, and how often
• Any missing assessments (OT, SALT, EP, CAMHS, etc.)

If you require reassessment of needs to incorporate OT or Salt then use this template here

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What Happens After the Annual Review?

This is where many parents get stuck because the LA has strict legal duties.

The LA must issue a decision within 4 weeks of the meeting:

• Maintain the plan
• Amend the plan
• Cease the plan

If they choose to amend, they must send you a Notice of Amendment and a draft EHCP.

You then have:

• 15 days to comment on the draft
• The right to request a new placement
• The right to request changes to any section

If the LA fails to meet these deadlines, you can challenge them and you often should.

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Annual Reviews as a Stepping Stone

Annual Reviews are not just a check‑in. They are a launchpad.

They can lead to:

• A change of placement
• Increased provision
• Updated therapies
• EOTAS packages
• Specialist assessments
• Tribunal appeals
• A more accurate, enforceable EHCP
• A shift from firefighting to long‑term planning

For many families, the Annual Review becomes the moment everything finally moves.

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Parent Perspective: Why Annual Reviews Matter

From a parent’s viewpoint, Annual Reviews are often the only formal opportunity to:

• Be heard
• Bring evidence
• Challenge inaccuracies
• Push for lawful provision
• Hold the system accountable

They are also a moment to step back and say:

“Is this plan still working for my child?”

And if the answer is no the law gives you the mechanism to change it.

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Annual Reviews are not a favour.
They are a legal right and a strategic tool.

Used well, they can transform a child’s educational journey and give parents the clarity, confidence, and leverage they need to secure the right support.

If you’re navigating an Annual Review and need guidance, templates, or strategic support, the SEN Parent Support Group community is here to help you every step of the way. Join us here

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For further information on mediation and tribunals click the hyperlinks or ask in group.