Once you have received the Proposed Statement you have 15 days to tell the local authority what you think about the content of the Proposed Statement and to give your view about the school that you would like your child to attend. A blue reply slip is sent out with the Proposed Statement to help you record your views and preferences for a school place.

You can request a meeting with your ASENO to discuss the proposed statement. After this meeting, you will have a further 15 days to put forward your comments or to ask for another meeting. You can ask for help from Parent Partnership Service during any stage of this process.

Nothing is written in Part 4 of the statement, at this stage, until you have been consulted about the type and name of the school or setting you would like your child to attend. You will be sent information about the different sorts of schools available in Nottinghamshire. Some of these are ordinary (mainstream) schools and others are special schools that provide help for a variety of special needs. Most children who have a statement will remain at the same setting or school they have been attending.

The Final Statement

The Local Authority will usually be able to send you the final statement within 8 weeks of having issued the proposed statement. The final statement is a legal document. A school will be named in Part 4. The LA and the school’s governors must make sure that your child receives the help written in the Statement. Neither you nor the LA can change the school named in the statement unless everyone agrees that a change is in your child’s best interests.

The ASENO will make arrangements for your child to attend the school named in their Statement. This will include discussions about any special transport needs.

What if I don’t agree with the Final Statement?

You can contact the ASENO dealing with your child’s case and request a meeting to ask for further explanation. You can also seek independent advice and support which the Parent Partnership Service, amongst others, can offer. You can make a request for access to informal disagreement resolution/mediation services through the Parent Partnership Service. They will make a referral on your behalf to the Together Trust who undertake this role across the East Midlands. Ultimately you can appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST), if you continue to disagree about the content of the Final Statement. Contacting your ASENO, Parent Partnership Service or using a mediation service does not affect your right to use the tribunal.

Annual Reviews

A statement has to be reviewed every year and this takes place at the Annual Review meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to:

• check your child has made progress and that any support has been successful in meeting their needs
• see if there has been any change in your child’s’ circumstances
• think about and plan for the next year
• see if the statement is still right for your child’s needs

You should be invited to attend the Annual Review along with your child’s teacher and a representative from the LA. Your child will also be invited to this meeting or if this is not appropriate, they will be supported to give their views in advance of the meeting, so that these can be considered as part of the Annual Review process. The head teacher may want to invite other people working with your child.

During the meeting you and your child will have the opportunity to put your views across. It is sometimes helpful to prepare for this beforehand, by writing a list. Parent Partnership can support you in these meetings.

After the meeting, the head teacher or SENCO will write a report that details what you talked about the meeting and what the agreed way forward is.

Transition Plans

In the school year when your child turns 14, the Annual Review will involve many people who can help you child prepare for adult life. This is called the Year 9 Annual Review and will produce a Transition Plan. Further information about Transition Planning can be found on the Parent Partnership website: www.ppsnotts.org.uk/publications.asp