A more affordable alternative to SEN solicitors.

School admissions processes can be confusing and convoluted. If you think that only one local State School/ Academy can meet needs, you are likely to have to apply directly to the Admission Authority for a school place, which could be either the school, or the local authority on the school’s behalf. There are limited grounds for appealing against the decision.

We will support you by reviewing the case, identify the strengths and weaknesses of the case and if instructed run the case including drafting the appeal and appearing before the Admissions Panel.

Many parents contact us to talk about bullying at school. It is a stressful and difficult situation to manage. Unaddressed bullying can result in loss of confidence in the school and a sense of despair at a situation that just doesn’t improve swiftly. While all of that is going on what is happening to the child?

We will support you by reviewing the case, identify the strengths and weaknesses of the case and if instructed write to the School pointing out their responsibilities and seek to cause effective action to be taken to support the child at school level and if necessary, by the LA, particularly if the child is out of school.

If a child is discriminated by a school we can review the facts and advise as to whether there are grounds for an appeal under the Equality Act and if necessary run the appeal on your behalf and appear before the Tribunal.

There is increasing emphasis on children attending school on a full-time basis. For some children they simply cannot manage school through anxiety, a bad experience at school or the end effects of Covid or that they have become demand avoidant.

LAs are being put under pressure by the DfE to take vigorous action against parents including prosecution. We are not solicitors and cannot act for you before the Magistrates Courts, but we have been very successful in stopping prosecution where there are clear unaddressed SEN and we can demonstrate that non-attendance is not due to bad parenting. Normally in these cases time is of the essence, and we need to be instructed as soon as possible.

We will support you by reviewing the case, identify the strengths and weaknesses of the case and if instructed write to the School and the LA pointing out their responsibilities, and where they have not met their statutory duties.. We will work with you to identify the best way forward to support you and the child and then proactively work with the school/LA to support you both to the next stage of their education. We will explain your circumstances to the school/LA and demonstrate why prosecution will not be an effective process.

Where a child requires additional support that goes beyond what a school, college, or nursery can typically deliver from their own budgets or staffing then they may need an Education Health and Care Plan.

For more information, take a look at our EHCP Guide.

LA’s have specific duties to provide free home to school transport to those students with special educational needs who are deemed eligible for transport. The duties differ depending on age and whether those who are deemed eligible attend a qualifying school.

For more information, take a look at our SEN Transport guide.

For a child being excluded can be highly disruptive and an affirmation to the child that they are not valued. There are a number of steps that the school should take. If your child is excluded from school, then they must continue to receive an education. In our experience, many excluded children with SEN have not been correctly supported. They fall through gaps in the system, not being ‘picked up’ perhaps because they are very good at masking, and then remain at home without an education for many months or years.

We will support you by considering the individual issues within the case and advise on the remedies that can be obtained. This might include seeking an EHCP or gaining an Emergency Annual review to ensure their needs are correctly identified and putting in place additional support and expertise or changing the school or putting in additional social care support at home. In some, rare, cases that advice may also include consideration for a claim under the Equality Act.