An Annual Review is the legally required process for monitoring the effectiveness of an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP).

If your child or young person has an EHCP, the Local Authority (LA) must review the EHCP at least once a year based on evidence received. For children under five, a review may take place every six months.

It is the school’s responsibility to arrange the Annual Review meeting. Parents can request that the school, pre-school setting or college hold an early or interim Annual Review if they have significant concerns. The majority of evidence will be taken from the report created as a result of an Annual Review meeting.

If your child isn’t on roll at a school, a review must still happen. The local authority is responsible for making sure it does. This might be if you are electively educating your child at home, or if your child isn’t able to be in school for health or other reasons.

At this review meeting your child or young person’s progress will be discussed to ensure the EHCP continues to meet his/her aspirations, goals and needs. If your child or young person’s needs change significantly, anyone raises serious concern about your child or young person’s progress or suggests a change in provision may be required to meet your child concern the Annual Review may be brought forward.

The Annual Review process ends when the LA have informed you of their decision, taking the annual review meeting into account, to either:

• maintain the EHCP in its current form with no changes
• amend the EHCP to reflect changes in needs, provision, or placement
• cease the EHCP as it is no longer required