From mainstream to home schooling
Daniel* is a secondary school pupil with diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Condition (Asperger’s) with associated challenges, absence epilepsy and a demand avoidant profile.
As a cognitively able young person, he had been educated in a mainstream school, but required both Speech and Language Therapy and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, funded by his parents.
Their application for an assessment for an EHCP was declined by the local authority (LA) in June 2023 and so they began home-schooling Daniel in October that year. Daniel’s parents looked at potential independent specialist provision and one school suggested they would benefit from our school search service.
Family overview
- Secondary School Age Child
- Autism Spectrum Condition (Asperger’s) with associated challenges, absence epilepsy and a demand avoidant profile.
- Additional SALT and CBT funded by parents
- Assessment declined by LA
- Homeschooled for 1 year
Our Support
- Advised contact with educational solicitor or a SEND Advocacy
- Recommended expert witness to support changes to the draft EHCP
- With our input and support from the solicitors, the changes were accepted by the LA and a Tribunal was avoided.
Involving an educational solicitor
Due to the lack of support from their LA, we advised Daniel’s parents to contact either an educational solicitor or a SEND Advocacy for help in obtaining an EHCP. This is a legally binding document that follows a young person whether they attend a mainstream or specialist provision school, documenting their educational needs which must be met.
Following the appointment of solicitors for Daniel, their involvement led to the LA agreeing to an assessment. However, when the draft EHCP was received it specified that Daniel could be educated in a mainstream secondary school. His parents requested an appeal of this decision as they felt such a setting would be unable to meet their son’s needs.
Obtaining the right evidence
We recommended that additional expert witness reports on Daniel’s needs should be obtained and submitted as evidence to support changes to the draft EHCP.
The local authority set a date for a SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) Tribunal so that the EHCP could be appealed but, with our input and support from the solicitors, the requested changes were accepted by the LA and a Tribunal was avoided.
outcomes
- Identified a number of schools and agreed a shortlist with the family.
- Daniel attended several ‘taster’ days. We helped him prepare for what these would involve.
- A further potential school was named in the EHCP.
- Daniel has been successfully attending this specialist provision since the end of November 2024.
Searching for a best-match school
Having reviewed all the diagnostic reports for Daniel and agreed specific search criteria with his parents, we conducted a school search, explaining our process in an online meeting with them.
We identified a number of schools potentially able to meet Daniel’s needs and, following a review, agreed a shortlist with the family. We advised them to visit as many different specialist schools as possible, to enable a clear comparison.
As a result of these initial visits and referrals made to selected schools, Daniel was invited for several ‘taster’ days. We worked with him and his parents to prepare them for what these days would involve. A further potential school was also found at this stage and named in the EHCP. Having been out of school for a year, Daniel has been successfully attending this specialist provision since the end of November 2024.
Without expert help in obtaining an EHCP and successfully challenging the initial version by presenting additional professional diagnostic reports, Daniel would still be out of school. Instead he is flourishing in an educational setting matched to his specific needs.
Parent of Daniel *
The next Steps
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