Meet Sally
Sally* is 11 years old and thriving in her small, supportive junior school. As she prepared to move to a large mainstream secondary school, her parents grew concerned.
Although she is bright and capable, Sally struggles with social interaction, writing and spelling, emotional regulation, and sensory processing, and her parents worried that a busy mainstream setting wouldn’t be able to meet her needs.
Family overview
- 11 year old about to move to larger mainstream secondary
- Struggling with social interaction, writing and spelling, emotional regulation and sensory processing
- Already had an EHCP which specified mainstream education
Our Support
- Connected with local clinical professionals, who provided formal diagnoses of ASC (Autism Spectrum Condition) and ADHD.
- Recommended expert witness assessments in Educational Psychology, Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy
- Focused on schools that could support SpLD, ASC, ADHD, and cognitively able pupils
Seeking Clarity and Support
Referred to us by their educational lawyer, Sally’s parents already had an EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) in place, but they were appealing Sections B, F, and I — particularly the school placement named in Section I, which specified mainstream education.
While waiting for the appeal, we worked with the family to gather stronger evidence about Sally’s specific needs — a crucial step in securing the right school placement.
Building the Evidence
We helped the family connect with local clinical professionals, who provided formal diagnoses of ASC (Autism Spectrum Condition) and ADHD. Next, expert witness assessments were commissioned in:
- Educational Psychology
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
The recommendations from these reports provided the evidence needed to strengthen the EHCP and inform our school search.
A Positive Outcome
- After visiting and attending taster days, the family chose a Specialist Independent School that met all of Sally’s needs.
- The updated EHCP incorporated all expert recommendations, and the Local Authority agreed to the placement — no tribunal needed.
- Sally completed her junior school journey happily with her peers and transitioned smoothly into her new specialist setting for Year 7.
Finding the Right School
Using the expert evidence, we focused on schools that could support:
- Specific learning difficulties (like dyslexia)
- ASC, ADHD, and social communication needs
- Cognitively able pupils
We prioritised schools offering speech and language and occupational therapy support, either onsite or through visiting professionals.
Our search included both specialist and mainstream schools, considering local authority and independent options that followed the National Curriculum with flexible, adapted learning pathways.
How We Help Families Like Yours
Our team supports families to:
- Gather the right professional evidence
- Strengthen EHCPs
- Identify and secure suitable school placements
- Avoid unnecessary tribunal stress
If you’re facing similar challenges with your child’s school placement or EHCP, we can help you find the right educational environment with confidence and clarity.
At a time when we really needed support, Lorna was both extremely helpful and very kind. She was happy to tailor her offering and ultimately signposted a school that we had not identified previously. Our son started there in September and all is going well. We highly recommend Lorna.
Parent of Sally*, 11
The next Steps
Find out if we can help your child or young person
Our FREE 15-minute consultation allows us to understand your current situation and we can let you know, honestly, if we can help. If not, then we can recommend the best way forward.
