SEN Places in EBD school?

Question

Hi, can any body tell me if there is legally a cut off point for the amount of children on roll at school? The school of my choice for my son is full, so I've been told and I'm not happy with the alternative. Is there reason enough to contest this decision?

Answer 1

Most special schools do have a limit on the places they have available - if you ask the school or your local Authority, they should tell you how many places there are at the school, they should also have a prospectus you can have a look at, even the Ofsted report for the school should be able to tell you.

I'm assuming your child has a Statement - if the Authority is reluctant to name the school & you believe that this is the best place for him, you could explore the option of taking them to Tribunal.

http://www.sendist.gov.uk/

You could also ask to meet with the Chair of the Panel that made the decision & have them explain to you why they've come to this decision and what other options are available.  There should also be a mediation service available in your area that you can speak to.      

You could also seek advice from your local Parent Partnership if you haven't done so already about what options you have available:

http://www.parentpartnership.org.uk/

Answer 2

Try the Advisory Centre for Education (ACE)

link  below