Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)

Reviewing progress for children and young people with EHCPs.

All children or young people with SEND should be supported through ongoing, formative assessment as part of their day-to-day learning and development.

Settings should have a clear, structured review plan to identify the child or young person’s changing needs and ensure they are reflected in ongoing planning and provision.

Regular review meetings with parents should take place at least three times a year. One of these meetings will be the statutory annual review.

Contents

The Annual Review - an overview

The Annual Review of an EHC plan looks at the long-term outcomes that were previously agreed and evaluates the effectiveness of the provision set out in the plan. 

At each Annual Review, progress towards achieving the outcomes is discussed to determine whether they remain appropriate and relevant to the child or young person’s long-term needs. 

The child or young person and their family are at the centre of this process, and the Annual Review must take account of their wishes and feelings.

Everyone at the meeting will contribute to discussions about progress made and the impact of the provision. 

Any proposed changes to the EHC Plan are considered during the review, including whether the plan remains necessary.

The first Annual Review must be held within 12 months of the date on which the EHC plan was issued, and subsequent Annual Reviews must take place within 12 months of the previous review.

Guidance on long-term EHCP outcomes

In newly issued EHCPs and in EHCPs reviewed at Annual Reviews where plans are being amended or reissued, only long-term outcomes are now recorded. 

In amended plans, any previously agreed short-term outcomes will have been removed or, where appropriate, simplified following the review. 

What is meant by long-term outcomes?

Long‑term outcomes describe what success is expected to look like by the end of a phase or key stage, rather than focusing on short-term or termly outcomes. 

Short-term outcomes are no longer required to be included in EHCPs.

For primary-aged pupils, this would usually mean:

  • End of EYFS
  • End of Key Stage 1
  • End of Key Stage 2

For secondary-aged pupils, this would usually mean:

  • End of Key Stage 3
  • End of Key Stage 4
  • End of Key Stage 5
  • End of year 14

For example, a Year 2 pupil’s Annual Review would be setting outcomes that look ahead to the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6), rather than being written for Year 3.

What might this look like in practice?

Long-term (end of phase) outcome:

By the end of Key Stage 2, X will produce age-appropriate written work that communicates their ideas clearly and independently, using appropriate sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling, with support adjusted to their needs.

The short-term (termly/yearly) outcome (now no longer expected in the EHCP):

By the end of Year 3, X will write a simple paragraph independently using a capital letter and a full stop in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

The smaller, measurable steps (e.g. sentence construction, stamina for writing, spelling strategies) are still essential – but they should now be recorded and reviewed through:

  • professional advice
  • pupil profiles
  • provision plans
  • IEPs or equivalent documents used within the APDR cycle

The EHCP sets the long-term direction and intended outcomes. Schools and settings are responsible for planning, delivering and reviewing progress through smaller steps as part of their ongoing provision and review processes.

Further examples of long-term outcomes:

  • By the end of KS1, X will be able to express her preference when offered a choice between two activities ​
  • By the end of KS3, X will be able to enter an unfamiliar shop and buy a chosen item and walk to familiar shops for small errands on a daily basis​
  • X engages in a play activity with another child and an adult on a daily basis, by the time he is in reception​
  • By the time he finishes college, X will be able to manage his money from day-to-day, including planning for his daily costs (e.g. using public transport, buying lunch and treats)​
  • By the end of KS4, X will be able to walk around his community (bus stop, school and local club) safely and independently.
  • X greets different people appropriately. This will include family members, her friends and unfamiliar adults. To be achieved by the end of KS2.

Writing long-term outcomes related to aspirations and needs

Long-term outcomes should be closely linked to the child's or young person’s aspirations and needs.

Aspirations (Section A)​
X wants to have friends. ​​

Special Educational Needs (Section B)​
X has difficulty with his social skills.​​

Special Educational Provision (Section F)​
X will participate in a daily 15-minute group session (up to 3 students) focused on social skills and role-play activities, led by the Speech and Language Therapist.​

Outcomes (Section E)​
Long-term: X will be able to maintain and form appropriate friendships.

What should be reviewed at the Annual Review:

The EHCP outcomes are not expected to change at every Annual Review unless:

  • the child’s needs have significantly changed, or
  • the outcome is no longer appropriate for the phase of education.

If the long-term outcomes require amending, this should be recorded on the EHC plan directly using strikethrough text for deletions and any additions should be clearly indicated in red text.

  • The Annual Review must focus on progress towards the long-term outcomes specified in Section E of the plan. The following points should also be discussed:
    • what smaller steps have been achieved in the past year
    • what will the next steps be for the coming year. These will be reflected in provision planning rather than rewriting the EHCP outcome itself.
  • The review should consider if the special educational provision that is being made, continues to be effective and allows the child/young person to make progress towards their agreed outcomes.
  • The review should also consider whether the health and social care provision stated in the EHC plan is accurate and continues to support progress towards the agreed outcomes.
  • Progress and agreed next steps should be recorded in the Record of Annual Review (ROAR) form. 
  • If a child/young person has achieved their outcomes and support can now be met within delegated resources, a discussion with the child/young person/family should take place and a recommendation made to the LA on whether to cease the EHC plan.
  • All reviews from Year 9 onward must include a focus on Preparing for Adulthood as a statutory requirement.

Best practice for the Annual Review meeting

See the Annual Review actions checklist (doc format, 55KB) to support this.

  • Ensure there is a clear, agreed agenda​. 
  • Allow everyone the opportunity to contribute ​
  • Ensure differing views are recorded​
  • Start with a positive - what is working well​
  • Make sure families know the names and roles of everyone in the meeting, and how to contact them afterwards.​
  • Focus on what can be done to improve things rather than what is not going well.​
  • Ensure progress and attainment are recorded clearly and accurately​
  • Consider whether the provision is still appropriate​
  • At the end of the meeting, recap who is going to do what and what has been agreed upon​
  • Key points are clearly recorded on the ROAR document.

Timeframes and responsibilities

  • The Annual Review process is more than just a review meeting; it must be completed on or before the anniversary of the EHCP's first issuance or the last review.
  • The local authority will provide headteachers, settings managers, or principals with a list of children and young people in their setting who require an Annual Review at least 2 weeks before the start of each half-term break (February, May, and October). The list will include the name of the Children’s Social Care key worker if one is involved with the case.
  • The school/setting or college provider is responsible for arranging and conducting the Annual Review process
  • The following individuals must be invited to the review meeting and given a minimum of six weeks’ notice: 
    • The child’s or young person’s parents
    • The child or young person
    • a representative of the school/college/setting,
    • health care professionals (where involved)
    • social care professionals (where involved)
    • the EHCP Casework Officer
    • Any other professionals/agencies involved with the child or young person
  • Professionals may attend via telephone in or video link where they are unable to attend in person, but they must submit a report to inform the review.
  • The school/college/setting must seek advice and information about the child or young person prior to the meeting. All reports must be circulated to those invited at least two weeks prior to the meeting.
  • A written report of the meeting must be prepared and circulated to all invitees, including the EHCP Casework Officer, within two weeks of the meeting. 
  • The report must set out recommendations for any amendments required to the EHC plan and should reference any difference between the educational provider’s recommendations and those of others attending. Annotations should be made directly on the EHC Plan, using strikethrough for deletions and red text for additions.
  • Within four weeks of the review meeting, the local authority must decide whether it proposes to keep the EHC plan as it is, amend it or cease to maintain it. The child’s parents/young person and the educational provider should all then be notified.
  • Where an EHC plan is to be amended, the local authority must issue the amended EHC plan within 8 weeks of the 'decision to amend' letter.

Paperwork to support the Annual Review process

The EHCP Annual Review portal form is now available for all settings to submit completed records of Annual Review meeting paperwork and supporting documents for children and young people.

Accessing the portal:

The portal link is the same as for new assessments, and you can log in using your existing account:
https://myehmportal.oxfordshire.gov.uk 

Once logged in, select:
‘Education, Health and Care Plan Annual Review (For settings)’

Please refer to the guidance document (pdf format, 713 KB) for instructions. You have two options for submitting your review:

  1. Upload method: Populate personal and attendee details, then attach your record of the Annual Review and supporting documents.
  2. Direct entry method: Complete the form directly within the portal and upload any attachments. If you choose this method, please avoid copying and pasting content into the fields.

The Council for Disabled Children (CDC) have developed useful guidance on the Annual Review process. Further details about reviewing an EHCP can be found on the SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years, on page 194.

Information to share with parents can be found on the local offer reviewing an education, health and care plan page.

Early Years SEND Training to support the Annual Review process