The EHCP annual review is a statutory requirement. Every child with an Education, Health and Care Plan must have their plan reviewed at least once every twelve months. For most children in mainstream school, this happens during the summer term.
The problem is that summer term reviews are often the most pressured. Schools are managing SATs, transition planning, end-of-year reports, and staff workload. The review can feel like an afterthought rather than a meaningful assessment of your child's needs.
As a parent, you have the right to request copies of all reports at least two weeks before the review meeting. You should receive contributions from education, health, and care professionals involved with your child. If you have not received these, request them in writing before the meeting takes place.
You also have the right to submit your own written contribution. Do not underestimate this. Your observations about what is working, what is not, and what needs to change carry significant weight. Write it before the meeting, not during it.
At the meeting, the local authority must decide within four weeks whether to maintain, amend, or cease the EHCP. If they propose to cease the plan or refuse to make amendments you believe are necessary, you have the right to appeal to the SEND Tribunal.
If your annual review is approaching, treat it as an opportunity rather than a formality. The plan should reflect your child today, not who they were when the last version was written.