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Guidance for Young People applying for Post 16 education (with an EHCP)

What happens during the transition process?

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The timeline below outlines the stages of joint working between the young person, the school and Local Authority to gain a post 16 placement for September 2022.

When What Happens?
Summer Term 2021 Opportunities to attend open days at appropriate Post 16 placements and apply directly to the setting

Between 6 September 2021 & 20 December 2021

Preference Form Returned by: 17 December 2021

School’s Careers Adviser arranges a full careers guidance interview and issues a Career Action Plan for all those with an EHC Plan.

School/Placement SENCO arranges the Annual Review Meeting in order to complete the Annual Review form/make changes to the EHCP.

Additional opportunities to attend Open Days at appropriate Post 16 placements and to apply directly to the setting.

Young Person/Parent/Carer completes the Post 16 Preference Form and returns it to the current placement or to the SEND 0-25 team.

The current school/placement sends the completed EHCP template, career action plan, up to date school reports, Annual Review Report form and the student’s preference form to: 
SENDandInclusion@telford.gov.uk

Between 4 January 2022 & 24 February 2022 SEND 0-25 Team will consult with placements about the young person’s preferred options. SEND will also consult with other appropriate placements that are in the student’s local community if necessary.
By 15 March 2022 An Amendment notice will be sent out, identifying any proposed amendments to the EHC Plan and the intended Post 16 setting to be named in Section I of the EHC Plan. You will have 15 days to make written representations to the Local Authority with proposals.
By 31 March 2022 Final or amended EHC Plan will be issued to name the young person’s allocated Post 16 Provision for September 2022. 

A young person who has an EHC Plan and is due to move on to a Post 16 placement (e.g. College) will be given the opportunity to share their preferences about the Post 16 Placement. To share this information with us it’s important that the preference form is correctly filled in.

Filling in the form:

  • A young person who is resident in Telford & Wrekin must complete the Preference Form specifically for learners with an EHC Plan  
  • It is advisable to include a Telford placement on the preference form.
  • If the young person would like to apply for a placement outside of Telford & Wrekin they must still complete the Preference Form and name the placement.
  • Telford & Wrekin LA is required to consult with a Post 16 placement, before it can be named on the young person’s EHC plan.
  • Post 16 placements are allocated in accordance with the SEND Code of Practice 2015 and the criteria set out in this guidance.
  • Each young person will be given the opportunity to make representations and discuss any concerns with their SEND Officer whose name and contact details will be in the letter with your amendment notice.
  • If the young person or their guardian disagrees with the offered placement, they can discuss with their SEND Officer and or appeal to the SEND Tribunal Service. The contact details will be included in the letter sent with the Final Amended EHC Plan.

Please be aware:

The Children & Family Act 2014 states that, when amending an EHC Plan, Local Authorities must make arrangements to enable young people to say where they would prefer to receive their Post 16 education or training.

However, there are limited numbers of places in some settings and therefore it may not be possible to allocate students a place at their preferred settings.

To increase a student’s opportunity for a preferred placement we would encourage that all four preferences are completed in the Preference Form. 
 
Telford & Wrekin Local Authority must comply with a young person’s preference for a local college or sixth form unless:

  • The placement is unsuitable to their age, ability, aptitude or SEN, or
  • The placement would be incompatible with the efficient education of other young people with whom they would like to be educated, or
  • The placement would be incompatible with the efficient use of resources.