What you need to know
• In Norfolk, state-funded schools, academies and free schools admit students under the same school admission arrangements. You can find out more
about school admissions on the Norfolk County Council website.
• If you have an EHCP or are in the EHC Needs Assessment stage then the EHCP SEN Ops Team at Norfolk County Council can help you, you can contact them on 01603 679183
• Norfolk SENDIASS provides impartial information, advice and support to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and to their parents and carers.

If your child or young person doesn’t have an EHC plan
If your child or young person does not have an EHCP or you are in the EHC Needs Assessment stage*, then once you have a move date you need to start the admissions application process. You do this online here. Once you have completed the online admissions form it can take up to 15 school days for the Local Authority to get in contact with you. 

If you don’t get the school that you were hoping for you have a right to appeal. If you applied to an academy, free school, voluntary aided or foundation school you must contact the headteacher of that school. The school will send you a form so that you can give your reasons for requesting a place there. If you applied to a voluntary controlled school or community school contact Norfolk County Council admissions team for an appeals form.

*When you move if your child is part way through an EHC needs assessment but hasn’t yet got an EHC plan, the assessment will stop. The EHCP team in Norfolk will decide whether to carry on with the assessment. They should consider the fact that the old authority was doing an assessment.

If your child or young person has an EHC plan When a child or young person moves to another local authority, the ‘old’ authority must transfer the EHC plan to Norfolk County Council. This is usually done on the date that you move, if they have had 15 or more days’ notice. When your child’s EHC plan is transferred, Norfolk County Council becomes responsible for reviewing it and for making sure that the special educational provision in it is provided.

Within six weeks of the date when your child’s EHC plan is transferred, the EHCP team in Norfolk must tell you (or the young person) when they will review it. You or they can also suggest that a new EHC needs assessment is done if it’s thought that it’s needed.

The EHCP team must review the plan before one of the following deadlines, whichever is the later:
• within 12 months of the plan being made or being previously reviewed by the old authority, or
• Within three months of the plan being transferred 

Following the review of the EHCP the Local Authority will either maintain the plan (keep it the same), cease the plan or amend it. If they choose to maintain the plan or cease it and you are unhappy with this you will have the right to appeal that decision.

If the LA choose to amend it they will send you a draft copy of the EHCP (this will not name an educational placement), it’s important you look through the draft plan to make sure all needs and provision are listed and you are happy with it, you will then inform the LA of the educational placement that is your parental preference.

The LA will then finalise the plan and send it to you or the young person if they are 16+, should you or the young person be unhappy with the placement named or the needs/provision listed then you will have a right to appeal. 

What you can do now
• Look at the Norfolk Local Offer website to see what kind of support and services children and young people with SEND can receive in Norfolk.
• Make sure you have copies of all relevant paperwork, assessments, plans and recommendations from your old Local Authority, school/college and any other professional or services that you have been involved. You’ll need to share these with the EHCP team and/or others when you move.
• Find out what schools may be near you by using the Norfolk School Finder
• Prepare your child or young person for the transition to a new county and school
• Visit our website to book a telephone appointment to speak with one of our advisors at Norfolk SENDIASS