SEND support in England

SEN Support vs EHCP: what each provides

Understand what schools should provide through SEN Support, what an EHC needs assessment investigates, and what changes when a final EHC plan is issued.

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Lead authorRobin GibbonsFounder & CEO·Latimer Tuition
Reviewed byHeather LatimerTutor Matching & Customer Service·Latimer Tuition
Published4 August 2026
Last reviewed4 August 2026

Current answer

SEN Support, an EHC needs assessment and an EHC plan are different

SEN Support is the school-led framework for identifying special educational needs, planning provision, delivering support and reviewing its impact. It is not an informal waiting stage: mainstream schools must use their best endeavours to secure the special educational provision a pupil with SEN needs.

An EHC needs assessment is a statutory investigation carried out by the local authority. It gathers education, health and care information so the authority can decide whether an education, health and care plan is necessary. A final EHC plan, often called an EHCP, is issued only after that assessment and a separate decision. Agreement to assess does not guarantee that a plan will follow.

The central difference is responsibility and legal form. SEN Support is planned and reviewed by the school. A final EHC plan is maintained by the local authority, and the authority must secure the special educational provision specified in Section F. This guide explains the framework in England; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use different law and terminology.

Sources: SEND Code of Practice and Children and Families Act 2014.

SEN Support, assessment and a final EHC plan compared

The assessment stage sits between school-level support and a possible final plan. Keeping all three stages separate helps prevent the common assumption that an assessment request is an application for a guaranteed plan.

The SEND Code of Practice states that, where a plan is maintained, the local authority “must secure the special educational provision specified in the plan” (paragraph 9.131).

Point	SEN Support	EHC needs assessment	Final EHC plan
Main purpose	Identify and meet SEN through school-led provision and continuing review.	Gather coordinated education, health and care advice under a statutory process.	Record needs, outcomes and provision in a statutory plan where the authority decides one is necessary.
Main decision-maker	The school, led in practice by teachers and the SENCO, with the pupil and parents involved.	The local authority decides whether to assess and conducts the assessment once agreed.	The local authority decides whether a plan is necessary after considering the assessment evidence.
Key question	What needs and barriers are present, and what provision should the school make and review?	Does the child or young person have or may they have SEN, and may provision through a plan be necessary?	After assessment, is it necessary for special educational provision to be made through an EHC plan?
Record or output	A clear school record of needs, outcomes, provision, responsibility, delivery and review; the format can vary.	Advice and information gathered from the family, setting and relevant education, health and care professionals.	A final document with mandatory sections, including needs in Section B and special educational provision in Section F.
Review pattern	An ongoing assess-plan-do-review cycle, with regular discussion and recorded decisions.	A time-limited evidence-gathering process rather than an ongoing support plan.	A formal review at least every 12 months, followed by a local-authority decision to maintain, amend or cease the plan.
Responsibility for provision	The school must use its best endeavours to secure the special educational provision the pupil needs.	The local authority must conduct the assessment and obtain relevant advice once it has agreed to assess.	The local authority must secure the special educational provision specified in Section F.
Concern or challenge	Raise school delivery or planning concerns with the SENCO and school, then use the school complaints process where needed.	A refusal to assess may carry mediation and SEND Tribunal rights; read the decision letter without delay.	Specified decisions about issuing, amending, ceasing or the contents of a plan may carry mediation and Tribunal rights.

What SEN Support should provide

A pupil has special educational needs (SEN) where a learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision. For a school-age pupil, that means provision additional to, or different from, what is generally available to pupils of the same age in mainstream settings.

Where progress is lower than expected, targeted high-quality teaching is the first response. If concern continues, the teacher and special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) should assess whether the pupil has SEN. Appropriate extra teaching or intervention should not be delayed simply while more evidence is gathered. The class or subject teacher remains responsible for the pupil’s learning, even when another adult delivers an intervention.

Support may include targeted teaching, a special learning programme, small-group work, communication support, specialist advice, help participating in class or assistance with physical or personal-care needs. These are examples, not a fixed package or an automatic entitlement to one-to-one support. A diagnosis is not required before a school responds to an identified need, and reasonable-adjustment duties can apply whether or not a pupil has an EHC plan.

Read the SEND Code of Practice and GOV.UK examples of SEN Support.

Assess

Build a clear picture of the pupil’s needs, strengths, barriers, current progress and the evidence already available.
Plan

Agree outcomes, provision, adjustments, expected impact, responsibilities and a review date with the pupil and parent.
Do

Put the agreed support into practice consistently and record what was actually delivered.
Review

Judge impact against the agreed outcomes, involve the pupil and parent, and continue, change, intensify or replace the support as the evidence requires.

What a useful SEN Support record should show

England does not prescribe one universal document called a “SEN Support plan”. A school may use a learning plan, pupil passport, provision map or another format. The title can vary; the substance should still be clear enough to show what has been agreed, delivered and learned from review.

When SEN Support is provided, parents should be notified and involved in agreeing outcomes, provision and review arrangements. The SEND Code expects schools to keep and share a written record and, for school pupils receiving SEN Support, to meet parents at least three times a year to discuss progress and support.

Need or barrier

The learning, communication, participation, emotional, physical or other educational difficulty that has been identified.
Intended outcome

An observable or measurable change, rather than a vague aim such as “make progress”.
Provision

The teaching approach, adjustment, intervention, equipment, adult input or specialist advice that will be used.
Frequency and duration

How often and for how long the support will be provided, where that detail is needed to understand the provision.
Responsibility

Who will deliver the support, who will oversee it and how the teacher and SENCO will remain involved.
Review method and date

When impact will be reviewed, the baseline being used and the evidence that will show whether the outcome has been achieved.
Review decision

What was delivered, what effect it had, the pupil and parent’s views, and what will continue or change next.

Current answer

What an EHC needs assessment is — and who can request one

A parent of a child, a young person over compulsory school age but under 25, or a person acting on behalf of a school or post-16 institution can request an EHC needs assessment. Other people, including relevant professionals or family members, may bring a child or young person to the local authority’s attention where they think assessment may be necessary.

At the assessment stage, the local authority must consider two questions: does the child or young person have or may they have SEN, and may it be necessary for special educational provision to be made through an EHC plan? The repeated word “may” matters. A family does not have to prove, before assessment, that a plan must definitely be issued.

A parent does not need the school’s agreement before making a request, although school records and cooperation can strengthen the evidence. There is no nationally required request form. A local form can be useful, but a valid request should not be rejected solely because a preferred form or portal was not used. A diagnosis, fixed number of SEN Support cycles, costed provision map or minimum school-spend figure cannot replace the statutory test. A clear written request remains sensible because it records the date and organises the evidence.

Read Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014 and IPSEA’s explanation of request formats.

Decision caveat

When an EHC needs assessment may be worth considering

There is no lawful national checklist based on a diagnosis, a fixed number of failed interventions, a particular attainment level or a set school spend. The following are practical indicators, drawn from the statutory test and guidance, that may support a discussion about assessment:

needs remain unclear, broad or interacting despite repeated assessment;
progress remains limited despite appropriate provision that has been delivered and reviewed;
progress occurs only because unusually intensive support is in place;
the school cannot identify, organise or sustain the required provision reliably from its normally available arrangements;
education, health and care professionals need to contribute to a coordinated assessment;
provision may need to be unusually precise, intensive, specialist or coordinated;
support is inconsistent, repeatedly withdrawn or dependent on short-term arrangements; or
the child’s access to education or wellbeing is deteriorating while current support is not producing an adequate response.

When this advice is not enough

No indicator, diagnosis, report or period of SEN Support can determine the legal outcome by itself. The local authority must apply the statutory test to the individual evidence.

What to do instead

Set out the child’s needs, provision already tried, review evidence, continuing barriers and why a coordinated statutory assessment may now be necessary. A parent may request assessment without waiting for school agreement.

Evidence that may help explain your child’s needs

This is not a compulsory evidence pack. The local authority has its own information-gathering duties once an assessment is agreed, and no single document guarantees an assessment or plan. The aim is to show a coherent picture of needs, provision, impact and what remains unresolved. Attainment scores alone are not decisive.

Assessments and progress information

Show the starting point, rate and pattern of progress, including progress achieved only because unusually intensive support is in place.
SEN Support records

Include the needs identified, intended outcomes, support planned, responsibility and review dates, whatever the school calls the document.
Review notes

Show whether provision was actually delivered, what impact it had and what changed afterwards.
Provision description or timetable

Record frequency, duration, group size and required expertise where those details are relevant.
Work examples and observations

Illustrate how the difficulty affects everyday learning, communication, participation or independence.
Access and wellbeing records

Attendance, reduced timetables, distress or exclusion from activities may be relevant when interpreted in context.
Professional advice

Reports may explain needs, functional effects and recommended provision; a diagnosis can be useful evidence but is not a legal prerequisite.
Parent evidence

Describe support needed outside school, changes over time, the child’s response and concerns about educational access.
Child or young person’s views

Include their experience, difficulties, strengths, aspirations and priorities.
Correspondence

Keep dated records of concerns raised, action agreed and any acknowledged limits in current provision.

Main EHC assessment and plan timescales

These are the main statutory time points in England. Specific exceptions can affect the timetable, and a legal deadline is not a promise that every case will finish within it. Keep dated copies of requests, decisions and comments.

Source: SEND Regulations 2014.

Stage	Main rule	Useful parent action
Request received	The process starts when the home local authority receives the request or the child or young person is otherwise brought to its attention.	Keep a dated copy and evidence of delivery.
Decision whether to assess	The local authority must notify the parent or young person of its decision within six weeks.	Read the reasons and any information about mediation or appeal rights.
Advice during assessment	Those asked for statutory advice must generally respond within six weeks of the request for advice.	Make sure the family’s views and relevant current advice have been shared.
Decision not to issue a plan	Where assessment is completed but no plan will be issued, the authority must notify the parent or young person no later than 16 weeks from the original request.	Read the reasons and note any mediation or appeal deadline.
Draft plan	The parent or young person must be given at least 15 calendar days to comment and request a particular school or type of institution.	Check that every need in Section B has corresponding provision in Section F.
Final plan	The local authority must normally issue the final plan within 20 weeks of receiving the request, subject to statutory exceptions.	Compare the final plan with the draft, the evidence and the comments submitted.

What changes when a final EHC plan is issued

A final EHC plan has mandatory sections. The educational comparison turns especially on how needs and provision are recorded, and on the local authority’s duty to secure the special educational provision in Section F.

The SEND Code of Practice says: “Provision must be detailed and specific and should normally be quantified.” — paragraph 9.69.

Section B: special educational needs

This section should identify all of the child or young person’s special educational needs.

Section E: outcomes

This section records the outcomes sought, which should connect to identified needs and provision.

Section F: special educational provision

This section should specify provision for every need in Section B and, where needed, include type, frequency, duration, hours and required expertise.

Section I: placement

This section names the school, college or other institution, or records the relevant type where appropriate.

Section K: assessment advice

This section lists the advice and information gathered during assessment, which should be appended to the plan.

Specificity matters

Wording such as “access to regular help” may leave the entitlement unclear. Clearer wording identifies what will be provided, how often, for how long and by staff with what expertise, where those details are needed.

Responsibility changes

Where a local authority maintains the plan, it must secure the special educational provision specified in Section F. Health and social-care provision has different statutory arrangements, so not every statement in every section is enforced in exactly the same way.

Reviews, complaints and appeals: which process applies?

SEN Support is reviewed through the school-led assess-plan-do-review cycle. A final EHC plan must be formally reviewed at least every 12 months, after which the local authority decides whether to maintain, amend or cease it. If amendments are proposed, the existing final plan remains in force until the amended final plan is issued.

The right next step depends on whether the concern is about school-level support or a specified local-authority decision. Appeal scope and deadlines are legally important; the usual SEND Tribunal deadline is two months from the decision letter or one month from the mediation certificate, whichever is later.

Read GOV.UK guidance on school SEN complaints and IPSEA guidance on annual reviews.

Issue	First step	Formal process or deadline note
SEN Support is unclear, not reviewed or not delivered by the school	Ask the SENCO and relevant school leader for written clarification and a review.	Use the school’s complaints procedure if the concern is not resolved.
The local authority refuses to assess or refuses to issue a plan	Read the decision letter and obtain mediation information without delay.	A SEND Tribunal appeal may be available; the usual deadline is two months from the decision letter or one month from the mediation certificate, whichever is later.
A final EHC plan needs reviewing	Use the annual-review process and record proposed changes.	The local authority must decide whether to maintain, amend or cease the plan. If amendments are proposed, the existing final plan remains operative until the amended final plan is issued.
Section F provision is not being secured	Record what is missing and raise it with the setting and local authority.	The local authority carries the duty to secure the specified special educational provision.

Questions for a SENCO meeting

Questions to take into a SENCO meeting

When this applies

Use these when you need a clearer written picture of the support being provided, how it is being reviewed and what will happen next.

Suggested wording

What needs or barriers have been identified, and what evidence supports that assessment?

What provision is currently in place, who provides it, how often does it happen and what outcome is it intended to achieve?

What is the baseline, when will the support be reviewed and how will we decide whether it has worked?

Please can I have the written record of the outcomes, actions and support agreed today?

If progress remains limited, what will the next assess-plan-do-review cycle change?

Does the school think the provision required can be delivered reliably from its available resources? If not, should we discuss requesting an EHC needs assessment?

Why this helps

Adapt these questions to your child’s circumstances. They are designed to keep the discussion specific, collaborative and focused on evidence.

The wording focuses on identified needs, precise provision, delivery, outcomes, review evidence and whether a statutory assessment may need to be considered.

Assessment request wording

Wording you can adapt for an assessment request

When this applies

Use this in a written request to the home local authority when you believe the statutory assessment test may be met.

Suggested wording

I am requesting an EHC needs assessment because my child has or may have SEN and may need special educational provision through an EHC plan.

I have set out the needs and barriers we are seeing, the support and adjustments already tried, what reviews have shown, the continuing impact on access to education, and why a coordinated statutory assessment may now be necessary.

Why this helps

Use this as a concise opening, then add the evidence that explains your child’s individual circumstances.

It mirrors the assessment-stage test, makes the request clear and leaves space for the family’s own evidence. It is adaptable wording, not a guarantee of assessment or a final plan.

Common misconceptions about SEN Support and EHC plans

These distinctions matter because an inaccurate rule of thumb can delay support, discourage a valid assessment request or create expectations that the law does not support.

“A child needs a diagnosis before receiving SEN Support.”

No. Support is based on identified learning difficulty or disability and the provision required. A diagnosis may help explain needs, but it is not a prerequisite.

“A diagnosis automatically entitles a child to an EHC plan.”

No. The local authority must apply the assessment-stage test and, after assessment, the separate decision about whether a plan is necessary.

“The school must complete a fixed number of support cycles or spend £6,000 first.”

Neither condition appears in the statutory assessment test. Local funding arrangements cannot replace national law.

“Agreement to assess means the plan has been granted.”

No. Assessment and the later decision whether to issue a final plan are separate decisions with separate challenge rights.

“An EHC plan automatically guarantees one-to-one support or a special-school place.”

No. The plan should specify the individual provision and placement shown to be appropriate; there is no universal entitlement to a particular staffing arrangement or setting.

“SEN Support cannot include specialist input.”

It can include specialist advice and interventions. The key question is whether the required provision can be identified, delivered and sustained without a statutory plan.

Decision caveat

A note on current SEND reform

This guide reflects the SEND framework in force in England on 4 August 2026. Proposed reforms have not yet replaced the current EHC assessment and planning rules. Department for Education guidance describes a longer-term reform programme, subject to consultation, and says any new legislation is expected to take effect from September 2029.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use different legal frameworks and terminology.

Read the Department for Education reform guidance.

When this advice is not enough

This summary may no longer be current after changes to Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014, the SEND Regulations, statutory guidance or the stated reform timetable.

What to do instead

Use the legislation and statutory guidance in force when taking action, especially where an assessment, review, mediation or appeal deadline is involved.

Sources and further reading

The principal legislation, statutory guidance and specialist explanations used for this guide are linked below.

SEND Code of Practice

Definitions, school duties, graduated support, EHC assessment and planning, Section F, reviews and appeals.

Open source 1
Children and Families Act 2014, Part 3

Primary legislation for SEN duties, EHC needs assessments and EHC plans in England.

Open source 2
SEND Regulations 2014

Procedural requirements, advice, draft plans, reviews and statutory timescales.

Open source 3
GOV.UK: Special educational needs support

Parent-facing examples of support available through schools and colleges.

Open source 4
IPSEA: EHC needs assessment request formats

Specialist legal explanation of forms, portals and blanket local prerequisites.

Open source 5
GOV.UK: Complaining about school SEN support

The school complaints process and its distinction from statutory EHC decisions.

Open source 6
IPSEA: SEN Support

Specialist legal explanation of best endeavours, written records, parent involvement and regular review.

Open source 7
IPSEA: Annual review of EHC plans

Specialist guidance on annual reviews and maintain, amend or cease decisions.

Open source 8
Department for Education: current SEND reform guidance

Date-sensitive context confirming that current systems remain while proposed reform is developed.

Open source 9

Related guidance

More guidance from this section

More guidance from this part of the Ed Centre that may help with the same decision, stage or next step.

Related guidance

Assess, Plan, Do, Review: SEND Approach Explained

Understand what should happen at each stage, what evidence a useful review needs and how the plan should change when support is not making the intended difference.

Related guidance

SEND reforms: EHCPs and Individual Support Plans explained

A calm, plain-English guide to what is changing in England, what has not changed yet, and what to ask your child’s SENCO while the current EHCP and SEND support system remains in place.

Related guidance

Learning support for parents

Use this section to find parent guides on homework, reading, dyslexia-aware support, home-school tutoring and practical resources.

Support and clarity

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers to the questions people ask most often.

Can my child receive SEN Support without an EHCP?

Yes. SEN Support is the standard school-led framework for identifying and meeting SEN. A final EHC plan is not required before a school provides purposeful support or makes reasonable adjustments. Whether an assessment or plan may be needed depends on the individual needs and whether the required provision can be made reliably without a statutory plan.

Is a SEN Support plan the same as an EHC plan?

No. A school’s SEN Support record may have different names and formats. An EHC plan is a statutory document maintained by the local authority, with mandatory sections and specified provision. Whatever the school calls its record, it should still show needs, outcomes, provision, responsibility and review.

Do you need a diagnosis for an EHCP?

No. A diagnosis is not required before a school responds to identified SEN or before the statutory assessment test can be considered. Diagnostic evidence may be useful, but it does not automatically establish entitlement to an assessment or final plan.

Who can request an EHC needs assessment, and must the school agree?

A parent of a child, a young person over compulsory school age but under 25, or a person acting on behalf of a school or post-16 institution can make a request. A parent does not need the school’s agreement, although school evidence and cooperation can be valuable.

Can the local authority insist that I use its request form?

A local form can make administration easier, but there is no nationally required request form. A valid request should not be rejected solely because the preferred form or portal was not used. A dated, organised written request is still sensible.

Does an EHC needs assessment mean a plan will be issued?

No. The decision to assess and the later decision whether to issue a final EHC plan are separate. A refusal to assess and a refusal to issue after assessment also have distinct challenge rights.

Does an EHC plan guarantee one-to-one support or a special-school place?

No. No universal staffing arrangement or placement follows automatically from having a plan. The final plan should specify the provision and setting shown to be appropriate for the individual child or young person.

How are SEN Support and an EHC plan reviewed?

SEN Support should be reviewed through the continuing assess-plan-do-review cycle. A final EHC plan must be formally reviewed at least every 12 months. After that review, the local authority decides whether to maintain, amend or cease the plan.

Official guidance

1.
SEND Code of Practice
Department for Education and Department of Health and Social Care · 2014-06-11 · Accessed 2026-08-04
Statutory guidance for England covering definitions, school duties, graduated support, EHC assessment and planning, Section F, reviews, mediation and appeals.
2.
Children and Families Act 2014, Part 3
UK Parliament · 2014 · Accessed 2026-08-04
Primary legislation for the England SEND framework, including school duties, EHC needs assessments and local-authority responsibilities.
3.
SEND Regulations 2014
UK Parliament · 2014 · Accessed 2026-08-04
Procedural rules for assessment advice, statutory timescales, draft plans and reviews.
4.
GOV.UK: Special educational needs support
GOV.UK · Accessed 2026-08-04
Parent-facing examples of support available through schools and colleges.
5.
GOV.UK: Complaining about school SEN support
GOV.UK · Accessed 2026-08-04
Guidance on school-level SEN complaints and the distinction from local-authority EHC decisions.
6.
Department for Education: SEND reform guidance
Department for Education · 2026-06-05 · Accessed 2026-08-04
Date-sensitive context distinguishing the current SEND framework from proposed future reform.

Internal pages

1.
Latimer Tuition: Match Me With a Tutor
Latimer Tuition · Accessed 2026-08-04
2.
Latimer Tuition: Find an Online Tutor by Subject & Level
Latimer Tuition · Accessed 2026-08-04

Other sources

1.
IPSEA: SEN Support
IPSEA · 2022-03-28 · Accessed 2026-08-04
Specialist SEND legal explanation of best endeavours, records, parent meetings and school responsibilities.
2.
IPSEA: EHC needs assessment request formats
IPSEA · 2022-01-25 · Accessed 2026-08-04
Specialist legal explanation of valid requests, preferred forms and blanket local prerequisites.
3.
IPSEA: Annual review of EHC plans
IPSEA · 2018-03-26 · Accessed 2026-08-04
Specialist guidance on annual reviews and maintain, amend or cease decisions.