When a child reaches Year 5, the stakes for their education naturally begin to feel higher. Secondary school transition is just around the corner, making the Year 5 Annual Review one of the most critical windows parents have to ensure their child's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is robust, up-to-date, and legally sound.
Recently, I had the privilege of working with a family to review their son’s EHCP ahead of this exact milestone. Following our collaboration, they kindly shared a review of their experience with Practical SEND Solutions, which beautifully highlights why deep-dive preparation is so essential for a successful Annual Review.
Here is what they had to say about our work together:
📝 Client Review: Preparing for the Year 5 Annual Review
"We used Practical SEND Solutions to help review our son's EHCP ahead of his annual EHCP review at the end of year 5. We found Katie to be really easy to communicate with, with clear instructions on what we needed to input, what we would receive, and an insightful progress update. We were really happy with the end result. The report that Katie generated was very professional and we will be taking the recommendations into the annual EHCP review. In particular the guidance was focussed on helping make sure the section F of the EHCP was measurable so that it could be more effectively legally enforced. We would add that we got a real sense that Katie had immersed herself into the detailed material that we sent as inputs, gaining a great understanding of our son, and his needs. And Katie's many years of experience in an educational setting was clear as she generated meaningful and actionable recommendations. We would certainly recommend using Practical SEND Solutions to anyone looking to maximise the impact of their child's EHCP."
Why Section F Matters: The Legal Enforcement of Support
As this family rightly pointed out in their review, our primary focus was ensuring that Section F of the EHCP was entirely specific and measurable.
Section F outlines the special educational provision that the Local Authority (LA) is legally obligated to secure for your child. However, LAs frequently draft this section using vague language such as "regular access to therapies," "as required," or "opportunities to interact with peers."
Legally, words like "regular" or "as required" are virtually unenforceable. If a plan doesn’t specify who delivers the support, how often it happens (e.g., 30 minutes, twice a week), and what qualifications the person delivering it must have, it leaves the support open to interpretation—and budget cuts. Transforming Section F into a quantified, measurable checklist is the single most effective way to safeguard your child's provision.
The Advocate's Role: Immersion, Understanding, and Action
A successful EHCP review cannot be done on a surface level. To build a strong case for an Annual Review, an advocate must fully immerse themselves in the child's paperwork—from speech and language therapy reports to educational psychology reviews and school progress data.
My background working within educational settings allows me to bridge the gap between what a report says and how it actually translates to the classroom floor. When we look at the raw evidence together, we can generate actionable recommendations that schools can realistically implement and that Local Authorities cannot easily dismiss.
Is Your Child's Annual Review Approaching?
Whether your child is preparing for a transition phase like Year 5 or Year 9, or you simply feel their current EHCP no longer reflects their true needs, you do not have to navigate the paperwork alone.
An EHCP should be a dynamic blueprint that maximizes your child's impact and potential. If you want to ensure your child's plan is legally robust ahead of their next review, please reach out to Practical SEND Solutions today to discuss how we can support your family.